Introduction
The concept of a nonviolent approach to the struggles for African American freedom was a key strategy in King’s quest for the liberation of his communities from racial and social oppressions. Essentially, the crisis in race relations and the value of humanity intrigued the desire to create a society that embraced equality and social justice as a critical pillar in development. In essence, King evaluated the environment under which the Negro community lived and the circumstance that brought them to the land (King 528-530). Concurrently, he realized that African Americans were forcefully taken into slavery, faced dehumanization, afflicted as a minority group, and considers nonviolence as a better technique to live a mark. Notably, there was no justice, goodwill, or brotherhood, but the whites dominated the land making violence an improper mechanism to fight for freedom. King used key persuasive principles to advocate for nonviolence, including spiritual aggression, winning friendship, conviction to justice, and the principle of love, which can be discussed under the political, economic, and social constructs (King, 6)
Alternative to Violence
The principle of nonviolence was a virtue that King aped from the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. Under this purview, King considers the Biblical teachings that command humanity to pursue struggles with dignity and discipline to avert negative implications upon populations (King, 9). Gandhi’s public policy involved a direct link to spirituality and self-discipline as a mechanism for sustainable growth and development. The statement on an alternative to violence played a fundamental role in helping societies to re-imagine the consequences of any action while interrogating the inner self on their duty to a peaceful society.
King Jnr A testament of hope 23-29
‘To them as to me it also suggests that nonviolent resistance when well-planned and positive in action can work effectively even and totalitarian regimes’ (Martin Luther King 26)
This quote had direct implications on King’s considerations of the alternatives, considering all the benefits attributable to its executions. Thus, he had a strong belief in effective planning, policing, and dialogues to arrive at binding solutions rather than using bullets to kill and destroy properties. This approach is still valid even with the current struggles against racism and other social injustices, such as racism and gender inequalities. African Americans should unite and champion their rights without using force or violence against the oppressor because united voices are better than weapons.
King, A testament of hope 26-28
White social dominance: Although the Negro felt the pressure of racial segregation and dehumanization, the dominance of the white people in almost all facets could not allow them to succeed in violent riots, least, all be killed. Following in the footsteps of Mahatma Gandhi, King considered peaceful protests against all sorts of injustice and racial segregation, including the Supreme Court ruling. In his view, the need to call for mass action in demand for change as would be advised by the court could not be sustainable or consistent among the Negro because of lack of protection by the state agencies, no military or security personnel. Such intentions would expose the demonstrators to attack from any aggravated segments of societies (King 527). Therefore, a lack of full commitment to integration and equality in all sectors by the court ruling or the Federal Government would perpetuate white supremacy and deny the freedom fighters the social will to gather for justices within the social fragments. In his view, socially organized masses would have more power than small groups of men with guns and other arms (King 3). Concurrently, there was a need to unite as a community, reason together, and express the anger by marching peacefully to relevant sectors to communicate the desire for change and integration: A testament of hope, 31-40
Love, liberalism, and civil disobedience: Having conceptualized the principality of theology and liberalism, King realized that love was a better weapon in winning a war. Accordingly, King considered love as a positive approach to handling issues even in international relations. Although the war with one another would create farfetched impacts, embracing each other in love and humane values would have long-term implications softening the hearts of the enemies and creating space for the oppressed. King considered religious teachings as the epitome of affection, embracing the persona of God and social wellness to create a just society with no evil intentions (King Jnr 43). Therefore, the various student movement witnessed during King’s time was to show their discontent with the law and civil application of the law in partiality. This approach would yield better impacts than violence which could result in massive loss of lives during the war; King Jnr, A testament of hope, 44
Primarily, the Federal policies and the rulings of the Supreme critically affected the individual contribution of Negros as they began to fight from within themselves to communicate their anger and opposition to social ills (King 9). They had lost self-worthiness and image because of social problems. Consequently, they would suffer economic bondage in the hands of the oppressor if they decide to fight a physical war. Nonviolence would thus help exalt the personality of the segregator and the segregated in equal measures to help boost their economic well-being. Based on the experiences King got in India while on a tour of Gandhi’s territory, employment and economic capability was a fundamental factor for social justice. In essence, it was the jobless people who were considerably roaming in the streets and could strike anger given a chance (King 25). Therefore, if the oppressed can organize themselves into disciplined groups and boycott economic activities, including working in the plantations, their plea will have created a huge impact upon policy-makers. Such a step would open up doors to ensure inclusivity and integration of all communities for purposes of liberation. Although the oppressed societies decried the implications of injustice in real life, endangering their lives in violent protest would derail their development for long because they had to keep working in the fields to earn a living amidst slavery.
King, A testament of hope, 23-30
Political goodwill and democracy were other determinants in the collective development of a country. In his assertions, King attributed India’s tremendous growth to the integration of ideas and peaceful negotiations on both political and economic concerns (King, 27). Therefore, the statement “It will be a boon to democracy if one of the great nations of the world, with almost four hundred million people, proves that it is possible to provide a good living to everyone without surrendering to dictatorship from either right or left” proves pertinent. Although his focus on integration ways beyond the political goodwill, his vision of faultless societies enshrined in policies and laws encompasses democratic practices. Therefore, engaging in democratic rights was a fundamental human right that would help the individuals to decide on the policies which would govern their well-being within the nation and at international levels. Such premise is what guided his quest to visit the territories of Mahatma Gandhi to have a taste of his leadership and the background of how his style resonates with the Indians.
Conclusion
From the analysis of Martin Luther King’s assertions and the historical accounts of justice and social segregation among the African American communities, there is evidence to support King’s ideology of nonviolent protests. Primarily, his prominent reasons were the value for spiritual teachings, love, embracing humanity, and discipline for long-term gain. Instead of engaging in violent activities, African Americans and other oppressed communities should consider peaceful protests to communicate their demands. King’s philosophical principles are still valid even in modern societies. Recently, America and the world witnessed the voicing of African Americans following the death of George Floyd. People joined in peaceful demonstrations and street harmless protests to communicate the desire for justice in such communities. Fundamentally, the need to unravel the problems faced by people of color should be a critical component in policing and social justice system development. The debate on racism alongside the need to liberate these from the economic burden should be the government’s and citizens’ combined effort. Primarily, people should be taught the benefits of struggling for their freedom without destroying properties, killing anyone, or engaging in violent behaviors in modern societies.
Works Cited
Martin Luther King, Jr., A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr, edited by James Washington (New York: Harper One, 1991) [ISBN: 978-0060646912]
King, Why We Can’t Wait: 526-554 from A Testament of Hope
King, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? 566-597 from A Testament of Hope