I think the health insurance companies are actually taken by surprise by the amount of people who sincerely wish them death. Maybe we will see some almost-meaningful change soon?

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[–] shani66@ani.social 81 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Basically every large successful social change has been built on violence or the threat of it. King might have been a nice speaker and a friendly face, but violence brought people to the table.

[–] TotallynotJessica@lemmy.world 49 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

He knew it too. When Gandhi got imprisoned, his movement turned violent. If you don't listen to the peaceful protester, you'll get the angry rioter.

[–] drcobaltjedi@programming.dev 43 points 2 weeks ago

"And I must say tonight that a riot is the language of the unheard."

-MLK

[–] shindig1457@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Gandhi's counterpoint was Subhas Chandra Bose all along.

[–] Benjaben@lemmy.world 45 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (2 children)

I strongly recommend a book called The Sword and The Shield, about the dual roles Malcom X and King played in the civil rights era. King very well understood the need for a credible threat of violence, and actually he grew closer to Malcolm X's beliefs as time went on, and that is why he was killed.

At our worst moments, when all else fails, violence is the only answer and everyone, deep down, knows that.

Edit to add: washing King's legacy via history so he appears as purely nonviolent is, I believe, a very deliberate strategy to make us easier to pacify. You'll notice that no high school curricula (barring I'm sure some notable exceptions) have ever taught Malcolm X. Only King, and only his nonviolence! Civil rights safely defanged.

[–] princessnorah@lemmy.blahaj.zone 18 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

This is reminding me strongly about how the Black Panther Party was vilified and outlawed. California didn't ban open carry for any other reason than to stop black people from being able too.

[–] Benjaben@lemmy.world 21 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

A critically important piece of our history, yes! The notion of gun control practically at all in this country actually came about because black people organized. Not only did the Black Panthers openly carry while carefully witnessing / observing law enforcement in their community, they also ran many aid programs and focused on the need for education and self-reliance.

And that had to be stopped, and it was.

[–] Milk_Sheikh@lemm.ee 8 points 2 weeks ago

A lot of racist/white supremacist intent underlined much of early gun control. Before concealed gun carry permits existed in a widespread manner in the late 80s, it was known that if you were the right skin color and weren’t carrying a shitty gun without said permit, cops looked the other way.

White guy with a H&K or Sig Sauer? “Have a nice day day sir”

Minority with a Jennings or Lorcin? Dangerous criminal lying in wait for their next victim

the original Act of 1893 ... was passed for the purpose of disarming the negro laborers ... and to give the white citizens in sparsely settled areas a better feeling of security. The statute was never intended to be applied to the white population and in practice has never been so applied. It is a safe guess to assume that more than 80% of the white men living in the rural sections of Florida have violated this statute… and there has never been, within my knowledge, any effort to enforce the provisions of this statute as to white people

Rivers H. Buford, associate justice of the Florida Supreme Court, Watson v Stone - 1941

[–] asteriskeverything@lemmy.world 6 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Thank you for the rec! I don't read nonfiction really but I am thinking this is a great place for me to start. That sounds fascinating

[–] Benjaben@lemmy.world 7 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Sure thing! It was certainly eye opening, I'd stop short of calling it a page-turner myself, but I think it's important to give myself a better education about our history than our classrooms were able to.

Also, as a sometimes-neurotic reader, in case this is useful - nonfiction especially you can just choose which bits to read if that makes a difference for ya. It's got a flow and a narrative of course, so you'll lose a bit that way, but I've had struggles with other nonfiction books and needed to just try to get to the meat and forgive myself for that, lol. Turns out it's totally allowed, no one even says anything!

[–] asteriskeverything@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

Thank you that does make a difference and the last bit made me lol so thanks for that too