The Importance Of Peaceful Resistance

Peaceful resistance has been around for ages. From Ghandi’s salt march to Dr. King’s sit-ins, acts of peaceful resistance represent the ordinary performing the extraordinary. It represents the masses standing up against injustice, whether that injustice affects them or not. As Martin Luther King Jr. wrote in his Letter from a Birmingham Jail, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Injustice in society is a common enemy. It is a looming threat in need of resistance. That frightening but necessary refute to injustice is peaceful resistance. Peaceful resistance is the foundation that America is built upon. Peaceful resistance is what gives the power to the people. Peaceful resistance is the metaphorical staple that holds together

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote in his Letter from a Birmingham Jail, “In any nonviolent campaign there are four basic steps: collection of the facts to determine whether injustices exist; negotiation; self purification; and direct action.” Dr. King shows that there is a fine line between a correctly done nonviolent campaign and an incorrect one with a negative impact. This degree of difficulty that comes along with organizing a positive and effective nonviolent campaign, makes a successful campaign all the more impactful. In the past 50 years peaceful resistance has been a driving factor in preserving and building upon our freedom. From Dr. King’s marches, speeches, and boycotts, to gay-marriage protests, peaceful resistance has proven results in the civil rights movement. Ali’s anti war stand and recent protests over President Trump’s quickly overruled travel ban reinforce the power and influence we have as American citizens. Freedom is a cornerstone of American life. We reap its benefits everyday. However, we often fail to recognize our ability to protect and preserve it. Peaceful resistance gives us that opportunity to uphold our beloved freedoms everyday, positively impacting our country and our