Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X, and the Civil Right Struggle of the Essay

Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X, and the Civil Right Struggle of the 1950s and 1960s - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that Martin Luther King Junior was brought up in a Christian background while Malcolm X was a Muslim this shaped how they addressed challenges that they faced in their struggles. For example, while Martin Luther always advocated for nonviolent solutions to the struggles that faced them to an extent that even when he was physically abused he opted not to revenge, Malcolm X believed in Muslim teachings and his famous phrase ‘by all means possible’ which advocated for physical violence towards the oppressors. Malcolm X believed that violence was the only way that the movement would win it cause and therefore advocated for physical battles whether the opponents were violent or not violent. A good example of this difference between the two individuals can be seen during the famous March on Washington on August 26, 1983, where more than 20, 000 people attended; in the march, he called for people from all races to unite and end violence and hatred. Malcolm X was very critical of this march and he argued that Martin Luther was wrong on calling for uniting of all races since that would destroy both the blacks and the whites; instead, Malcolm argued that blacks should be more concerned with helping each other instead. Both mean although using different approaches and coming from different social and economic classes had some similarities; some of them are explained in this paragraph. One of the similarities between the two individuals is that it is they both fought for the rights of the oppressed people in the world, for instance, they were both against the involvement of United States in the war in Vietnam in a bid to help French forces capture the country for colonization. Another similarity is that both individuals were assassinated at the same age, although Malcolm X was older than Martin Luther was, he was assassinated by the members of the nation of Islam when he was giving a speech; he was 39 years old.

Basis history of oppression, diversity and struggle of human rights in Coursework

Basis history of oppression, diversity and struggle of human rights in the U.S - Coursework Example Thirdly powerless refers to a state where there is imbalance of power whereby the oppressed group becomes the recipients of oppressive authority. The fourth form of oppression according to Young (1990, p49) is cultural imperialism, which entails the â€Å"universalization† or establishment of the culture and experiences of the dominant group in the society as the model or norm from which other groups should adopt. The cultures or traditions of the oppressed group are not indentified and are regarded as deviant because they do not conform to those of the dominant group. Finally, violence is the fifth form of oppression and Young (1990, 54) defines it as â€Å"unprovoked physical attacks of a person and /or their properties†. Latina women and people with disabilities experience the Young’s five forms of oppression in the United States with varying degrees. Latinos have unique history of oppression in the United States society .The women of Latino descent experience oppression for being members of a minority group in the country as well as within their distinct ethnic groups (Gonzales, 2000). Historically, people from Latin America have been source of cheap labor for the Americans, working for low wages in American industries and plantations. Although the Latinos benefit from getting their subsistence, the rewards of their labor profit the American owners. Use of Latinos cheap labor amounts to oppression according to Young (1990). Marginalization of Latinos is a prevalent occurrence especially in regions with high population of these minority groups. Marginalization is manifested by exclusion of the community in making crucial economic, political and social policies in the United States. Consequent ly, Latinos suffer from higher unemployment rates, poverty and illiteracy levels than the majority group. For long period, Latinos have been