Was non-violence the only way to achieve equality or was it wasteful and impractical in the 1960's?

Non-violence was a powerful and strategic approach for achieving equality during the 1960s, as exemplified by the Civil Rights Movement led by figures like Martin Luther King Jr. It aimed to foster empathy and moral accountability among oppressors while uniting marginalized communities. However, some critics argued that non-violence was impractical in the face of systemic violence and oppression, advocating for more militant strategies. Ultimately, both non-violent and more aggressive tactics played roles in advancing civil rights, illustrating the complexity of the struggle for equality.