Violence and civil rights struggle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Violence and civil rights struggle - Essay Example Martin Luther King and Malcom X arose to fight for the position of the blacks in the America community, and today they are acknowledged for the moves. What are the different takes on violence and civil rights struggles? Blacks suffered discrimination in America on housing and employment as well as abuse and lynching from whites and never exercised the right to vote. This was regardless of the fact that slavery in the United States ended in the late 19th century, as the struggle of the black population against the ill treatment brought about the early activists such as Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. However, although the two individuals among others shared the same thought of ending violence on African American, there takes on violence and civil rights struggle were different. Martin Luther, for example, advocated for peaceful demonstrations for he was against violence of any kind in the society. He believed that peaceful demonstrations would lead to opening up of a room for negoti ation between martin whites and the African Americans. On the issue of the civil rights, martin Luther advocated for human rights where everyone in the nation had equal treatment regardless of race. In the times of Luther King, despite the fact that slave trade and forced labour were no long dead, discrimination and racism was very popular. Malcom X, on the other hand, was revolutionary and radical. He preached independence through the necessary means possible and hence advocated for violence. He is very much unlike Martin Luther King who preached non-violence and obedience philosophy; a similar approach to Gandhi’s during the struggle in India. A combination of the two activists approaches although quite contrasting brought a strong support on the black American movements in relation to violence and discrimination. They brought some life In the face of the struggle and hence why they are prominent and make a huge part of the African America. Malcom X was brought to the limel ight as he was the leader of the demonstrating Muslims, the papers and the radio speaking of the events that had happened at the Lenox Avenue. He can be described as a non-violent man but on the other hand a strong willing man, ready to rally crowds through violence if need be, to protect the rights of other individuals. At the time of these happenings, the whites are said to have not been bothered by the revolution of the blacks unless it threatened the status quo. Movements for civil rights are the political movements that were uprising at the times of people like martin Luther King Jr. and Malcom X that took the form of civil resistance. The main aim was to bring about nonviolent aims of resistance but they were accompanied by civil unrest and armed rebellion. What are the consequences of violence becoming part of civil right struggles? Maclom X was one of the renowned Muslim leaders and a Lenox avenue fraces brought him to light after being reported in The Amsterdam News to have told the police officials, â€Å"we do not look for trouble, in fact we are taught to steer clear of trouble. We do not carry knives or guns, but we are also taught than when one finds something that is worthwhile getting into trouble about, he should be ready to die, then and there for that particular thing.† This ensued after the police were holding back a man who had witnessed an incident at the Lenox Avenue and told the Moslems that one of their brother had been beaten by a police man. At the police station, a crowd of Muslims swelled led by Malcolm X