It’s kind of depressing how much of that letter is still relevant. So it’s good to take the time to read it every once and a while.

https://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html

The other part that I bring up a lot is how MLK wasn’t really all that peaceful. Throughout his life he was very open about how his path could only work because the alternative path was Malcolm. Rather than let the choice be between status quo and Martin’s peaceful approach, they framed it as peaceful protests that lead to actual change, or a full on revolution.

I am grateful to God that, through the influence of the Negro church, the way of nonviolence became an integral part of our struggle. If this philosophy had not emerged, by now many streets of the South would, I am convinced, be flowing with blood. And I am further convinced that if our white brothers dismiss as “rabble rousers” and “outside agitators” those of us who employ nonviolent direct action, and if they refuse to support our nonviolent efforts, millions of Negroes will, out of frustration and despair, seek solace and security in black nationalist ideologies–a development that would inevitably lead to a frightening racial nightmare.

If the worst things can get for those in power is a peaceful protest, they’ll just have the police beat the protestors. If beating protestors gets 1,000 Black Panthers with AR15s, suddenly Ronald Reagan is passing meaningful gun control laws.