Response Paper
The video entitled Freedom Riders: Non-Violent Civil Right Movement (History Documentary), present the true nature of bravery and confidence that was instilled in the activists who fought for civil rights though nonviolent demonstrations. These activists fought against racial and ethnic inequality that was predominant in most parts of United States. In essence, majority of the civil rights activists involved in this protest are the minority no whites, particularly the blacks who had long been suppressed and undermined through discriminatory laws and segregation. Through these laws, most of them are alienated from high-rank jobs, prevented from accessing to quality education and exercising their human rights in the whole. Through bold protests, these civil rights activists can present their grievances and desires.
The video mentioned herein is relevant to our context subsequent to the fact that the civil rights activists in the video demonstrate the true nature of Lawson whose efforts regarding civil rights movement are accredited by many. Lawson was a civil rights activist who had been influenced by the teachings of Mohandas Gandhi. Subsequent to his return to America he was convinced that nonviolent protest was the appropriate instrument when seeking a social change. He stood confidently and defended the rights of the minority blacks and other nonwhites who were technically the recipients of the negative effects segregation. From the text, it is well stated that “Lawson perceived the action of seeking equality as a right thing to do and he did not have to shout out that he was doing this act of courage, not an act of fear” (Halberstam 138). Similar to Lawson, the civil rights activists in the video portray the need to demonstrate peacefully without resolving to violence as the best means towards solving issues regarding segregation among many other inequalities. From the text, Lawson confidently fought against segregation that was well established in United States during his time. In a bid to challenge segregation, Lawson preferred challenging the discriminatory laws that fostered the segregation in United States. The same is seen to be predominant in the video.
Works Cited
Halberstam, David. The children. Open Road Media, 2012.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UFyd2354ms
