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In a turbulent time of U. S. history African Americans were actively seeking equality, fortunately there were great leaders with goals, values and methodologies that furthered their cause. As one of the most prominent of these leaders, with perhaps the strongest legacy today, Martin Luther King Jr.
gave people a platform of peace in one of the greatest struggles of the United States short history. When examining this time period in history we the legacy must look however to all the individuals who lead to the standard we have today. In this light, there were pacifists (Dr. King being the pacifist example) and activists (one of the more well known activists was Elijah Poole).
Poole s methods were as radical and racist as those of the radical K Klux Klan, yet his ideals still appealed to those who, after years of poor treatment felt that a fight may be what is necessary to get the ends that were long past due. The goal of this essay is to explicate, the varying methods, values, and what the Nation that is the United States of America learned from this era. In examining the methods that stemmed from Martin Luther King Jr. and his pacifist ideals, one finds that his concepts are heavily rooted in Mahatma Gandhi s non-violent form of resistance.
Martin Luther King Jr. left his followers with a belief in something bigger than any one man. Nonviolence is the answer to the racial, political and moral questions of our time; the need for man to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to oppression and violence. Man must evolve for all human conflict a method, which rejects revenge aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such is love (Quotes). The above quote captures both Dr.
King s powerful feeling and stance on nonviolence as the way to winning the respect and freedom of the African Americans oppressors. Dr. King s strong moral and ethical values were rooted in a deeply religious background for he was the son of a long line of many Christian ministers. With a strong religious and education through the title of doctrine in his background, and modeling his movement after that of Mahatma Guagdhi.
Martin Luther King Jr. traveled to areas in the United States where his brothers and sister felt the string of segregation. Some of the more memorable events Dr. King participated in which reflect his pacifist ideals were that of the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1995 - 1956, The Birmingham Protests which gave birth to the Letter from a Birmingham Jail, in April of 1963, and the most noted act of his time the I have a Dream Speech and the March on Washington in August of 1963 (MLKONLINE). In the Montgomery Bus Boycott Dr.
King and his followers took to the example set forth by Rosa Parks and went onto the public bus system, which at the time was segregated. Dr. King and fellow protestors calmly entered the bus in a non-threatening manor and sat in those seats, which were reserved for the white folks. This example is perhaps the greatest for it paints a picture of what Dr. King believed was the proper way to make oneself heard without the use of violence, yet still having a strong presence. The march on Washington was in a way the last straw.
In this it was meant to let the people of the United States know that segregation could not be tolerated any longer and everyone of any moral character knew that it must come to a stop. Now in the examination on the side of the non-pacifist movement and Elijah Poole s methods of radicalism one must understand his background. Elijah Muhammad ideals were founded in the teachings that he received under the guidance of Master Fard Muhammad. Elijah Muhammad believed that Master Fard was in fact Allah himself on earth. In this Elijah believed that he was the messenger of Allah in the United States. Elijah values were derived through these teachings.
Elijah gave those that followed him the impression that the white man was evil. This is best expressed in his teachings and founding of the NOI (Nation of Islam). The NOI with Elijah at their front stated that, Its (the NOI) purpose is separation of the black man from the devil (white race) through establishment of a black nation (FBI). The followers of the NOI were instructed to obey the laws of the land if they did not conflict with the laws of the NOI. The followers of the NOI were also instructed not to carry weapons but were to defend NOI officials, their property, women and themselves if attacked at all costs and were to take weapons away from their attackers and use the same force / means on their attackers (FBI). These teaching lead to many violent acts and conflicts with the police.
Who were for the most part white men. It bred more anger and intolerance, for most know through the observation throughout history nobody walks away from violence unscathed. Not many laws or advancement of African Americans rights were founded from these teachings. However many chapters of the organization were set up throughout the country to spread the word of the NOI.
When truly comparing the two extremes it would appear that Martin Luther King Jr. s method of educated well planned pacifist methods bred a truly rich foundation for a peaceful existence between the people of the United State of America. There will always be those who have fears spawned from ignorant misconceptions. The sad part of it all is that there is always someone somewhere even after everything that has been sacrificed for further ment of mankind, who has insecurities that they can t or better yet won t overcome for their own personal reasons. Perhaps to go a bit further everyone may be at fault for the injustices suffered by minorities in the U.
S. For how can those people be taught the tolerance if those of us who recognize it don t take the courage to bring it to those who have never known it. The question that remains is at what point will we unite to overcome the prejudices that our forefathers set into place thousands of years before present. Should society continue to turn a blind shoulder to what was worked so hard for will history have to repeat itself yet once again. If that is true than perhaps the legacy left be those civil rights activists was all for naught. However call it optimistic but, it s a new era and it would appear that even though everything that could be done isn t being done, the lasting impression of that struggle for equality left its mark.
Its clear that if anyone of any intelligence takes but a moment to sit down and read the words of Dr. King or anyone for that matter who gave all that they had just for the respect of their fellow man, they would see that the world is a pretty big place. It s got enough room for all
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