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G_j

(40,366 posts)
Tue Feb 14, 2012, 12:18 PM Feb 2012

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Six Principles and Steps to Nonviolent Social Change

http://www.thegao.org/mlk6prin.htm

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.


Six Principles and Steps to Nonviolent Social Change


Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was embraced by Americans during the late 1950s and early 1960s because he spoke about the importance of a loving, nonviolent society at a time when social and racial conflict was escalating out of control.

Today, as far as we have come, we still see signs of unhealthy conflict in our communities. Perhaps it is time to revisit and embrace the nonviolent principles in which King believed. These principles are based on his interpretation of Christian doctrine, as well as the teachings of Mohandas Gandhi.

Principle 1: Nonviolence is a way of life for courageous people.

Principle 2: Nonviolence means seeking friendship and understanding among those who are different from you.

Principle 3: Nonviolence defeats injustice, not people.

Principle 4: Nonviolence holds that suffering can educate and transform people and societies.

Principle 5: Nonviolence chooses loving solutions, not hateful ones.

Principle 6: Nonviolence means the entire universe embraces justice.

In addition to the six principles, Dr. King developed a six-step process to help people bring about social change in a nonviolent way.

Step 1: Gather Information

Learn all you can about the problems you see in your community through the media, social and civic organizations, and by talking to the people involved.

Step 2: Educate Others

Armed with your new knowledge, it is your duty to help those around you, such as your neighbors, relatives, friends and co-workers, better understand the problems facing society. Build a team of people devoted to finding solutions. Be sure to include those who will be directly affected by your work.

Step 3: Remain Committed

Accept that you will face many obstacles and challenges as you and your team try to change society. Agree to encourage and inspire one another along the journey.

Step 4: Peacefully Negotiate

Talk with both sides. go to the people in your community who are in trouble and who are deeply hurt by society’s ills. Also go to those people who are contributing to the breakdown of a peaceful society. Use humor, intelligence and grace to lead to solutions that benefit the greater good.

Step 5: Take Action Peacefully

This step is often used when negotiation fails to produce results, or when people need to draw broader attention to a problem. it can include tactics such as peaceful demonstrations, letter-writing and petition campaign.

Step 6: Reconcile

Keep all actions and negotiations peaceful and constructive. Agree to disagree with some people and with some groups as you work to improve society. Show all involved the benefits of changing, not what they will give up by changing.

Over the years, the King Center has developed training materials to assist people in the application of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s principles of nonviolence. By adopting these principles, Intellectual Properties Management, Inc., manager for the King Estate, hopes people will be inspired to keep the dream alive: The dream that all people are created equal.

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Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Six Principles and Steps to Nonviolent Social Change (Original Post) G_j Feb 2012 OP
It' worth noting though, that "nonviolence" and "pacifism" are different things Scootaloo Feb 2012 #1
You used pacifism and passive interchangebly loyalsister Feb 2012 #2
No, breaking windows is vandalism; don't confuse the words Scootaloo Feb 2012 #3
does finally it become violence when the glass flies and cuts someone? loyalsister Feb 2012 #4
Do you get the basics of my point or not? Scootaloo Feb 2012 #5
Apparently we simply disagree loyalsister Feb 2012 #6
It's not a matter of opinion. Scootaloo Feb 2012 #7
Smashing windows is much more aggressive and damaging than spray paint loyalsister Feb 2012 #8
 

Scootaloo

(25,699 posts)
1. It' worth noting though, that "nonviolence" and "pacifism" are different things
Tue Feb 14, 2012, 12:55 PM
Feb 2012

There's nothing at all passive about willingly violating standing laws and earnestly resisting attempts to arrest you - see those men and women taking the lunch counters in the 50's. That's not pacifism. That's resistance, without violence.

Also note, violence can only be inflicted upon a living thing. Breaking a window is not "violence," it's "vandalism." Probably still undesirable, but don't allow that window to be put in the same category as someone who just got their skull smashed.

loyalsister

(13,390 posts)
2. You used pacifism and passive interchangebly
Tue Feb 14, 2012, 01:30 PM
Feb 2012

But, they are not synonyms. Pacifism refers to a general state of peace and "passive refers to a personal disposition.
Breaking windows starting fires are both violent acts. Both are immediate threats to the physical well being of individuals in proximity.

 

Scootaloo

(25,699 posts)
3. No, breaking windows is vandalism; don't confuse the words
Tue Feb 14, 2012, 02:00 PM
Feb 2012

When inanimate objects are given equal status to living beings, something is wrong. But then, I guess we're the products of a culture where a conceptual construct is counted as an immortal person with far more rights than actual people, so what the hell.

For the record, I'm not saying "go smash windows!" - I'm saying don't fall for the bullshit equation of property with people.

As for passive vs. pacifism... I'm sorry but standing on a sidewalk, within your little "free speech zone" holding up a witty slogan drawn on cardboard? That's passive. And that's how many people around here seem to think they're going to change the situation. Activism is active.

loyalsister

(13,390 posts)
4. does finally it become violence when the glass flies and cuts someone?
Tue Feb 14, 2012, 02:15 PM
Feb 2012

Just as swinging to throw a punch is a violent act so is smashing a window with people in harms way.

 

Scootaloo

(25,699 posts)
5. Do you get the basics of my point or not?
Tue Feb 14, 2012, 02:19 PM
Feb 2012

I understand, you want to come up with a variety of "what if" situations to keep up the argument, but do you understand my premise?

loyalsister

(13,390 posts)
6. Apparently we simply disagree
Tue Feb 14, 2012, 02:21 PM
Feb 2012

I think intentionally physically damaging something particularly in anger is violent. You don't.

 

Scootaloo

(25,699 posts)
7. It's not a matter of opinion.
Tue Feb 14, 2012, 02:35 PM
Feb 2012

Vandalism and violence are different things. You can't equate harm done to a living being with spray-paint on concrete.

loyalsister

(13,390 posts)
8. Smashing windows is much more aggressive and damaging than spray paint
Tue Feb 14, 2012, 02:45 PM
Feb 2012

Regardless; an expression of extreme force in the form of destruction, or physical aggression is not defined by the target.

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