The Truth about Oppression
“Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.” – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The above quote is the perfect introduction into the world of oppression and the effects it has on freedom and the ability to make our own choices. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, explained in the quote how oppression chooses peoples freedom and choices. Dr. King explained that in order for oppression to stop, the oppressor must stand up for themselves and be the change they want to see. Everybody has experienced some form of oppression in life, but most specifically women, people of color, and the LGBTQ community are oppressed on a daily basis. Oppression is defined as, “unjust or cruel exercise …show more content…
Martin Luther King Jr., has been a very influential person regarding people of color and regarding the freedom people have. People of color face a sickening amount of oppression on a daily basis that significantly reduces their freedom and the ability to give themselves the identity that they want. In Martin Luther King Jr’s, article, “Letters from Birmingham”, he explains how he is in jail based on unjust laws from eight white clergy men and he is trying to prove a point about people of color and the civil-rights movement. In this article King said, “Let us consider a more concrete example of just and unjust laws. An unjust law is a code that a numerical or power majority group compels a minority group to obey but does not make binding on itself. This is difference made legal. By the same token, a just law is a code that a majority compels a minority to follow and that it is willing to follow itself. This is sameness made legal” (King 3). This quote is a picture perfect quotation about oppression and the actual amount of freedom that people of color have. It is explaining that minorities are expected to follow both just and unjust laws but everyone else is just expected to follow the just laws. This letter from Martin Luther King Jr, has completely supported the statement that people of color are oppressed more significantly than Caucasians, and it also backed up the statement that people are not free to make their own decisions or be the person they want to
“Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.” – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The above quote is the perfect introduction into the world of oppression and the effects it has on freedom and the ability to make our own choices. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, explained in the quote how oppression chooses peoples freedom and choices. Dr. King explained that in order for oppression to stop, the oppressor must stand up for themselves and be the change they want to see. Everybody has experienced some form of oppression in life, but most specifically women, people of color, and the LGBTQ community are oppressed on a daily basis. Oppression is defined as, “unjust or cruel exercise …show more content…
Martin Luther King Jr., has been a very influential person regarding people of color and regarding the freedom people have. People of color face a sickening amount of oppression on a daily basis that significantly reduces their freedom and the ability to give themselves the identity that they want. In Martin Luther King Jr’s, article, “Letters from Birmingham”, he explains how he is in jail based on unjust laws from eight white clergy men and he is trying to prove a point about people of color and the civil-rights movement. In this article King said, “Let us consider a more concrete example of just and unjust laws. An unjust law is a code that a numerical or power majority group compels a minority group to obey but does not make binding on itself. This is difference made legal. By the same token, a just law is a code that a majority compels a minority to follow and that it is willing to follow itself. This is sameness made legal” (King 3). This quote is a picture perfect quotation about oppression and the actual amount of freedom that people of color have. It is explaining that minorities are expected to follow both just and unjust laws but everyone else is just expected to follow the just laws. This letter from Martin Luther King Jr, has completely supported the statement that people of color are oppressed more significantly than Caucasians, and it also backed up the statement that people are not free to make their own decisions or be the person they want to