Dunn, Jeffrey: Diversity

After reading the two very different letters, it is fairly easy for one to develop the idea that without Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement, the diversity seen in the United States today would be non-existent. Dr. King used the power of protest and the concept of “civil disobedience” to battle the ongoing prejudices showed against African Americans. It was through this nonviolent form of activism that rights for African Americans were gained. Martin Luther King responded to the letter A Call for Unity with his Letter from Birmingham Jail. Eight Caucasian clergymen argued that the battle for civil rights should be waged in the courtroom, and not in the form of protests and civil disobedience. Dr. King argued that without his nonviolent activism, equal rights would never be established. Dr. King’s argument also stated that “everyone has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws” and that “an injustice wherever it is, is a threat to justice everywhere”. These ideas formed the basis of the Civil Rights Movement, and laid the foundation for America to become a more diverse and equal opportunity nation.

            

Dr. King’s philosophy was the building block for the society we live in today. His superb use of the nonviolent method allowed African Americans everywhere to gain equal rights. Even after his death, the battle waged on in his honor. Dr. King’s ideas and sincerity while presenting those ideas paved the way for the diverse society we live in today. Dr. King challenged an unjust government and an unfair society in a civil way, and proved that violence is not necessary to get a point across. What good is a government that does not serve its entire people equally? The answer is that it is an unproductive government that is too set in its own ways to see the ever-changing world evolving around it. It probably would have remained this way if it was not for the work of Martin Luther King and other hard working believers in the Civil Rights Movement.

            

No one will soon for forget the strides made by Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement for diversity. Without the hard work of a dedicated group, our nation would not be the diverse, free society it is today. It is truly a blessing that the doors were opened for diversity and equality. The crowning achievement of the whole movement is the fact that Dr. King’s dream was finally realized: The United States of America has become a nation that solely believes that all men are created equal.