Violence
Because of his stance as a negotiator, Gaston often faced challenges by proponents from both sides of the civil rights issue.
On May 12, 1963, unknown persons attempted to blow up the part of the Gaston motel where King and Abernathy were staying. Later that day, Alabama State Police dispatched to clear Kelly Ingram Park invaded the motel, clubbing those who could not escape. Unidentified persons later threw firebombs at Gaston's house, a day after he and his wife had attended a state dinner at the White House with President John F. Kennedy.
Gaston remained disaffected from Dr. King, urging him to stay away, in a statement released in September, 1963, after Dr. King announced plans to return to Birmingham to resume demonstrations. As it turns out, Dr. King did revive the campaign.
On the night of January 24, 1976, Gaston and his wife were attacked and beaten by an intruder and Gaston was abducted in his own car; police officers found him two hours later, bound in the back seat of the car.
Read more about this topic: A. G. Gaston
Famous quotes containing the word violence:
“Power and violence are opposites; where the one rules absolutely, the other is absent. Violence appears where power is in jeopardy, but left to its own course it ends in power’s disappearance.”
—Hannah Arendt (1906–1975)
“Men who want to support women in our struggle for freedom and justice should understand that it is not terrifically important to us that they learn to cry; it is important to us that they stop the crimes of violence against us.”
—Andrea Dworkin (b. 1946)
“Power acquired by violence is only a usurpation, and lasts only as long as the force of him who commands prevails over that of those who obey.”
—Denis Diderot (1713–1784)