---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A second way that oppressed people…"
description: "\"A second way that oppressed people sometimes deal with oppression is to resort to physical violence and corroding hatred.\" — Martin Luther King, Jr"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a4/martin-luther-king-jr-127_crime_a-second-way-that-oppressed-people-somet_845779.png"
---

#  A second way that oppressed people sometimes deal with…

![“A second way that oppressed people sometimes deal with oppression is to resort to physical violence and corroding hatred.” quote by Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a4/martin-luther-king-jr-127_crime_a-second-way-that-oppressed-people-somet_845779.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a4/martin-luther-king-jr-127_crime_a-second-way-that-oppressed-people-somet_845779.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a4/martin-luther-king-jr-127_crime_a-second-way-that-oppressed-people-somet_845779.png)

> “A second way that oppressed people sometimes deal with oppression is to resort to physical violence and corroding hatred.”

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Oppressed groups may turn to violence and hatred when peaceful avenues fail, highlighting a dangerous cycle of retaliation.

**In simple terms:** Oppression can provoke violent, hateful responses.

Key Takeaway

Seek non‑violent resistance.

Themes

civil rights violence oppression

Mood

hopeful urgent

Type

social ethical

When to use this quote

- peaceful protests
- conflict resolution training
- community healing
- educational programs

Key Concepts

Non‑violence social justice psychology of oppression

Questions to Reflect On

- How can societies prevent the escalation from oppression to violence?
- What alternatives exist when peaceful protest is suppressed?

A Different Perspective

Violence may sometimes be seen as a last resort by the marginalized.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Corroding Hatred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corroding-hatred-692101/) [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Deal Oppression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deal-oppression-692100/) [Deals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deals/) [Hatred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hatred/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Oppressed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppressed/) [Oppressed People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppressed-people/) [Oppression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppression/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Physical violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physical-violence/) [Resorts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resorts/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) [Violence Corroding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence-corroding-692102/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Way Oppressed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way-oppressed-692099/)

## Related quotes

> [Progress is always relative: to the oppressed, it can only be viewed as an all or nothing deal - if oppression continues, even in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/progress-is-always-relative-to-the-oppressed-it-can-only-be-viewed-as/)

[Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/)

> [As we blaze it up we see clear to progression. We no deal with oppression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-marley/as-we-blaze-it-up-we-see-clear-to-progression-we-no-deal-with/)

[Julian Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-marley/)

> [Nonviolence is the most potent technique for oppressed people. Unearned suffering is redemptive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/nonviolence-is-the-most-potent-technique-for-oppressed-people/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [Oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever. The yearning for freedom eventually manifests itself..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/oppressed-people-cannot-remain-oppressed-forever-the-yearning-for-2/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [White Americans must be made to understand the basic motives underlying Negro demonstrations. Many pent-up resentments and latent frustrations are boiling inside the Negro,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/white-americans-must-be-made-to-understand-the-basic-motives/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [Since being in India, I am more convinced than ever before that the method of nonviolent resistance is the most potent weapon available to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/since-being-in-india-i-am-more-convinced-than-ever-before-that-the/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-forever-conduct-our-struggle-on-the-high-plane-of-dignity-and-2/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [Nonviolence means avoiding not only external physical violence but also internal violence of spirit. You not only refuse to shoot a man, but you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/nonviolence-means-avoiding-not-only-external-physical-violence-but/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [The non-violent resistor not only avoids external, physical violence, but he avoids internal violence of spirit. He not only refuses to shoot his opponent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-non-violent-resistor-not-only-avoids-external-physical-violence/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [Oppressed people, whatever their level of formal education, have the ability to understand and interpret the world around them, to see the world for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/oppressed-people-whatever-their-level-of-formal-education-have-the/)

[Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/)

> [The rights of no oppressed people have ever yet been obtained by a voluntary act of justice on the part of the oppressors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-delany/the-rights-of-no-oppressed-people-have-ever-yet-been-obtained-by-a/)

[Martin Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-delany/)

> [Palestinians are not victims in need of aid, they are an occupied &amp; oppressed people in need of freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/remi-kanazi/palestinians-are-not-victims-in-need-of-aid-they-are-an-occupied/)

[Remi Kanazi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/remi-kanazi/)

> [I want to be the voice of the people; black, white, everyday, oppressed people. A person trying to make it and to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/i-want-to-be-the-voice-of-the-people-black-white-everyday-oppressed/)

[Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/)

> [Nobody in this country goes around saying: 'I'm feeling very oppressed by the E.U.' Well, one or two people do, but they're a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-grieve/nobody-in-this-country-goes-around-saying-i-m-feeling-very-oppressed/)

[Dominic Grieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-grieve/)

> [Poor and afflicted and oppressed people have faces, and we are required to look squarely into them. We can't love what we won't experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mairs/poor-and-afflicted-and-oppressed-people-have-faces-and-we-are/)

[Nancy Mairs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mairs/)

## More by Martin Luther King, Jr

> [The strong man holds in a living blend strongly marked opposites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-strong-man-holds-in-a-living-blend-strongly-marked-opposites/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [Our nation was born in genocide when it embraced the doctrine that the original American, the Indian, was an inferior race. ... We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/our-nation-was-born-in-genocide-when-it-embraced-the-doctrine-that/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [Every genuine expression of love grows out of a consistent and total surrender to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/every-genuine-expression-of-love-grows-out-of-a-consistent-and-total/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character--that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-remember-that-intelligence-is-not-enough-intelligence-plus/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [I’ve been to the Mountaintop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-ve-been-to-the-mountaintop/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [The supreme task is to organize and unite people so that their anger becomes a transforming force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-supreme-task-is-to-organize-and-unite-people-so-that-their-anger/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [The great issue of life is to harness the drum major instinct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-great-issue-of-life-is-to-harness-the-drum-major-instinct/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [Somebody must have sense enough and morality enough to cut off the chain of hate and the chain of evil in the universe. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somebody-must-have-sense-enough-and-morality-enough-to-cut-off-the/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [Darkness is only driven out with light, not more darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/darkness-is-only-driven-out-with-light-not-more-darkness/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [What seems so necessary today may not even be desirable tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/what-seems-so-necessary-today-may-not-even-be-desirable-tomorrow/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [The Negro cannot win the respect of his oppressor by acquiescing; he merely increases the oppressor's arrogance and contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-negro-cannot-win-the-respect-of-his-oppressor-by-acquiescing-he/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [The majority of the Negroes who took part in the year-long boycott of Montgomery's buses were poor and untutored; but they understood the essence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-majority-of-the-negroes-who-took-part-in-the-year-long-boycott-of/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [Whenever you are engaged in work that serves humanity and is for the building of humanity, it has dignity and it has worth,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/whenever-you-are-engaged-in-work-that-serves-humanity-and-is-for-the/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-have-a-dream-that-one-day-even-the-state-of-mississippi-a-desert/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

[Explore all 1,210 Martin Luther King, Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

## More Crime quotes

> [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/)

[Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/)

> [“Crime and punishment can be summed up in two classifications: there are bad people and there are people who get into bad situations. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnnie-dent-jr/crime-and-punishment-can-be-summed-up-in-two-classifications-there/)

[Johnnie Dent Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnnie-dent-jr/)

> [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/)

[Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/)

> [“The jailers, the Court, everyone in that building – it wasn’t about justice; it was about obedience and intimidation…about maintaining order. Fear accomplished that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-allan/the-jailers-the-court-everyone-in-that-building-it-wasn-t-about/)

[Jay Allan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-allan/)

> [Taking notes while watching Forensic Files and Snapped. I don't want to make the same mistakes the criminals do! ;)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/taking-notes-while-watching-forensic-files-and-snapped-i-don-t-want/)

[Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/)

> [A man could be a lover and defender of the wilderness without ever in his lifetime leaving the boundaries of asphalt, powerlines, and right-angled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/a-man-could-be-a-lover-and-defender-of-the-wilderness-without-ever-in/)

[Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/)

> [Nations sometimes flourish by denying the crimes that brought them into being. Only when the original invasion, occupation, extermination or usurpation has been safely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/nations-sometimes-flourish-by-denying-the-crimes-that-brought-them/)

[Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/)

> [The danger that may really threaten (crime fiction) is that soon there will be more writers than readers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/the-danger-that-may-really-threaten-crime-fiction-is-that-soon-there/)

[Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/)

> [“a crime to fell a tree and light it on fire, where coals of hardened shit warmed and stunk up homes,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/a-crime-to-fell-a-tree-and-light-it-on-fire-where-coals-of-hardened/)

[Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/)

> [A great read; an exciting, frightening account of organized crime today. But like all important works of nonfiction, it goes further… This book is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/le-ly-hayslip/a-great-read-an-exciting-frightening-account-of-organized-crime-today/)

[Le Ly Hayslip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/le-ly-hayslip/)

> [History is the study of the world's crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/history-is-the-study-of-the-world-s-crime/)

[Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/)

> [If it comes to a question of law, the charges they brought against me - the Espionage Act - is called the quintessential political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-it-comes-to-a-question-of-law-the-charges-they-brought-against-me/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [Too much virtue can be criminal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-racine/too-much-virtue-can-be-criminal/)

[Jean Racine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-racine/)

> [The federal prison population increased by almost 800 percent between 1980 and 2013, often at a far faster rate than the Bureau of Prisons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-yates/the-federal-prison-population-increased-by-almost-800-percent-between/)

[Sally Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-yates/)

> [ \[P\]rogress, however, has not sufficiently infiltrated the Interior Ministry, affording protection to those who participated in the Bytyqi murders and other egregious Milosevic-era crimes. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avis-bohlen/p-rogress-however-has-not-sufficiently-infiltrated-the-interior/)

[Avis Bohlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avis-bohlen/)

[Browse all 8,359 Crime quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "A second way that oppressed people sometimes deal with oppression is to resort to physical violence and corroding hatred.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Martin Luther King, Jr"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/a-second-way-that-oppressed-people-sometimes-deal-with-oppression-is/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Crime"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/a-second-way-that-oppressed-people-sometimes-deal-with-oppression-is/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a4/martin-luther-king-jr-127_crime_a-second-way-that-oppressed-people-somet_845779.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a4/martin-luther-king-jr-127_crime_a-second-way-that-oppressed-people-somet_845779.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a4/martin-luther-king-jr-127_crime_a-second-way-that-oppressed-people-somet_845779.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“A second way that oppressed people sometimes deal with oppression is to resort to physical violence and…” — Martin Luther King, Jr",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Martin Luther King, Jr",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "A second way that oppressed people...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/a-second-way-that-oppressed-people-sometimes-deal-with-oppression-is/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/a-second-way-that-oppressed-people-sometimes-deal-with-oppression-is/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
