ed man in America. During the sensationalism of his publishing his threats prior to his arrest I remember many being inspired by his anti-progress, anti-technology rantings. McVeigh with his anti-government beliefs probably did have an affect in heightening the pressure on the FBI and Janet Reno (as more and more information was released about the governments mishandlings at Waco for example) One could surmise that each of these men in their own right as individuals did promote their interests effectively. During a recent class meeting, a woman in our class very passionately affirmed her contention that passive-non-violent resistance was the way to go. She specifically sited Dr. Martin Luther Kings effectiveness winning civil rights for African Americans. I adamantly disagree with her. Its my belief (and Im sure many others) that it was the militant extremism of leaders such as Malcolm X who moved the civil rights movement forward in the 1960s. I believe that the powers that be at the time viewed Dr. King as the lesser of two evils and for this reason he was embraced by white America. As Thomas Hobbes described man in a state of nature it is in our nature as humans that violence always be closely intertwined with our governing of ourselves. To quote Jefferson in his letter to William Smith, What country before ever existed a century & a half without a rebellion? & what country can preserve it's liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon & pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots & tyrants....
