Assignment 1
We as a society will not always agree on issues that affect us as a whole. These differences can bring people together than otherwise would not associate with one another. This is what we call a social movement, a group of individual drawn together by the social issue or event. This group can demonstrate or take a stand in a positive manner, but something their feelings or thoughts are carried out in a negative manner. We as individuals are given the option to choose to carry out our movements in a radicalism manner or assimilation manner. The chose that we make whether to choose radicalism or assimilation can be the determining factor of our success of caring out our movement or our failure.

The women’s movement was a success because of the choice that they was women made to stick together for the same common goal. In the 1960’s women where tire of not being treated as equals to men. Women where also tired of being beaten, not having the same opportunities in education as men and worse, women where treated as second class to men. These women created the women’s movement that succeeded in bringing some equality into their lives. These women where able to come together for a very important common goal, their freedom, their rights and they achieved this by using assimilation tactics.

The anti-Vietnam war movement was the largest and most successful movements in history because of its unity. This movement did not target one specific type of person; this movement was meant for all. The Vietnam War affected wife, children, students, husbands and employers. This movement did not discriminate against anyone. This movement was so large that it was impossible to control. Therefore, history finds individuals who chose to use radical tactics and other who used assimilation tactics in order to get their point across to those who oppose them. The anti-Vietnam war movement was a great success because it was not just one group of people getting together; it was a whole nation coming together.

The Chicano movement was started because of the lack of equal right for Chicanos. Chicanos did not hold any role of authority or of interest in society. Chicanos were not offered equal right in the education system as other ethnic groups. This is when the Chicanos decided to start a movement that would gain them equal right as other has taken for granted. The Chicano movement started their movement by using assimilation tactics. The Chicano movement began by taking seat in the school boards; they also began the National Association of Chicana and Chicanos scholarships. These efforts brought the Chicano community together as one fighting for the same goal, better education, higher economical status, equal rights and better jobs. This was accomplished by using assimilation tactics rather than radical tactics.

The gay rights movement was a little more radical than the previous movement discussed. This movement was started out of need for security, freedom and equal rights. Before the movement was established many gays where intimidated by individual and people in power (police officers) with brutality and physical and mental abuse. The gay community quickly established themselves into a movement in search for equal rights. However, the gay rights movement carried out their goal and message using radical attempts and in many instances horrible bloody fights often where the results of their campaigns.


I do not know which strategy seems better when comparing Dr. King’s strategy against Malcolm X’s strategy. This is hard to say because violence was a large part of both of their time in history. Not only did you have the Vietnam War taking place, which was full of violence but you also had segregation in schools, which was also nothing but violence. Violence was a huge part of history during these two great events. However, in the other hand we have a society who is in desperate need of non-violence during those ugly times in history. History has taught us from time to time that two wrong do not make or justify a right.

I do believe that Dr. King and Malcolm X could have met in the middle. These two men were extremely influential and could have found a middle ground. It is a shame that history was stolen from us by having these two powerful individual taken from us. I think that if given time Dr. King and Malcolm X would have eventually come together to fight the same fight, but I unfortunately we will never know.