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Comment by rdtsc

I don't want violence, and getting things done by voting is obviously much better, but for protests to work I think there has to be a threat of impending violence. A bit like how the nuclear deterrence works but on a smaller scale. I think the idea that the government should be afraid of its people is not a strange idea in his country. Now let's think when is the last time that happened?

I am thinking during the Vietnam War protests or Civil Right Movement. I have heard that one reason MLK's protests worked is because there was a credible threat from Malcom X and Nation of Islam, which encouraged gun ownership and self defense.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ballot_or_the_Bullet

Yielding and accepting MLK's ideas was only possible as a compromise to preventing a more violent outcome from other groups.

parent rdtsc 9 years ago

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