Why did Martin Luther King campaign for civil rights using non -violence?

Question

Why did Martin Luther King campaign for civil rights using non -violence?

Answer 1

Because stooping to violence would make him no better than the people he was campaigning against.

Answer 2

Because in the long run it works better in struggles such as he was engaged in.  A smaller, weaker group cannot effect lasting change through violence alone often.  Te moral authority they gained by passively taking whatever evil was heaped on them, combined with the perceived threat White America say in groups like the Black Panthers and Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam lead to the nation dealing with him.

  King had faults like any man, and suffered some weaknesses, but he was still great.  He helped this entire nation, black and white.

  What he did for Black America is obvious, but as I White man I know that you cannot hold a man, or a people down, unless you are content to stay down with them.  Together now we have the opportunity to rise to the stars and beyond.

Answer 3

because he was a BIGGER man in all aspects *S* That man was gassed and beaten, put through h**l and yet he still forged on believing  in what he said... He was a PEACEFUL man

HE HAD A DREAM!!!!!!!!!

Answer 4

Ghandi was one of his role models from history.

Answer 5

Because to do it any other way the message is lost. Any time you have violence in a protest, the violence becomes the message and you lose all legitimate arguments.

Answer 6

More acceptance and it gained more support from all races.

Answer 7

because hes a hippie

Answer 8

Because he was a man of God and his God believed in passive resistance.

Answer 9

ghandism

Answer 10

Large groups of people quietly protesting speak volumes.

Answer 11

he new white America was waiting for its chance to react with extreme violence. he new that was a fight that could no be won. he also needed world support, violence was nae the way to get it.

what he did and how he did it was right for the time

he was an intelligent and brave man of his time. had he no been murdered by the whites that feared him and the changes to come, the nation of America would be better off today and Jesse Jackson would be a foot note and not a public pain in the backside

Answer 12

The most effective non-violent political campaign ever in history, is that carried out by Gandhi and his supporters in India.  It ultimately lead to Indian independence.

Martin Luther King, like any democratically minded American, knew about Gandhi, who is held up as a hero of freedom in the US schools system.

My theory is that Martin Luther King tried to emulate the political success of Gandhi - not for the independence of a nation, but for the liberty and freedom of Black Americans.

MARTIN LUTHER KING

"I have a Dream"

YouTube - Martin Luther King "I have a dream"

The full version of Martin Luther King's famous "I have a dream" speech.

Comments disabled since many of them were hateful and racist. You can discuss the .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbUtL_0vA...

Martin Luther King was an electric and charismatic speaker.  I have seen footage of him many times over.  I have seen footage of him almost feinting with emotion following one section of a very powerful speech.

This lady, Miss Mahalia Jackson, is the only person who can relieve my soul from the sorrow I feel, even now, at the death of Martin Luther King - Martyr for Jesus.

Shame on the FBI for what they done.

YouTube - Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho-Mahalia Jackson

Here is another gem from my VHS archives. Our gospel Queen Mahalia Jackson as

she appeared in 1957 singing on the Nat King Cole show.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPZuWzZvo...

Answer 13

He was a wonderful man who practiced what he preached and was a great visionary in his time.

Answer 14

Back in the day non-violence worked, nowadays people or should I say Government's won't listen or do anything unless protests or marches become violent. Basically non-violence nowadays doesn't get you anywhere, it doesn't get you noticed and doesn't get your voice heard. It's a sad state of affairs when this happens but sometimes it is the only way.

People need to be heard, and sometimes violence is the only way to speak out when peaceful protests fall on deaf ears, as they regulary do.

Answer 15

Because he was bright enough to realize that, considering the social problems and cultural issues being dealt with, any kind of violence would bring the wrong reaction from the fence sitters in the civil rights debate.

The true dyed-in-the-wool racists weren't going to have their opinions changed, and the true pro-rights folk obviously weren't, but it was that wide gulf between who had to be convinced, to drum up support.

That support would not be given, were say, Malcom X leading the marches, rather a truly peaceful protest had to be used, so the people protesting weren't viewed as a threat to middle America.

It worked well, and was a stroke of brilliance on Dr. King's part.

Answer 16

cos he good man with great insight foresite hindsite.....men like him come but rarely sad to say