Up@dawn 2.0

Tuesday, May 2, 2017

2nd Installation

Carlos Landeros / section 09
2nd installment
Philosophy of non-violence
The previous installation touched on the process of staging a successful peaceful campaign, this installation will go further in depth and clarify each step. Again, King's letter from Birmingham Jail will be utilized as a direct reference.

There are four steps to a non-violent campaign. The first is to look at the information available and decide whether or not there are injustices. Secondly, if a problem is identified, negotiation should be pursued. While negotiation is the second step, it is the ultimate goal. The third step is only undertaken if the opposing party denies negotiation or fails to honor their promises. When negotiations fail, self-purification is done by the protesters. Afterwards, direct-action is taken with the end-goal of returning to the negotiation table.  

The first step is to accurately identify a problem. No action should be taken without thoroughly analyzing the evidence. Laws in the district should be comprehensibly examined for injustices. All laws that follow the moral code set by god should be followed but unethical laws should be challenged.  As Dr. King asserts, "An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law." As to clarify what just and unjust laws are, Dr. King defines them in terms of St. Augustine, "Any law that uplifts human personality is just. Any law that degrades human personality is unjust".

If a problem or an unjust law is identified, the next step is to organize negotiations with the opposing party. Negotiation offers an opportunity to address the injustices in the community. Reasonable requests should be demanded with a strong argument defending them. Additionally, the negotiation table must be approached with respect and integrity. No personal attacks towards the opposing party should be made, only arguments that generate new perspectives for them.  

Self-purification, the third step, is only performed if the opposing party refuses calls for negotiation or fails to honor their promises. The protesters must prepare themselves for violence against them. They should be taught to resist retaliating with violence. Non-violent protest encourages moderates to listen. Also, if protesters are pictured being beaten without a justified cause, the protest will gain public sympathy.  

Lastly, direct-action must be taken once protesters are taught to remain peaceful. Direct-action can be in many forms such as protests or marches. Boycotts tend to be the most effective considering they have economic effects. If the local economy exhibits signs of peril, the opposition will become more willing to negotiate.   

Non-violence allowed Dr. King's movement to attain progress. Peaceful protesters pictured unjustly treated gained the sympathy of the public. The peaceful nature of the protesters also allowed them to spread their message to individuals who would have otherwise ignored them if they were violent. Furthermore, the boycotts that King organized had an economical effect. This pushed local business leaders and officials to the negotiating table. All these factors allowed King to create progression towards his civil rights objective. 


Link to first installment: http://cophilosophy.blogspot.com/2017/04/carlos-landeros-section-9-installment.html
Link to comments: https://cophilosophy.blogspot.com/2017/05/section-8-2nd-installment-john-locke.html?showComment=1493736210559#c6670233829576551383
https://cophilosophy.blogspot.com/2017/05/installment-2-section-10-feminist.html?showComment=1493736650425#c7435156904407753777

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