Martin Luther King Jr. was many things – a Christian leader, a civil rights activist, a humanitarian, a husband, a father, a Ph.D, and a proponent of nonviolent activism. Notice I didn’t say he was a pacifist.
Dr. King understood the need for self-defense as well as anyone, which I covered briefly about a year ago when I said that if you’re anti-gun, you’re racist:
Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., who, unlike the Black Panthers, was famous for nonviolent civil disobedience, also understood the need to protect himself. After his house was bombed in 1956, he applied for a permit to carry a concealed firearm. He was denied, but from that day on armed supporters guarded his home, a home which was described by Glenn Smiley as an “arsenalâ€.
Violence in an of itself is neither good nor evil, and I think Dr. King understood that. I think he understood that while nonviolence is preferred, sometimes nonviolence isn’t an option, and he most certainly understood the need to arm himself against those that would do him and his family harm.
Take some time today to reflect on the legacy of Dr. King and his many contributions to society, but don’t make the mistake of confusing nonviolence with pacifism.
Colion Noir on Martin Luther King Jr.
Check out the video below from Colion Noir where he talks about the legacy of Dr. King, and some of the racist history of gun control.
Well said Brandon and Colion.