Their demonstrations may have been successful in gaining attention and publicity, but surely this was not the publicity that they truly wanted. After all they were doing such violent protests to make racists sit up and listen to their views and realise that everyone is equal, not matter what ethnicity you are, they wanted equality, by violently attacking the people who already hated them, they only gave more reason for the racists to hate them, and worsened an already bad situation. They were attacking the very system, the people, that they were asking help of, by getting their attention through such violent and unpleasant ways; they were only giving people one more reason to discriminate them, and in a sense created an image that they were violent and unruly people.
However Martin Luther King’s responses to racism were however a turning point, by acting in a respectable and peaceful manner with well planned tactics that were not unlawful he gained a lot more than the Black Panthers and did this without causing nearly as much bloodshed.
Martin Luther King was a leader who was able to turn protests into crusades, to change local conflicts into moral issues of nationwide concern. He won his greatest victories by appealing to the consciences of white Americans. Martin Luther King would organise peaceful protests and after much time and hard work his demonstrations, speech’ and campaigning paid off and although his strategy may not have been powerful enough to solve more complex racial problems all over the word, he still made a very important different and to the lives of the black people who have benefited because of his determination for racial equality. He started a new wave of peaceful movements all over the world.
I conclude by saying that I think that violence is not an appropriate response to anything. Violence is wrong and immoral. If somebody is ignorant enough to be racist, then they are not worth the time and effort. You should rise above is and try your best to ignore the comments they make. Do not degrade yourself and lower yourself to their level. The bible clearly states that violence is inappropriate and wrong. If somebody hurts you then turn the other cheek. “When they hurled abuse at him, he did not retaliate, when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead he entrusted himself in him who judges justly” (Peter 1:3-23).
As a Christian I believe that violence, assault and abuse of any sort is wrong and unacceptable. Is it truly worth committing a sin, just to retaliate with another in the name of revenge?
