Quote:
Originally Posted by CliffFletcher
Try to follow the thread of conversation.
- New Era said the approach to civil rights employed by MLK was ineffective.
- I said it was more effective than the violent tactics employed later in the 60s and 70s. I cited the Freedom Riders as an example of protest that didn't initiate violence.
- Flash implied that the violence that surrounded he Freedom Riders was initiated by the civil rights activists.
- I asked him to clarify how he thinks initiating violence is a winning tactic for the left.
|
I think there is some confusion here. The argument was that the MLK strategy of non-violence was not predicated on not using violence like you suggest, but allowing violence to be used against people of color, then responding accordingly. There are many forms of non-violent protest, and many strategies for response. There is the non-violence of allowing yourself to get beat into a coma, which is not very effective. There is the non-violence of getting beat, and only fighting back when the cameras have already shown the oppression. This is pretty effective in winning the propaganda war. There is the non-violence is taking a shot in the mouth, then kicking the #### out of the guy that hit you. That can be pretty effective too. All forms were used by MLK and his followers, and all to varying levels of effectiveness, and evolving as the civil rights movement progressed.