Nonviolence In The Civil Rights Movement Essay

In Chavez's argument, he explained the importance of nonviolence during the Civil Rights Movement. He used Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s movement as an example of successful protest using nonviolence. Although Dr. King's example proved to be effective, after he died, several members of the movement resorted to violence which caused the death of thousands of Americans. Chavez argued nonviolence is the only way to protest violence in order to attract support for his cause: the farm workers' movement. Chavez's rhetorical choices, through his tone and allusion to history, effectively influenced farmers to protest without violence.

His tone was his most influential element because it reads like a speech; a speech's purpose is to motivate and convince the audience to agree with the speaker. Within the article, Chavez used first person plural to further push his idea of nonviolence and to indicate he is fighting for the farmers' cause. "If...we respond with nonviolence, we attract people's support." He included himself in the argument to gain the favor of the farmers, which will cause them to follow Chavez's ideas. Chavez informed the people of nonviolence through his beliefs and past, which motivated others to attempt nonviolent actions when protesting.

Martin Luther King Jr.'s achievement of a nonviolent movement. Chavez wanted to follow King's philosophy, and he gave reasons as to why King's ideas are the only way to achieve a successful protest. "If we resort to violence then one of two things will happen: either the violence will be escalated and there will be many injuries and perhaps deaths on both sides, or there will be total demoralization of the workers." After King's death, the movement became violent, and several Americans died as a result of those violent acts. The white people demoralized the black people after the violence, so Chavez stressed the negative effects to the