Blacks Attempt To Achieve Equality :: United States History Historical Essays

Blacks' Attempt To Achieve Equality The second amendment of the Constitution guarantees the right of American citizens â€Å"to bear arms shall not be infringed† by the United States government (2nd Amendment). Robert Williams understood how significant this right was to the protection of Black lives which were targets of racism and violence. He advocated the use of violence as a means of self defense and organized local blacks into a â€Å"rifle club with a charter from the National Rifle Association† (60). Skip Curtiss defends this position saying, â€Å"any steps that (Williams) had to take in order to prevent his family and his people from being slaughtered like cattle were completely within his rights† (Curtiss). This is certainly true regarding Williams right to own guns, as explained above, but below the surface of Curtiss’ statement, lie many questions regarding the results the threat of violence has produced. Retaliating against racism with violence actually produces effects whi ch are detrimental to the integrationist movement. Whites felt threatened by Williams militaristic statements, which caused them to hold onto their power with a increasingly tighter grip. Non violence has moral superiority to, is more logically sound than and has produced much more favorable results than armed self defense, and is thus a much better method in the struggle to achieve equality. The most famous advocate of non violence was Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In his essay â€Å"A Letter From a Birmingham Jail† he articulates the position of non violence. Justified is King in his civil disobedience because certain laws treat people unequally, and are therefore immoral. He demonstrates out of protest of these laws, but knows that by breaking laws he must accept certain penalties. King feels that resorting to violence only equates the abused with the abuser. Thus in the fight for a morally just cause, Blacks must not resort to immoral tactics else they becomes victims of hypocrisy. The major problem with armed resistance to protect Black’s lives is that it is does not have a means to produce the ends, which is equality. Williams Asserts that â€Å"the basic ill is an economic ill, (Blacks are) denied the right to have a decent standard of living† (40). No one can logically disagree with this, but threatening to use violence is not a solution. As Williams found out, his position actually made matters worse. Blacks' Attempt To Achieve Equality :: United States History Historical Essays Blacks' Attempt To Achieve Equality The second amendment of the Constitution guarantees the right of American citizens â€Å"to bear arms shall not be infringed† by the United States government (2nd Amendment). Robert Williams understood how significant this right was to the protection of Black lives which were targets of racism and violence. He advocated the use of violence as a means of self defense and organized local blacks into a â€Å"rifle club with a charter from the National Rifle Association† (60). Skip Curtiss defends this position saying, â€Å"any steps that (Williams) had to take in order to prevent his family and his people from being slaughtered like cattle were completely within his rights† (Curtiss). This is certainly true regarding Williams right to own guns, as explained above, but below the surface of Curtiss’ statement, lie many questions regarding the results the threat of violence has produced. Retaliating against racism with violence actually produces effects whi ch are detrimental to the integrationist movement. Whites felt threatened by Williams militaristic statements, which caused them to hold onto their power with a increasingly tighter grip. Non violence has moral superiority to, is more logically sound than and has produced much more favorable results than armed self defense, and is thus a much better method in the struggle to achieve equality. The most famous advocate of non violence was Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In his essay â€Å"A Letter From a Birmingham Jail† he articulates the position of non violence. Justified is King in his civil disobedience because certain laws treat people unequally, and are therefore immoral. He demonstrates out of protest of these laws, but knows that by breaking laws he must accept certain penalties. King feels that resorting to violence only equates the abused with the abuser. Thus in the fight for a morally just cause, Blacks must not resort to immoral tactics else they becomes victims of hypocrisy. The major problem with armed resistance to protect Black’s lives is that it is does not have a means to produce the ends, which is equality. Williams Asserts that â€Å"the basic ill is an economic ill, (Blacks are) denied the right to have a decent standard of living† (40). No one can logically disagree with this, but threatening to use violence is not a solution. As Williams found out, his position actually made matters worse.