Those who protested chose how. while i applaud their small gains i am not disillusioned over class structure in this country,study Mississippi's people living in conditions little removed from before protests. They can vote yes. Are they equal and able to rise?. Its not one state by any means,or race. always a culture being stepped on. While a minority has to fight for written rights its methods and efficiency need to be measured against why rights are denied and how denial is enforced. When you are out gunned martyrdom best hope when taking up arms. Not uncommon in this world but also inspiration for peaceful protest/polite disobedience. Ghandi likely read Thoreau,s civil disobedience when he studied his work, did he see hope or futility in what was not popular at the time it was written? Were arms an option? Jim Corbett reported poor quality illegal guns around 1930 when trying to relieve natives of pressure/terror of hundreds being killed by tigers. But again what would they have been up against in an feebly armed protest.
