The Black Panther Party is classified by a majority as a revolutionary black nationalist group, and by others, just a unorganized violent gang because of the use of self defense. There was nothing rebellious or threatening about what the party set out to achieve. Many did not understand the Panthers, because in all honesty, they were very intimidating. The way they Panthers dressed in all black was very horrifying and a tactic in itself to intimidate the police. The whole purpose was to look demeaning to law enforcements in hopes of frightening them from carrying out bad deeds, which they deemed right and justifiable. With doing so, that tactic carried out a perception of violence to the society. The public didn 't understand that the BPP apparel
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What people fail to realize there is a group called The New Black Panther Party and many mistake these two groups for each other . Bobby Seale, cofounder of the BPP, said many called the group a bunch of thugs but the same ones saying that didnt understand that the group “grew out of a young black intelligentsia on college campuses." The New Black Panthers took the BPP old philosophy, and made it aggressive and dangerous; many members not even educated. So many when thinking about the Black Panthers Party they think of the most recent group. These two groups are not to be mistaken. Although the Panthers exercised violence, their violence was used when provoked by law enforcement because no one else would stand up for the Black community.The Panthers did not seek confrontation, but they were defenders and stood their ground. Harris, who is very objective on the subject of the Panther’s tactics, wrote, “They were taught to never to point, much less fire a weapon at anyone, other than the enemy, and never accidentally or unnecessary”(413). So in fact, the Panthers could be considered, an organization, who were advocates of peace; the overall goal. Newton insured that he wanted peace and that the Panthers defense is just “a tool to get rid of violence and aggression”( Huey P. …show more content…
That being said, the Panthers were no different, they only used self defense if acted upon. The only necessary situation for violence was the brutalizing of Blacks. To this day, there is proof that police officers were using their powers for wrong, and that is something you can not find on the BPP, in terms of just outright unprovoked violence.The BPP was the opposite of police officers, they wanted peace, justice, and equality, but they used violence when harm was being inflicted on Blacks. The Panthers saw it as if the law won 't protect the Black community, than themselves will have to, The Panthers wanted to protect each other, the idea of a brotherhood. The Panthers name and logo was a direct correlation to what their philosophy on violence was. It was reported that, “The Black Panther Party chose the name because the panther is known to be an an animal that never makes an unprovoked attack, but will defend itself vehemently” (Harris 412). So the Panthers were never the aggressor, just fighting back from years of injustice, oppression, and brutality. Introducing a national problem at the time, Newton says that he “ would never view the Vietnamese defense of their homeland as mere violence’’(Huey P. Newton). The comparison is so strong because it was an issue many Americans didn 't
What people fail to realize there is a group called The New Black Panther Party and many mistake these two groups for each other . Bobby Seale, cofounder of the BPP, said many called the group a bunch of thugs but the same ones saying that didnt understand that the group “grew out of a young black intelligentsia on college campuses." The New Black Panthers took the BPP old philosophy, and made it aggressive and dangerous; many members not even educated. So many when thinking about the Black Panthers Party they think of the most recent group. These two groups are not to be mistaken. Although the Panthers exercised violence, their violence was used when provoked by law enforcement because no one else would stand up for the Black community.The Panthers did not seek confrontation, but they were defenders and stood their ground. Harris, who is very objective on the subject of the Panther’s tactics, wrote, “They were taught to never to point, much less fire a weapon at anyone, other than the enemy, and never accidentally or unnecessary”(413). So in fact, the Panthers could be considered, an organization, who were advocates of peace; the overall goal. Newton insured that he wanted peace and that the Panthers defense is just “a tool to get rid of violence and aggression”( Huey P. …show more content…
That being said, the Panthers were no different, they only used self defense if acted upon. The only necessary situation for violence was the brutalizing of Blacks. To this day, there is proof that police officers were using their powers for wrong, and that is something you can not find on the BPP, in terms of just outright unprovoked violence.The BPP was the opposite of police officers, they wanted peace, justice, and equality, but they used violence when harm was being inflicted on Blacks. The Panthers saw it as if the law won 't protect the Black community, than themselves will have to, The Panthers wanted to protect each other, the idea of a brotherhood. The Panthers name and logo was a direct correlation to what their philosophy on violence was. It was reported that, “The Black Panther Party chose the name because the panther is known to be an an animal that never makes an unprovoked attack, but will defend itself vehemently” (Harris 412). So the Panthers were never the aggressor, just fighting back from years of injustice, oppression, and brutality. Introducing a national problem at the time, Newton says that he “ would never view the Vietnamese defense of their homeland as mere violence’’(Huey P. Newton). The comparison is so strong because it was an issue many Americans didn 't