Coates and King would absolutely agree that black people not treated equally. We not only saw that back in Kings day when everything was segregated but also now with police profiling black males.
King fought for black rights and equality and what is going on now is not equality. I think that Coates and King would agree that anger plays a role in this and I would also agree with that. Along with anger I think they would also both agree that there is violence in social moments, even movements not based on race. It doesn't necessarily always happen to one side or the other. Violence can begin on either side.
I do think they see the same solution, true equality. People can have the same rights but still be judged or treated differently based on the color of their skin or their religion. WE need to end this and overcome this.
After reading both the letter document “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” from Martin Luther King, and “Nonviolence as Compliance” by TA- Nehisi Coates the amount of difference in the two author’s opinions is so grand! In Martin Luther King’s letter he discusses the unfair nature of the United States government and highlights the major injustice on the United States justice system and how it has targeted people of color. Coates also discusses the many injustices that have occurred in the United States and they also heavily discuss the Civil Rights Movement, so I definitely think that they would both agree on the injustices at hand in the US and that those being discriminated against need justice, but in my opinion that would be the only thing that Martin Luther King and Coates would agree on. Although MLK hits the social injustices hard and preaches equality, he also goes about it in a non-violent and loving manor. He never preached for people to riot or physically harm anyone or anything, specifically because that is what he was disagreeing with and trying to change in America at that time, so he knew that fighting fire with fire was the complete opposite and wrong thing that the Civil Rights Movement needed to be successful. Instead he came up with non-violent protest such as boycotting certain things that were discriminating against the minority, and gathering people together that wanted to make a difference. The way that MLK believed in completely differs in what Coates is saying people need to do in order to make a difference. Coates states that in order to get what you want to be done and make a difference than you need to create controversy and gain attention through violence. He supports things such as the Baltimore lootings or the violent riots against police promoted by the black lives matter campaign. I completely disagree with Coates’s article and if he and MLK were having a conversation I think that MLK would definitely challenge Coates opinion and try to talk him through his ideas on violence. If I were able to talk to both of the authors I would tell MLK that I admire and really look at him as a man of God and greatness. He lived in one of the most discriminating and hateful times and managed to make a difference in the world without violence and I think that is truly admiring. As for Coates I think I would definitely disagree with him and express to him how violence hurts progress instead of improving it.
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