Have you ever sat down and really thought about the civil rights that people have or have not been given? Or what happens when people are denied their rights? If you have then the first words that probably comes to your mind is violence and hate. Violence and hate plays an unnecessary but big part in civil rights.

'A riot is at the bottom of the language of the unheard' Martin Luther King Jr. says. Starting in the nineteen forties riots and violence occurred without giving African Americans a chance to speech out. Many times when those riots occurred African Americans fought back. Almost always someone was injured. The violence, being dished out by both races, immediately led to trouble.

Some of the good and decent people knew that violence wasn't the answer. They knew that violence would lead to no good. One of the African American role models Martin Luther King said 'At the center of non-violence stands the principle of love' Despite his words violence still continued. Think what you would do if you were being denied your civil rights. Would you be able to sit back and 'love your neighbor' while another race beat and murdered you, your friends, and family? Well, it would be very difficult but most of us would have the strong urge to fight back, to feel like we were doing something.

Also hate. Hate takes an automatic place in your heart for those that abuse you physically AND mentally. It is very hard, almost impossible to fight it. 'Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.' It is only natural to think I hate them they hate me. Not I love them they hate me. In the book Fire from the Rock by Sharon M. Draper Sylvia's father is a African American pastor that tries to teach his children non-violent, loving tactics to fight the racism but his children just don't understand and return the violent and hating gestures that are used on them. Sylvia doesn't want to love the three boys that bully her and her little sister. In fact love is the last feeling she has for them. Does that mean she is a bad person? No it means she just gave in to the stronger feeling, hate.

In conclusion violence and hate are an unstoppable, unnecessary part of civil rights. Everyone needs to make a choice in the way they respond to denied civil rights. 'Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.'