Question

why does Jackson think street marches boycotts and picket lines on behalf of civil rights are counterproductive? How does his view of America, and especially the role of black Americans in its development, inform his reaction to the mass protest movement?

Answer 1

Jackson views street marches, boycotts, and picket lines as counterproductive to the civil rights movement, because he sees them simply as acts of retaliation. Instead of crediting these peaceful forms of protest with bringing together a group of people and expressing one's emotions with the goal of eliciting change, he portrays them as unproductive outlets rage with no results.

Jackson's view of America is largely that of law and order. While he believed in equality as a fundamental part of patriotism, he wanted to achieve these equal rights without breaking any laws. That is, he believed more in the ballot rather than in civil disobedience.