[pesus]

> You only need a cursory knowledge of the late 60s and early 70s to know that political violence rarely achieves its aims

Maybe cursory knowledge isn't enough, actually. The Civil Rights Act was ultimately only passed because of political violence. As another commenter said, the literal founding of the country was based on political violence.

[ch4s3]

> Maybe cursory knowledge isn't enough, actually. The Civil Rights Act was ultimately only passed because of political violence.

Violence by the police against peaceful protestors is what turned public opinion. Violence by political activists did not lead to the Civil Rights Act. You have it backwards.

[pesus]

This is the cursory knowledge I'm referring to - it leaves out extremely pertinent details. The Civil Rights Act did not pass until multiple days of rioting following the assassination of MLK.

The peaceful protestors were also only one side of the coin. Their impact relied on being an alternative to the other side, which was not peaceful.

[ch4s3]

L.B.J. was instrumental in whipping votes for the Civil Rights Act. In his joint address to congress he said "No memorial oration or eulogy could more eloquently honor President Kennedy's memory than the earliest possible passage of the civil rights bill for which he fought so long. He then went on to personally lobby individual senators until it passed.

It think you're the one who has a cursory understanding here.