Read document 6, the Black Panther Party Platform, and respond to this prompt.
PROMPT: You are a black individual living in the US in the 1960s; the police have harassed you, and you have seen friends killed by the police for no reason other than skin color. You have also worked for and seen the tremendous strides taken by MLK and the non-violent movement. Now the Black Panthers approach you to join them in feeding the poor of your community, educating your neighborhood kids and protecting them from police brutality, meeting violence with violence if need be. What is your decision and why?
I would join the Black Panthers. All of my life I have been sitting on the sideline watching fellow friends and companions suffer from the cruelness of segregationists. Though MLK tried to seize the violence that has inflicted many of our lives, we are still seen as second class citizens. As a Black Panther I believe that I will be a stronger and wiser person who could help educate others that maybe violence is needed to change the world.
ReplyDeleteLike Leah, I would also join the Black Panthers. The idea of non-violence has been used for far too long without sufficient results and I want to be able to walk down the street without being antagonized simply because of the color of my skin. Staying silent has not worked, now its time to make my voice heard. If those who do not respect us are allowed to treat us like we are not human beings, why must we bow down and accept it? The Black Panther is promising change, and that is route I wish to take.
ReplyDeleteLike Leah and Anamika, I deffenitly would join the Black Panthers. MLK has had a legacy on non violence to accomplish integration but his idea has gotten us nowhere. It is time for a change and to try something new. I say we need to take our enforcement into our own hands and protect our fellow brothers and sisters. The law enforcement can;t do this considering they are bias towards us. I believe we need to take action to make a hopeful future for us African Americans. I am going to join the Black Panthers.
ReplyDeleteI would definately join the Black Panthers becuase I will do whatever it takes to gain my freedom. The non-violence mehtod has been well organzied for very long but not much has been accomplished. It's time we try a new method, and this is it. We have the right to defend ourselves and this time around we will not give in.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Leah because MLK did fight a lot and did the absolute best he could but unfortunately it was never enough. I think that the Black Panters will finish the job for him using different methods.
ReplyDeleteI would join the Black Panthers. Although I agree with Martin Luther King Jr.’s ideas and taking actions through non-violence, this method has proved to be not effective enough. All our efforts through non-violence were to integrate with the white people that only continue to hate us. It is clear that they don’t peace between us. I believe a new approach is necessary and we need to use our efforts instead to help our own people. The Black Panther Party demands the changes that we have been waiting for that were never made. Through all the non-violent efforts I still witness innocent black people being killed for the color of their skin. We need to start defending our people and ourselves; we cannot wait until it’s too late.
ReplyDeleteI would not join anyone. i believe the Black Pantherns have a very well-informed stance, and are successfully pushing towards their rights. But i still dont believe that they have the right mindset as to how they will bring about their own equality. What they want is revenge. They want guns not for simply self-defense. They want to have a quick way to get revenge for the wrong that has been done to them. On number 6, i find their request incredibly selfish. They are Americans, and so they must be subject to military service. While the US government is helping them do whatever it is that they aim to accomplish, they should not want the benefits, but resist the losses. Their answer to number 9 is also very unreasonable. If the jury is all-black, it is obvious that they will be empathised with the person on trial. the jury should always be mixed races, as so to balance out the extremes of the sides. The Pantherns are doing a lot of good, i admit, for our community, and to some extent, their pursuit and their demands are noble, but not always. There should be a group that is halfway between MLK and the BP. that group i would join
ReplyDeleteI agree with Leah. I feel that non-violence has only achived small victories. Everytime we get lynched or beaten, it satisfies the white racists that they've killed a black person. It is clear that we are not sending the white racists people a message. If we fight back it will send a message that we are not going to tolerate police brutality, lyncings, and beatings. It is up to us to arm and defend ourselves since the local and state police will not defend us.
ReplyDelete"It is clear that we are not sending the white racists people a message."-Dan
ReplyDeleteExactly. We want our voices to be heard not muffled out by screams of dying people. We need America to see that we will not stand on the sidelines anymore. Dan nicely puts that whites are not currently getting the message; we will overrun. We have to stand agianst our enemies and the people bringing us down.
It is time to take a stand. I have watched my friends get killed for simply having dark skin. When the world has come to that I have to stand up for myself and my community and take action. I would definetly join the Black Panthers. ALthough sit-ins and nonviolent protest are important we are not recieving the changes we are looking for. African Americans deserve the same rights as whites have and I believe that the Blakck Panthers are a step in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteI would join those Panthers faster than a group of policemen could beat a little black boy in Burlington to death. MLK just hasn't been doing it for us and we haven't gotten anywhere and it is so sickening to think that the wonderful example of the non-violent movement and the upstanding moral pillars of our movement have been regarded so negatively. I'd want to help and make real changes, and violence to defend against violence would work for me. Non-violence was a beautiful ideology but it can't work anymore. Black Power!
ReplyDeletenice it finally worked
ReplyDeleteI will absolutely join the Black Panthers. We have attempted to gain respect by nonviolent acts, but nothing has worked. The Panther's know that without aggressive action, nothing will work. I would be proud to be a part of this group. I want to take action and fight for what I want. My freedom will not be handed to me, so I have to take it. The only way I can do this is to join the Black Panthers.
ReplyDelete-Suzanne
I also agree with Leah and Dan. I think that our strides have not been a big enough change. Non violence was a good start but it cannot get us where we want to be. Dan was right when he said that the racists are gaining a victory when they lynch a black person. Maybe if we fight back when we are being beaten, less deaths will occur. We tried nonviolence and it did not work, so lets try a different way. More aggressive acts with the Black Panthers will get us where we need to be
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ReplyDeleteI will join them. I have been doing everything possible to make things better and trying the non- violent approach: it has not worked. So i know chose to join the panthers in hopes of things actually changing, of standing up and getting the freedoms we deserve as Americans. I will no longer let the white people do what they want to me and stand back. I will stand up for the Black community and for myself and make changes in our lives. I will join the Black Panthers and together we will fight for equality.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Anamika and Dan, the non- violent approach has done little to nothing for African Americans. We have tried this approach and things remain the same. It is time for us to stand up and join the Black Panthers. Doing this will be a giant step forward into gaining all our freedoms. Non- violence was not the answer, joining the Black Panthers is.
ReplyDeleteSign me up! How quickly can I join? I am sick and tired of being sick and tired of minimal to zero change. We African Americans deserve the rights we have fought for. Our vigorous non-violent tactics have been overwhelmingly unsuccessful and the time has come to take immediate and aggressive action. I full-heartedly agree with what the Black Panther Party is suggesting and I cannot wait to start building my own community of what we, as a race, desire and were promised. We "will not be free until we are able to determine our destiny." I know, speaking for myself, that I, as an African American woman, need to get my head out of the clouds and start shaping my world the way I would like it to look.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with Mathews' statement about the Black Panthers being a group mainly focused on revenge. No! This strong political party's focus is the well being and equality of Black people. With the efforts proposed by the representatives from the party--such as decent housing and exempt from military service--we are making a pro-active statement that will NOT be brushed aside. We are no longer sitting at a counter letting the racist, domineering white society spit on us...we are turning around and defending what is constitutionally right. It's our turn to speak our minds and be granted our requests for we are Americans too. What we are doing is not revenge; it is a step towards improvement.
ReplyDeleteI would join the black panthers; I think they do a great about of good such as feeding the poor and helping out in education. Even though MLK has gotten us far we need to farther quicker and with less arrest. Violence might be the answer if met with violence I will fight back I am not going to take any brutality from some white racist cop.
ReplyDelete-Dylan Cauchon
I dissagree with Mathews i dont thing the blakc panthers are out for revenge at all i think they are out to get equal and civil right and if they have to be violent about it than that what they gotta do.
ReplyDeleteI agree with anyone that would join the Black Panthers. I believe the idea of non violence was stressed for so long, and never got anywhere. For many years Dr. King worked toward civil rights by sitting on the side lines and waiting for it to come, I believe as a Black Panther we will take our rights. I think it’s about time were able to sit at a lunch counter with out wearing our lunch. I two want an equal education, and if that means violence so be it; it is about time we stand up and take them, unlike Dr. King I want to live to see the day I walk down the street with out getting beat. I have watched too many friends die in my presents to not want to take a stand. I do not want to wait to its to late and I regret it all.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with "MsDIAMONDKRYSRAL" and i would definatly join the black panthers without a second thought. The Black Panthers aren't 100 percent about violence, they also wasnt employment opportunities, decent housing, end to robbery, education and other great things. These are all critical reasons why i would join them. Like everyone was saying, non-violence was a good start to getting rights but things will only change with aggression. Not only are the Black Panthers stopping the unnecessary violence from police, they are also improving life for all african americans and making a postice impact. I would not regret the decision in joining the Black Panthers becuase i think that they are doing exactly what needs to be done.
ReplyDeleteI believe that I would not join the Black panthers because I believe in non-violence. It's a stronger message to outsiders if they see violence that is met with non-violence. I'd rather prove to people that non violence is the way to go because it doesn't give a bad name for us african americans, it shows how tough we are and what we can endure.
ReplyDeleteI wanna join the Black Panthers. Non-violence doesn't seem to work anymore. Our black community still seems to be mistreated, beaten,and lynched because of our color. we need to end this and i don't see it working if we go with non violence, we need to defend ourselves. Though MLK has done a lot to help us, and most he achieved with non-violence, that tactic is not working anymore.We have to show them that we are capable, show them we are just as strong. we have to stand up to these white men, and send our message loud and clear, because i guess they didn't get it with non-violence.
ReplyDeleteI would have to agree with Leah. Non violence brought us a long way, but it can only go so far.
ReplyDeleteWith out MLK here to guide us, its going to be harder to go on with non violence. And the Black Panthers aren't only about violence, they achieved a lot, and they are only going to help finish what MLK didn't have the chance to do.
I would definately join the black panthers. After everything thats happened , with all of this non violcence approaches not working out, its time to try somehting new. We cant keep getting pushed around by the white people.
ReplyDeleteI think that any progression is good, in this case it is ok to join. It's helping the people of the black community. And the ideology is right in aggressive defense. I'm not ready to get beaten again, if they want to stop us from helping the community with force then we will greet them with force. So I'm joining.
ReplyDeletemikes right
ReplyDeleteI would join the black panthers for sure. The non-violence movement has accomplished nearly nothing. There is no reason as to why we should keep doing the same thing that has yet to work. We need to change our mindset and get use some agression to get out point across. We have been pushed around for the last time. We will show these white people we are not to be taken lightly.
ReplyDelete