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Nonviolence is a powerful and just weapon. It is a weapon unique in history, which cuts without wounding, and ennobles the man who wields it. It is a sword that heals. - Martin Luther King, Jr. Martin Luther King used non violence as a weapon to bring justice and equality to the segregated Black society of America. He was one of the few people who stood up against society and tried to change what he believed was wrong. Martin Luther King is best known for the dream that he had.
A dream that one day justice and equality would prevail in the presently segregated American society. He was the leading man in the civil rights movement and changed the racially segregated society of America through non-violent means. Martin Luther King was responsible to maintain the peace in America through non violence and any other method would have made things worse. King got involved in the civil rights movement, and in 1955 he was the leader of the Montgomery bus boycott. King was arrested during protests but his arrest led to the court in outlawing racial segregation. King was also part of organizations like the SCLC and SNCC.
Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) was the organization which led non violent protests against racism. King also organized and led marches to acquire the right to vote and other basic civil rights for the blacks. After looking at Gandhi's non violent progress in India, King was inspired and looked forward to non violence as the only method to end racism. Now the question arises that why King used non violence when there were many other methods which would have worked effectively. Non violence would have been the last resort in a country where the blacks were abused, humiliated, and treated like animals. During the time, Blacks also started to protest against the system, the government and many of them used violent ways.
Blacks would attack whites and the whites would retaliate. The condition of racial segregation had already reached its peak during that time. Martin Luther King relied on non violence because he wanted a peaceful way out of the problem in the country. King already had plans for the future in his mind, he was thinking about the best way to bring justice and equality among all Americans. While violence would seem effective in that period of time, non violence would seem peaceful and more effective later on. Another reason King chose non violence was because he was a Baptist minister and had great religious influence on him.
He had religious influence by his parents and was always taught to believe that violence has terrible effects. Another big reason was that if violence was used, the government would not have understood what the black society was trying to say and the government would categorize the blacks as a terror spreading group. What would the consequences be like if King used violence as his main weapon? The non violent protests against racism would be the bombing of government buildings.
The marches to acquire voting rights and other basic civil rights would be riots between the blacks and the police. The peaceful talks would turn into assassinations of leaders who supported racism. If violence was used, America would turn into a battleground where black people would be fighting against white government. There could be a civil war two, where the whites are fighting against the blacks. Martin Luther King would have been assassinated long before if violence was adopted. Even if the conflict would end, the relationship between the whites and blacks would be dented for many generations to come.
So basically, Martin Luther King made a smart, calm choice despite the condition of racism at that time. He was ready to suffer the short term affects in order to achieve justice and equality in the future. In 1968, King was assassinated and his death led in riots throughout the country in about sixty cities. This proves how important King was to maintain the peace in the country. King was a symbol of peace and after his death people realized that racism was not at all just and more whites started to feel comfortable among blacks.
King was successful in using non violence which maintained the peace in America and avoided the possible conflict.
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Research essay sample on Martin Luther King Way
