**This site is an attempt to show what I learned in POLS 4465 and how that knowledge has affected me.
Martin Luther King Jr., had a dream 50 years ago; we should still have a dream today.
What is YOUR dream for today?
If you are going to be an active member of society you must choose the violent path or the non-violent path… what will your choice be?
What has POLS 4465 taught me about non-violence and violence?
That there are many definitions for both and that there is little agreement in the academic world.
Let’s look at what the scholars of our text have to say:
Sharp agrees that non-violent resistance has several meanings. He has been criticized as thinking to narrowly about V and NV. However, in his book: “Power and Struggle” he gives an informative look at power and control and why people submit to authority.
Bond sets 3 meanings in motion. His conception of NV combines unity between groups.
(As students of POLS 4465 we know that this was very important to King.)
Galtung- He is certainly my favorite scholar that we have learned about in our class. He defines structural violence as damage done to people by the makeup of the society around them. For example: poverty, hunger, racism… etc.
Nagler defines NV as: “that force or principle which comes increasingly to motivate a human being as he or she transforms the desire to injure others into its positive counterpart.”
Philosophical NV is ALL or nothing.
Could you be like Gandhi and King? All in; mind, body, soul.
From the beginning:
Martin Luther King JR., was originally named “Mike” after his father. His dad would change his name and his son’s to Martin Luther King. Martin was born a few months before the Great Depression. Living through that time in history is an accomplishment by itself. His family lived a comfortable life not knowing the lack that Atlanta’s black community suffered through.
King started his life professing to hate all whites. However, even though he witnessed bigotry from a young age, his beliefs did change. Later in life he would encourage his Beloved Community to love all people; believing that all persons are children of God deserving of His love and the love of others.
Besides winning the Nobel Peace prize in 1964, King accomplished much for the Civil Rights Movement. For example, he was the force behind several campaigns that led to the changing of white and blacks hearts.
Selma Alabama newsreel
According to Stephen Oates, the Selma March was the Civil Rights Movement and King’s finest hour.
(Gandhi and King, Nojeim)
At 6:01 p.m. on April 4, 1698, King’s life was taken by an assassin’s bullet.
We can only imagine what might have been if this would’ve not happened.
However, even though he was taken in a violent manner, his non-violent “ways” still touch the world today.
In 1930 what 61 year old man walked more than 240 miles to prove a point?
Mohandas Gandhi was born in Porbandar India in 1869. Gandhi was born a to a family that was well off. His family came from a line of government officials. Growing up, Gandhi interacted with government officials. As Indian tradition supports, Gandhi was married at 13. He and his wife, Kasturbai, were married their whole lives.
Gandhi was always tolerated religious diversity. This was something he would hold to thought-out.
Mohandas would become skillful in many traits during his life. He was a lawyer, a solider, a nurse, account, carpenter, education, and janitor. Most of these were due his work in his ashrams.
When I envision a ashram, I see life there similar to a hippie commune. Everyone there was equal; with equal rights and equal share of responsibility.
Equality was a key motive in Gandhi’s actions. For instance, he challenged India’s caste system.
The caste system is India’s societal structure. Gandhi and King, our text in POLS 4465, describes the structure to look like a ladder. On each rung are different castes of people.
The top rung enjoys the highest status and privilege.
Next are rulers and soldiers, followed by the merchants- Vaisya. (This was Gandhi’s caste as Gandhi means grocer.) The next to the last rung, is the working class- Sudras. Finally, on the last rung are the Untouchables. The Untouchables were the poorest group of citizens in India. They experienced horrible treatment. Gandhi would later change this group of people’s names to the Harijan- Children of God.
Mohandas Gandhi lived an open book life. He practiced what he preached. I believe that is how became so powerful and was able to change hearts.
On January 30, 1948 Nathuram Godse thought by using violence and ending Gandhi’s life that he could put an end to that power. However, Gandhi’s power has stretched over space and time to inspire people that all things are possible.
The information on these pages does not begin to skim the surface of the lives and accomplishments of Martin Luther King Jr., and Gandhi.
If we has a human race could grasp the tiniest amount of what they stood for, this planet would glow with prosperity and love. We could breathe a sigh of relief, because the weight of violence, anger, and suffering would be lifted from our shoulders. I think the most important thing that both men showed the world is you don’t have to be perfect to make things happen, the only requirement to make things happen: YOU HAVE TO MOVE- revival starts with me!
King and Gandhi still play a very important role in the world today. King’s words from 1967 shout out and true to the day we are living in.
If we are to have peace on Earth, our loyalties must become ecumenical rather than sectional. Our loyalties must transcend our race, our tribe, our class and our nations: and this means we must develop a world perspective… Now the judgment of God is upon us and we must learn to live together as brothers or we are all going to perish as fools. (MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. 1967)