The most striking characteristic of Martin Luther King's speeches is the faith that he exuded to the crowd. By the end of the speech, the crowd embraced the same faith that change will come that was expressed by Martin Luther himself. This contagious confidence produced a crowd of people that exuded confidence beyond belief.
Fear is the most common cause and association with violence. When a reasonable person has been pushed to their limits, the will often turn to violence, when they have nowhere else to turn. Fear gives the impression that a person is frightened and that they are down to their last resort. This is the point that Malcolm X missed, and the one that was the key to success for Martin Luther King. Malcolm X tried to create fear in order to effect change. Martin Luther walked the streets with a quiet, but confident crowd.
In order to understand the effects of fear and faith on the message, one must image themselves as a person of non-black origin on the streets of Atlanta. If one encountered a group of Malcolm X followers, they would initially be fearful and would probably get out of their way. The observer of this crowd would have an initial fear of personal harm. However, after they went home and sorted the events of the day out, they would probably not have any more fear after the initial threat were over. Observers of the protest would tend to see violence by the police as justified in this scenario (Ling, p. 29).
However, if one encountered a calm and confident crowd of Martin Luther King followers, they would see solidarity and confidence. As they marched through the streets shouting their chants and carrying signs, one would still get out of their way, but for a different reason. One would not see them as fearful and using their last resort. One might fear the Martin Luther King crowd because of their confidence. In addition, an observer of this protest might be swayed by the violence of the police for no apparent reason (Ling, p. 29). Martin Luther's style of protest would elicit sympathy and compassion for the oppressed. Instead of disapproval (Ling, p. 29).
Martin Lither King spoke of this type of courage in a speech. King said,
Right here in Montgomery when the history books are written in the future [Yes, Lord], somebody will have to say, "There lived a race of people, of black people, fleecy locks and black complexion, of people [Yes!] who had the moral courage to stand up for their rights " (in Lischer, p. 121).
The difference between the Malcolm X crowd and the Martin Luther King crowd is the faith that they exude as they move through the streets. Faith cannot come from the outside, it must be solid on the inside in order to become outward confidence. Martin Luther had the ability to spread his confidence and faith to the crowd. In order to have this effect on the crowed, he had to have a solid foundation of faith himself. Martin Luther King had solid faith that the black cause would prevail.
How did Martin Luther King transform Society?
Malcolm X was essential in the reaffirmation of black identity. His reformation can be seen in the black culture and how the individual defines them as black. Martin Luther King promoted unity and political freedom. King's legacy can be seen in the number of black politicians in office today. Martin Luther saw the need to build a solid foundation before blacks could move forward in America. He emphasized unity and need to become an integral part of America. Malcolm X felt that the road to freedom was separation and isolation from the rest of America.
Martin...
King evokes many of the philosophical premises that justified Gandhi in his actions, and explicitly mentions another famous social agitator -- Socrates -- in the hopes of solidifying the logical foundations of the notion of social protest. When it comes to commitment and communication, the two can easily be displayed in the case of King through his famous letter from the Birmingham jail, where King demonstrated both his ability to
This dramatically altered American life and our prejudices, in today's world, racial superiority is seen as ignorant and untolerable. Another area that Dr. King has changed our prejudices is in redefining our understanding of democracy and liberty. Dr. King's poetic speeches and his magnetic presence left a mark on how we interpret democracy within the United States. Previous to the Civil Rights movement, Americans believed that voting, democratic participation and
Martin Luther King, Jr. There are people in this world who are self-interested and live with a single purpose: to promote themselves and better their living situation. Then there are other people who work and sacrifice in order to make the lives of other people better. Martin Luther King, Jr. is most assuredly one of the latter types of people. He is revered as a person who made the ultimate sacrifice
Martin Luther King Jr. Influences of Heredity and Family Influence of Environment Role of Social Support Systems Theoretical Approach Explaining Individual's Behaviors and Achievements Life Span Development and Personality The history of world is full of examples of personalities who belonged to humble surroundings but emerged to change the fate of nation. There have been uncountable instances when a person breaks centuries' old accepted customs and makes a new way to follow for all the ones
Martin Luther King Speech Critical Analysis of "I've Been to the Mountaintop" by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The last speech Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered has been popularly referred to as the "I've Been to the Mountaintop" speech (). Dr. King delivered this speech on April 3, 1968 at the Mason Temple Church of God in Christ Headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee. Following this speech on April 4, 1968, Dr. King
He clarifies his status i.e. A spiritual leader and a learned person by using well chosen ethos of St. Aquinas, Jesus and Paul therefore puts him forth as a trustworthy person. Also being an African-American makes him the right person to participate in this event because he understands the situation properly. By use of logos he explains the reason behind the actions of the black persons of which the
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