Stride Towards Freedom free essay sample

A Stride Toward Freedom touches on not only a huge part of African American/Negro history but also American history with one of the first applications of nonviolent successful protest known to date. A quote Dr. King used to specifically describe this book was â€Å"the chronicle of fifty thousand Negroes who took to heart the principles of nonviolence, who learned to fight for their rights with the weapon of love, and who, in the process, acquired a new estimate of their own human worth. It gives an account for the charismatic â€Å"26 year old,† of how he transformed himself, leaders, the community, and then the world to love everyone equally. 1. What do you think about Martin Luther King’s book? Could it have been more detailed or was it too vague? Why or why not? 2. What have you specifically learned from Stride Toward Freedom as an individual? For example, I learned how Dr. King dealt with the fact of all the resistance that was shown to him since he came to Montgomery. He received KKK postcards, threaten calls sometimes sexually motivated, and bomb threats. Through it all during one of the mass meetings he said pg. 123 Chapter 8: The Violence of Desperate Men, â€Å"If one day you find me sprawled out dead, I do not want you to retaliate with a single act of violence. I urge you to continue protesting with the same dignity and discipline you have shown so far. † He often became numb to these threats which is evident on pg. 125, â€Å"Stand up for righteousness, stand up for truth; and God will be at your side forever. † All his fear went away. 3. Do we practice this notion of â€Å"Christian Love† today? Is this attainable? 4. I want to know from everyone, is nonviolence the right answer? Or where organizations such as SNCC, the Black Panthers, and Malcom X justified in their movements? Maybe it was all needed? If the American Negro and other victims of oppression succumb to the temptation of using violence in the struggle for freedom, future generations will be the recipients of a desolate night of bitterness, and our chief legacy to them will be an endless reign of meaningless chaos. Violence is not the way. The way of nonviolence means a willingness to suffer and sacrifice. It may mean going to jail. If such is the case the resister must be willing to fill the jail houses of the South. It may even mean physical death. But if physical death is the price that a man must pay to free his children and his white brethren from a permanent death of the spirit, then nothing could be more redemptive. To suffer in a righteous cause is to grow to our humanitys full stature. On Thursday there was a discussion on 10 habits of highly effective leadership. How do you think Martin Luther King Jr. would evaluate the following people as leaders and their way of leadership? -W. E. B. DuBois -Booker T. Washington Barack Obama -Jesse Jackson -Cornell West -Al Sharpton Martin Luther King Jr. last chapter discussed â€Å"Where Do We Go From Here? † and he specifically called out several groups that need to keep the fight alive to ensure equality. He stated that America’s solution would not take place unless men and women work for it. -1. Strong and aggressive leadership from the federal go vernment (The states and local government have the powers if they choose to exercise them. ) -2. Northern Liberals (A liberalism that firmly believes in integration in its own community as well as in the Deep South) -3. Labor unions (Making economic justice a reality to the Negro. ) -4. The Church (problem with race is not political but a moral issue. ) (First the church should try to get to the ideology of the roots of race hate. Should change mindsets, make a principle of brotherhood a reality to keep men’s minds and visions centered on God, and take the lead in social reform. ) -5. White ministers of the South (to take the 3 rules of the church and demonstrate those rules to their white audience. ) -6. Negro himself (Integration needs to become a reality. ) All groups he says have a vital role to play. Have they done a good job in keeping the Martin Luther King’s dream alive in fighting with Christian Love for equality? I recall from last Sunday, that Mr. Gerald Joiner I believe briefly explained that if Martin Luther King was in a sense â€Å"A dangerous black man. † Because he scared whites (mostly middle and upper class) due to him being successful at rallying protest and getting people amped up for change. After several successful protests, he started to get poor working whites rallied around equality. Soon after, he was assassinated. If Dr. King was alive today what would be different? Is this the kind of leadership and unity needed today as African-Americans rally against recent displays of racism and racial injustices? After reading Martin Luther King’s, Stride Toward Freedom, I couldn’t help but to continuously think about the most important paragraph of them all, â€Å"Where Do We Go From Here? † I know that are goals may have changed slightly over the last 50 years but where at this date of September 24, 2011 do we go from here? Has our agenda and goals changed over the past 50 years as a people? Do you feel as if our leaders currently are doing what it takes to help African American equality? This next topic is a touchy subject and is very relevant to the bus boycotts of the 50’s. The Troy Davis case! In this case, Mr. Davis was arrested in August 19, 1989 for being accused of killing a police officer. 7 people testified that they seen the shooting and 2 others said that Mr. Davis confused. Recently, witnesses have admitted that they were forced to testify in that manor by the police department. Even more evidence was presented in a retrial. Nearly one million people petitioned, urging Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles to grant clemency. After a last minute appeal, the Supreme Court was denied, and Mr. Davis was put to lethal injection on September 21, 2011. US President Barack Obama will not intervene in the Troy Davis capital punishment case which has sparked protests, because it is not appropriate to become involved in specific state cases, a spokesman said Wednesday. If Dr.