Resisting Oppression In specific situations, I believe that people can and will use violence to resist oppression. If a group of people are being oppressed because of their race, religion, color, etc. and their lives have been altered significantly or become endangered because of being oppressed. Then, you must either take action(violently or non-violently) or remain in your current situation. When you first try to talk it out or take legal action against the oppressors and nothing works you began to think forcefully. You try to force your way out of the situation, violently. Sometimes the violence is unnecessary, but it can be the only solution.
People use violence to resist oppression because their surroundings or atmosphere is harsh and already very violent. If your being beaten everyday (by an oppressor) and suddenly something snapped inside you to rebel, you would most likely use violent force. One example of resisting oppression using violence in my History text book The Americans: Some slaves pushed their resistance to an open revolt.
A man lynched from a tree. Face partially conceale...
USA to Russian Tsar: Stop Your Cruel Oppression of...
A 1932 Soviet poster for International Women's Day...One uprising, about 20 slaves gathered at the Stono River just south of Charles Town. They killed several planter families and marched south beating drums and inviting other slaves to join them in their plan to flee to Spanish-held Florida. ( The Americans pg.35) In this revolt against the slaves oppressors was almost justifiable because Africans and African-Anericans had to go through so much pain and suffering to benefit the "white man."Non-violent resistance can be equally effective though. Boycotting is an example of non-violent resistance if the thing being boycotted is the oppressor or is oppressing you as a group of people.
In conclusion, I stand on the fence. I believe that resisting oppressors can be carried out in two different ways that are equally effective even though the results are debatable.
Jack Thompson (attorney) speaking at a debate at C...
Three stripes
Gandhi with the leaders of the non-violent resista...