Religion
Related: About this forumSt Louis protests: Ferguson activists reject religious leaders’ platitudes
Younger black generation rails at ineffectiveness of peaceful tactics as day of mass civil disobedience begins across city
Cornel West said the older generation 'has been too obsessed with being successful rather than being faithful to a cause'. Photograph: James Cooper/Demotix/Corbis
Chris McGreal in St Louis
The Guardian, Monday 13 October 2014 03.47 EDT
Frustration and anger among young black Americans at an older generations apparent failure to adequately respond to the killing of Michael Brown by a white police officer in Ferguson upended a key event at a weekend of mass protest on Sunday.
The showdown exposed a generational divide over how best to confront police racism, brutality and use of excessive force as organisers of the weekend of resistance, which has drawn activists from across the US, plan to stage mass civil disobedience across St Louis on Monday.
While older civil rights leaders hark back to the more peaceful methods of half a century ago, some younger people question their effectiveness today and are pressing for more confrontational tactics.
The fuse was lit when hundreds of people who came to hear the intellectual and activist Cornel West speak were subjected to speeches by a succession of preachers from the major religions offering essentially the same message about loving ones fellow man and standing up against injustice. The meeting was billed as being in the tradition of the civil rights movement but the tone was in part governed by the venue for the meeting, St Louis University, a Catholic institution.
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2014/oct/13/st-louis-protests-religious-leaders-messages-anger-ferguson-activists
There are some old and powerful dynamics at work.
http://www.historyorb.com/america/civilrights.php
cbayer
(146,218 posts)Reminds me of the black panthers in a way.
I can certainly understand the frustration felt by those who think that non-violent protest does not get the job done, but they may lack the historical knowledge that shows just how powerful it can be.
bravenak
(34,648 posts)We needed BOTH Martin AND Malcolm to b effective.
temporary311
(957 posts)Malcom is so completely ignored. Martin is great, but he doesn't work without Malcolm as the alternative.
bravenak
(34,648 posts)They had to fear what Malcolm would do if they didn't work with martin. And the Sixties ain 't coming back no matter what.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)I think the movement did need both and that it was the fear of Malcolm that empowered Martin to a large degree.
bravenak
(34,648 posts)We need both the carrot and the stick.