Eye for an Eye: The Role of Armed Resistance ... - Freedom Archives

transcript" of insurgency that has become unmasked. In many cases insurgent
groups respond in violent rage directed at those who they feel are responsible for
their pain and oppression . While spontaneous rebellions may begin as unplanned
events, their participants have political intent and are responded to politically by
insurgent leaders and by elites . In some cases Movement leaders, while not the
initiators of the revolt, offer to calm the rebellion in exchange for reforms . Elites
while applying repression, in many cases are more willing to offer concessions to
quell the violence of spontaneous rebels . Given its political nature and its utility
for social change, spontaneous rebellion must considered an aspect of the armed
resistance of the Black freedom movement .
Terrorism is the use of force to intimidate civilians . Of course, we recog-
nize terrorism from the dominant powers, for it was essential to the survival of
white supremacy . But a from of terrorism was used in Mississippi by Movement
,leaders to coerce Black residents to comply with economic boycotts . While it
might not be popular to mention terrorism, it served as an important aspect of the
Mississippi freedom movement. While some question the morality of terrorism
being included in the armed resistance of the freedom movement, Others may feel
that the violent enforcement of economic boycotts may not count as armed resis-
tance since this form of terrorism was often directed at other Blacks . Since the
violent enforcement of economic boycotts was viewed by Movement participants
as a means to compliment efforts to achieve Black civil and human rights, it must
be considered an aspect of the armed resistance of the Mississippi freedom move-
ment.