Examples Of The Perils Of Passive Resistance

Sophia Tiongko CAL 103 D4 12 October 2023 Professor Ogden Essay 2 Final Draft The Perils of Passive Resistance When a body of people comes into power, there is always a risk that those who compose that body will abuse their power for personal gain and at the expense of the people they govern. Consequently, victims of this ugly facet of human nature are left to decide between two main methods of response: violent retaliation or amicable appeals to the government. Aggression is at times viewed as a more impactful, and time-effective approach, especially when the atrocities committed by a tyrannical government are so horrific, they justify violent means. On the other hand, a peaceful response has a clear ethical advantage and lacks the risk of chaos and
Therefore, the lack of visibility renders a passive resistance movement useless and aids the unjust government by purporting a narrative that their actions are justified. Examples of successful passive resistance movements of the past have been defined by the sacrifices of safety and security made by their respective leaders. Martin Luther King Jr., for example, would not have been able to facilitate the passage of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlawed discrimination in areas like voting and employment, had he not made himself the public face of the movement. His great contribution to the livelihoods of black Americans ultimately cost him his life, as he was assassinated by openly racist James Earl Ray, who opposed his work. Those who take on the great feat of spearheading a passive resistance movement must be aware and accepting of the unavoidable risks they must assume. In his speech, Desmond Tutu describes Mandela’s impressively magnanimous treatment of those the leaders of apartheid who treated him so