The Freedom March

“What is the current price of an honest and patriotic man today? They are ambiguous and saddened, and sometimes they make appeals, but they do nothing forceful and effective. They are waiting, well-intentioned, for another to correct the wrong so that there is no more pity for them. At best, they sacrifice just a cheap vote, and a little support and hope of success, for the right as they see it.”

Henry David Thoreau

Henry David Thoreau in his essay “On the Duty of Civil Disobedience” supported being disobedient to an unjust state. His ideas were influenced by Mahatma Gandhi and also by Minister Martin Luther King Jr., who advocated non-violent disobedience and resistance. Strikes, symbolic protests, boycotts of products, refusal to pay (see taxes, tolls, etc.) are peaceful methods of resistance and civil disobedience. Usually, peaceful struggle is outside of the existing political system and requires mass mobilization.

According to the research, the main peace campaigns were more successful compared to the campaigns of violent resistance.

Mass mobilization was also achieved by Minister Martin Luther King Jr. on August 28, 1963, with the March on Washington, where 250,000 demonstrators participated. Gandhi managed to mobilize his people en masse because he created the vision of Indian independence from the British colonialists. This vision, which has also been transposed through Gandhi’s continuous teachings, has succeeded in achieving social solidarity with the Indian people and reducing the gap between social classes in India.

In this month of March he delivered his famous “I have a dream” speech. Martin Luther King was arrested and wrote from prison the famous “Letter from Birmingham” in which he called for civil disobedience against unjust laws. The Kennedy government understood the explosive situation that had been created and in 1964 the Human Rights Act was passed.

It is important to note that, according to analysts, the problem was not created by opponents of black rights, but by moderate supporters calling for restraint, which led to increased violent resistance by blacks, i.e., the blacks. panthers.

This point is very much in line with what Thoreau wrote: “Those who, while condemning the character and measures of a government, give it their submission and support are doubtless its most conscientious defenders, and are therefore often the most serious obstacles to reform”.

Resistance campaigns are successful if they are large-scale, have the support of security forces and civil servants, and, if possible, have support from abroad but from prestigious groups that do not undermine the credibility of the campaign.

Media support is also important, as was the case with Martin Luther King Jr.’s March on Washington, which was widely covered by the media. In the event that the media does not help with the provision of independent news and adequate technology, then the “weight” falls on independent voices, that is, on the Internet, blogs, portals, alternative YouTube channels, social networks, etc. . Peace activists also stress the importance of distributing educational material (books, DVDs, brochures, etc.) that will inform the audience about the results of previous peaceful campaigns. Activists emphasize that this is particularly important for mobilization, ie teaching and information (the example of Gandhi with continuous teaching confirms this fact).

We live in an economic era in which democracy is now disappearing to the benefit of the global financial sector. Autocratic regimes will try to stifle peaceful reactions through Internet monitoring, as well as other means such as oppression through prohibitive laws and even by intimidating citizens.

Will the modern citizen allow it or is he so alienated that he can no longer resist? Why is there no longer a leadership that has a vision and can mobilize people? Perhaps because the leadership is equally alienated? Is it in vain to aspire to leadership when social movements around the world are massive and not led by anyone?

The questions that arise from the lack of peaceful mobilization and civil disobedience are many and it would be interesting to investigate them further to find an answer.