Reaction to Gandhi & King

Gandhi and King, two figures whose legacies will continue to extend further into generations to come, have been monumentally influential in social justice movements and social awareness programs all over the world. The words of both men have shaken individuals to act against social justice and violence in general. The commitment that Gandhi and King had to nonviolent routes of persuasion and change is so inspirational, its a wonder violence still exists in the world today. Both men abhor physical violence; Gandhi himself calls anyone who leans towards physical violence weak, that those who use "soul-force" are the strongest individuals in society. If only we could find more individuals who would strengthen themselves in the path of nonviolence, maybe our world would be in a different shape than it currently is. Gandhi's work in soul-filled, non-violent action ultimately led to the civil justice in India that he craved, and it proves that modern society could mimic this behavior as well if we so wished. King followed in Gandhi's footsteps, promoting nonviolent action, and pleading with his counterparts to consider how to calm their anger into a constructive force for good. He details his ambitions in his "I Have a Dream" speech, and these goals couldn't ring truer. King dreamed of a future where all people would be united, regardless of background or skin color, all through the use of nonviolent action. Passive resistance doesn't necessarily define the action that Gandhi and King define; it is too focused on reception of immoral or improper laws and systems instead of the changing of those systems. Both men focused on actively changing the systems without violence, which ended up being a whole new definition entirely.