Did MLK Jr ever advocate some form of violence? (self.asklemmy)

submitted 1 week ago by TherapyGary to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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I could've sworn I had read a quote from him that seemed to unambiguously support violence, but now I'm wondering if I took a meme seriously or something

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[-] tryagain@lemmy.ml 17 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

I don't think he ever shied away from pointing out its tragic inevitability if you push a group of people far enough, but his goal was always to avoid it.

...it is as necessary for me to be as vigorous in condemning the conditions which cause persons to feel that they must engage in riotous activities as it is for me to condemn riots. I think America must see that riots do not develop out of thin air. Certain conditions continue to exist in our society which must be condemned as vigorously as we condemn riots. But in the final analysis, a riot is the language of the unheard.

this post was submitted on 06 Jun 2025

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