It’s very ironic to me you are even bringing up Martin Luther King Jr because it makes my point.
Again, MLK Jr himself contradicted you in his own statement. He doesn’t place much emphasis on it - he prefers the nonviolent route, 100% - but even he acknowledged that nonviolence ignored leads to violence. It’s the Birmingham Jail letter if you’re interested - I recommend it.
You know how Black people finally got their civil rights? Lawsuits. Lots and lots and lots of lawsuits. Look it up if you do not believe me.
Lawsuits, nonviolent protests, and you’re skipping a pretty important ingredient: violence. Lots of violence. The Black Panthers were standing by with rifles to enforce the efficacy of their nonviolent counterparts. Direct military engagement such as by the 761st Tank Battalion or Tuskegee Airmen, which fostered a huge amount of respect from the nation at large by showing patriotism even in the face of massive discrimination, and -you guessed it- a professional aptitude for violence.
MLK Jr’s movement was a subset of a greater movement; his was nonviolent, the rest of it wasn’t. If the violent components were removed, the nonviolent components would have failed.
Millions of people boycotting, even if imperfectly, is fucking devastating for corporate giants and 100% legal.
First off, never conflate legality with morality. You strike me as someone who already knows this. Slavery was legal. The Holocaust was legal. Legal only means it’s sanctioned by the state, and when that does align with morality: cool, follow the law. When it doesn’t align with morality: fuck the law.
In any case, you’re correct, we can and should be boycotting corporations that dip below a certain moral standard. That isn’t mutually exclusive to violence though - you know what else is devastating to corporate giants? Cutting its head off, which is what Luigi just did to health insurance, and he single-handedly accomplished more for us by a single action than every healthcare related protest or boycott in my entire lifetime. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t boycott, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t engage in nonviolent protest: but if you find yourself in a room alone with Hitler and you’re packing a revolver, that isn’t the time to shake your fist at the fucker and explain to him the error of his ways: it’s time to pull the trigger.
It’s going to take a long time to extirpate all the cancer plaguing our institutions
Justice delayed is justice denied. That’s also addressed in the MLK Jr’s Birmingham Jail letter.
and violent conflicts just make it take even longer.
Not according to current events, but we’re circling back to the start of this conversation.
It’s important to note the role that social media manipulation plays us all into thinking that challenges in court and peaceful protests do not work-- they do, just not in a way that is obvious to someone who is not used to fighting against an authoritarian regime.
Different tools for different jobs. A paintbrush being really effective for its intended purpose doesn’t mean it’ll make a good sledge hammer, nor vice versa. You are correct in that there is a great deal of painting that needs to be done; but there are also some walls that need to come down.
Again, MLK Jr himself contradicted you in his own statement. He doesn’t place much emphasis on it - he prefers the nonviolent route, 100% - but even he acknowledged that nonviolence ignored leads to violence. It’s the Birmingham Jail letter if you’re interested - I recommend it.
Lawsuits, nonviolent protests, and you’re skipping a pretty important ingredient: violence. Lots of violence. The Black Panthers were standing by with rifles to enforce the efficacy of their nonviolent counterparts. Direct military engagement such as by the 761st Tank Battalion or Tuskegee Airmen, which fostered a huge amount of respect from the nation at large by showing patriotism even in the face of massive discrimination, and -you guessed it- a professional aptitude for violence.
MLK Jr’s movement was a subset of a greater movement; his was nonviolent, the rest of it wasn’t. If the violent components were removed, the nonviolent components would have failed.
First off, never conflate legality with morality. You strike me as someone who already knows this. Slavery was legal. The Holocaust was legal. Legal only means it’s sanctioned by the state, and when that does align with morality: cool, follow the law. When it doesn’t align with morality: fuck the law.
In any case, you’re correct, we can and should be boycotting corporations that dip below a certain moral standard. That isn’t mutually exclusive to violence though - you know what else is devastating to corporate giants? Cutting its head off, which is what Luigi just did to health insurance, and he single-handedly accomplished more for us by a single action than every healthcare related protest or boycott in my entire lifetime. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t boycott, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t engage in nonviolent protest: but if you find yourself in a room alone with Hitler and you’re packing a revolver, that isn’t the time to shake your fist at the fucker and explain to him the error of his ways: it’s time to pull the trigger.
Justice delayed is justice denied. That’s also addressed in the MLK Jr’s Birmingham Jail letter.
Not according to current events, but we’re circling back to the start of this conversation.
Different tools for different jobs. A paintbrush being really effective for its intended purpose doesn’t mean it’ll make a good sledge hammer, nor vice versa. You are correct in that there is a great deal of painting that needs to be done; but there are also some walls that need to come down.
Bro, this whole stupid ass conversation started with me saying peaceful protesting is not a mutually exclusive action.
Like, feel free to go be violent or whatever. Just don’t talk others into doing it first when you obviously are not willing to do that.
That’s why Luigi is an icon, and you are, frankly speaking, a huge hypocrite.
Luigi didn’t try to persuade or pressure others into taking a risk he wasn’t personally willing to take.
I have seen the power of peaceful protesting.
The boycotts work.
Violence only gives the administration a convenient excuse to hurt us.
Don’t fall for it.
The calls for violence are propaganda.