Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. And The Principle Of Love Underlying Nonviolent Resistance
By Garrett Leeds
Published 1/21/2019
This month we marked the 90th anniversary of the birth of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK). When we look back at the 20th Century, few people had a larger impact on American society. While imperfect, MLK was a key transformative figure from whom we can learn many important life lessons from. One of the most important examples he set was in his dedication to nonviolent resistance, and his dedication came because of love.
Martin Luther King, Jr. learned of Mohandas Ghandi and his non-violent resistance while a student at Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania. Historically, this was likely one of the most important things he learned while completing his studies there. After graduating and becoming a minister, He played a role in Rosa Parks’ decision to protest segregated bussing in Montgomery, Alabama, and his selection soon after to lead the newly formed Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA), catapulted him to prominence. From the Montgomery Improvement Association, the movement grew and he organized the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). Through the regional and national platform this gave him, he was able to meet Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and others who were able to teach him even more about Ghandi and nonviolent resistance, or peaceful noncompliance.
1963 was perhaps the pinnacle of his career, as in the spring he penned his famous “Letter From The Birmingham Jail”, and later that summer he delivered his opus, the “I Have A Dream Speech”. On April 4, 1968, Reverend King’s life was taken from him by an assassin.
Although his final years were full of challenges, he remained committed to the causes of equality and justice, as well as to peaceful noncompliance. His principled belief, commitment, and faith kept him going despite being weary of the struggle. In 1968, a few months before his murder, Martin Luther King, Jr. admitted, “I’m frankly tired of marching. I’m tired of going to jail,” and further stated, “Living every day under the threat of death, I feel discouraged every now and then and feel my work’s in vain, but then the Holy Spirit revives my soul again.
Some disagreed with his methods. Famously, the Civil Rights Movement was split between those who followed the path Martin Luther King, Jr. espoused, and that advocated by Malcolm X. Those aligned with Malcolm X felt MLK’s attitude of patience and love was ineffective. Even still, Reverend King held firm in his beliefs. His perspective, influenced by his Christian faith, was more long term and was articulated here:
Violence as a way of achieving racial justice is both impractical and immoral. I am not unmindful of the fact that violence often brings about momentary results. Nations have frequently won their independence in battle. But in spite of temporary victories, violence never brings permanent peace.
Doctor King knew that in order to bring about the changes he wanted to see, hearts and minds needed to be changed, not just laws. This understanding was demonstrated and conveyed when he said “Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that” and “Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.” Changing hearts and minds, transforming an enemy into a friend, is a change that must take place within each individual, and it cannot be forced.
How we feel about others strongly influences how we treat them. How we feel about others, and how we treat them, can also influence our own feelings, as well as our mental, emotional, and spiritual health in a feedback loop. “I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear,” he said. Hating others, no matter the wrongs they may have done us, damages us. It is a burden and a wound to our hearts and souls. Fortunately, it is a burden we do not have to carry. Unfortunately, many choose to carry it anyway, or at least do not make the choice to put it down and let it go.
Another thing he understood was that nonviolent resistance is not our natural inclination, not our instinct. As such, it takes intention and effort. “Nonviolence means avoiding not only external physical violence but also internal violence of spirit. You not only refuse to shoot a man, but you refuse to hate him.” Sometimes this can be a very difficult task. Often, our instinct is to call for vengeance cloaked in the robes of justice. However, as Ghandi is purported to have said, “An eye for an eye will leave everyone blind.” Understanding this, MLK said, “We must build dikes of courage to hold back the flood of fear.” Fear, anger, hate; all are negative emotions. One leads to and reinforces another. Reverend King likens these negative feelings to a flood. Floods are natural, intense, and dangerous. Dikes, or dams, can protect us, but they must be built ahead of time. They must be brought about intentionally, and building a dam takes time, effort, and resources.
Because Reverend King had a principle based approach, his means for achieving his goal mattered. For some people, how they obtain their goals doesn’t matter as long as their objectives are met, and the ends justify the means, whatever those means might be. According to Dr. King though, “Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal.”
Peaceful noncompliance was something that was based on principle, specifically on love for others. MLK said, “At the center of nonviolence stands the principle of love.”
Because of love Reverend King believed in nonviolent resistance. As tired as he was, as angry, as hurt, and as wronged as he was, he would not react violently. That’s not to say he didn’t believe in self defense. He is quoted as having said “The principle of self defense, even involving weapons and bloodshed, has never been condemned, even by Ghandi.”
Because of love the means of achieving a goal mattered to Martin Luther King, Jr.
Because of love he wanted to change hearts and mind, not just laws.
Because of love appropriately for a minister, he was concerned about not only the physical health and safety of people, but their mental, emotional, and spiritual safety and wellbeing as well.
Because of love Martin Luther King, Jr. persevered through a life of hardship, persecution, and vitriol despite the frustration, pain, and tiredness it brought into his life.
Because of love he was willing to proceed slowly, when a quicker path was an option.
Because of his love and his desire for everyone to experience justice and equality.
Because of his love and because he had a dream, he was murdered.
Because of his love and because of his dream, he is a legend who transformed American society and made our nation better.
Garrett Leeds is the founder of the Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness Project
