APFIVE According to the excerpt, which statement best explains Martin Luther King Jr.'s rationale for using nonviolent protest to advance civil rights?
“I have a dream that the time will come when peaceful protest will be seen not as an act of rebellion, but as an infinitesimal yet vital force of moral renewal. Nonviolent resistance is not a sign of weakness, but a declaration of an unyielding demand for justice. In our struggle against segregation and injustice, each act of peaceful defiance echoes the promise of a new dawn. It is through such steadfast nonviolence that we expose the inherent cruelty of discriminatory laws. Our actions are deliberate, rooted in an enduring belief in the dignity of every human being. The spirit of nonviolence, therefore, transforms protest into a catalyst for societal transformation. The dream of justice is built on this tireless commitment to peace.”
Martin Luther King Jr., “The Dream of Justice”, April 3, 1963
He argues that nonviolent protest reveals the moral urgency of justice and exposes systemic injustice without inciting further violence.
He asserts that nonviolent protest is effective only when accompanied by aggressive measures against segregation.
He maintains that nonviolent protest is merely symbolic and has limited practical impact on policy reforms.
He claims that peaceful demonstration undermines the integrity of government institutions.