Letter From Birmingham Jail

Passive Actions

King and his followers were sometimes criticized for being passive in the face of injustice. As King describes “non-violence,” is it the same as “passiveness.” Why or why not?

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King followed the teachings of people like Mahatma Gandhi who was instrumental in ejecting the British from India. The idea of "passive resistance" meant that violence was not to be used even in the face of inflicted violence. Protesters were often hurt or killed but they would not resort to violence. This is what King emulated. Passive, in this sense meant being brave and standing for what you believe in even in the face of violence.