What Works and What Doesn't
Spectators to the recent bouts of civil unrest have shown a clear example of what does not work when it comes to protesting. Barring the situation that lead up to the riots in Ferguson, for example, the way the protests were executed was flawed from the start. An issue as serious as justice and fair trail for African American citizens is not something that should have been met with violent outlashing from the community.
That being said however, it still did not warrant the brutal retaliation from law enforcement that soon followed. I believe the events in Ferguson showed a clear picture to the United States, as to what will happen to any of us if we speak out the wrong way. We must come to accept the fact that the wheels in this country move at their own speed. True progress for civil rights just will not happen over night, even an isolated incident of injustice can't be fixed in a week of protesting, no matter how well it may have been executed.
I'm not saying that the American public should not be upset by these altercations, seemingly following one after another. But if we, as a communal voice, give reason to the powers-that-be to take militant precautions, the only attention that we will recieve is would be negative judgement.
That being said however, this is not, nor has it ever been a perfect, or even ideal
world. As we advanced culturally and intellectually, certain civil problems, like disease,
slowly became irrelevant, while new ones like voting rights and equality came to light.
Considering that America boasted that it was the “Land of the Free,” it’s easy to see why
so many families, businessmen and women, grandparents, priests and doctors were so
frustrated merely because their skin wasn’t white.
The Caucasian communities led
relatively pampered lives in the 50s and 60s, where as their African American neighbors
were being treated collectively like 3rd
world citizens. Civil unrest was at it’s highest
during the 1960s, and the people were in need of coherent and responsible help to once and for all solve a serious issue. Dr. Martin Luther King was a breath of fresh air to a nearly voiceless community. He led them on a march through the nation’s capital
that would later be recognized as one of the most pivotal moments during the civil rights
movement.
Never before in history had the African American community generated a
headline such as this: “The Negro March on Washington yesterday turned out to be a
profoundly moving demonstration, so big, so orderly, so sweet-singing and good-natured,
so boldly confident and at the same time relaxed, so completely right from start to finish, that America was done proud beyond measure," -Taken from the New York Tribunal just days after the protest, a headline like this had never given such good press to the black community. I want to accentuate how important this is, for the world collectively does have a voice, and it's most influenced by what it reads.
