Mackenzie Baker

SOC 0849: Dissent in America

5 May 2014
Final Exam

Race 3
Nonviolent direct action has become a reliable tactic for todays social movements due to its past
successes. In simple terms, it is group action against injustice by challenging directly the right of
discrimination to exist. Martin Luther King, Jr., largely known for his participation in the
advancement of civil rights and his endorsement of nonviolent direct action, describes the
method as such, Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and establish such creative
tension that a community that has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue
(Letter from Birmingham City Jail). Besides withholding the use of violence, the central ideas
in need of paying attention to are; noncooperation with injustice, the persuasion of public
opinion, and finally the spirit of good will. King had infused this philosophy of nonviolence
when simultaneously creating tension in these sit-ins, boycotts, and marches whose purpose was
to persuade the public opinion and challenge discrimination. It certainly dramatized the issue
when four college students waited patiently for service even after being refused at a diner in
Greensboro, North Carolina. There have been many instances since then in which nonviolent
direct action has proven to be effective, most notably in the global social movement known as
Occupy Wall Street where millions are challenging not only Corporate America, but the
corporations of the world that seem to be in complete rule.
Gender 2
When comparing the philosophies and actions of civil disobedience in terms of Susan B.
Anthony and Martin Luther King, Jr. there are several overwhelming similarities as both social
activists believed in not only equality for all people, but for them to retain or gain their human
rights. They both voice their issues in a civil manner, while urging society to take no shame in
disobeying unjust laws for Anthony quotes the old Revolutionary maxim, Resistance to tyranny
is obedience to God (Zinn, 132). Anthony insists women need to take their freedom, As then
the slaves who got their freedom had to take it over or under or through the unjust forms of law,
precisely so now must women take it to get right to a voice in this government (Zinn, 131).
King even says that one who is to break an unjust law should do so openly, and lovingly while
willing to face the penalty. The only significant difference between the two is that while Anthony
was directly speaking to the Judge, Kings letter was addressing all of society.
Class 2
On April 20
th
, 1914 both the Colorado National Guard and Colorado Fuel and Iron Company
joined forces to attacking the tent colony of 1,200 striking miners and their families. This attack
is known as the Ludlow Massacre. The strikers consisted of coal miners, most of which were
working under the largest operator, the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company. Mining was no easy
task; the mines they worked in were at constant risk for explosion, suffocation, and the
collapsing of the mine walls. Over the course of a few decades the total number of fatalities
caused by such conditions climbed well over a thousand causing the miners to strike. The miners
had organized a union and began striking. In return, the Company had hired the National Guard
to keep the organization in line. On April 20
th
chaos broke loose when the militia had posted two
machine guns over watching the colony of strikers which the National Guard later deemed to be
violent. Because it was deemed violent it opened up the door for the National Guard to retaliate.
After a days length fight between the two, it was not just the miners, but their families who
received the worst of the confrontation.
War 2
While we did focus a lot on nonviolent direct action, war is obviously on the opposite end of the
spectrum and with it comes several harsh realities. As Admiral Gene Larocque points out, were
the only country in the world thats been fighting a war since 1940. It has become a main focus
for government spending and a huge part of what Americas society has been about over the last
half century and more. Larocque addresses not only the horrors of war but what they bring back
to us through our soldiers, many of which are unfortunate to make it back as the person they left.
He highlights out need to tidy things up in foreign lands, which the government pays handsomely
for. He goes on to say, World War Two has warped our view of how we look at things today.
We see things in terms of war, which in a sense was a good war. But the twisted memories of it
encourages the men of my generation to be willing, almost eager, to use military force around the
world (Zinn, 376). I believe this trend does continue today as more and more soldiers are still
returning from wars around the world in which they bring back this mentality. I do, however,
think this trend is in decline with more people realizing this senseless waste of human beings
needs to stop. They dont die for the honor and glory of their country. We kill them. (Zinn,
376)