Category: Letter from Birmingham Jail

The “Letter from Birmingham Jail” was written on Apr sixteen, 1963 by Martin Luther King, Jr. Within the jail he composed a letter that was directed to a priest within the human rights movement. His peaceful however firm letter is a remarkably persuasive tone that’s a significant flip within the human rights Movement full rights of African Americans. However, Henry David Thoreau, in “Civil Disobedience”, printed in February 1848, managed justice because it relates to government. The writer chooses another matter entirely in a negative manner. Henry David’s writer rhetorical devices use pathos, representational process, and symbolism to induce his purpose of the govt. And not paying a capitation of 6 years for a penalization, on the opposite hand Martin Luther King, Jr.’s rhetorical devices that he uses throughout the passage area unit figure of speech, repetition, and statements to influence critics of his philosophical views on direct action.

Each passage addresses injustices that are unit being committed by the govt.

There is a better law than civil law, it’s a citizen’s duty to adjust the voice of God at intervals rather than while not. Henry David Thoreau, in “Civil Disobedience”, states folks ought to do what their conscience tells them and not adjust unjust laws. The positions of the 2 writers are unit terribly close; they use the common theme of conscience and its mistreatment attribute. In “Civil Disobedience” the writer claims that men ought to act from their conscience. He disagreed with alternative Yank those who believed the bulk ought to modify the laws 1st. As an example, “Break the law. Let your life be a counter friction to prevent the machine” (18). He thinks criminals may be one who disobeys an unjust law, and the writer visited jail rather than paying for his taxes. However, conjointly Dr. Martin King, Jr. argues in his ‘Letter for Birmingham Jail’ for the exercise of one’s acute awareness. As an example, even those supplication is legal, ‘all certification statutes area unit unjust as a result of segregation distorts the soul and damages the temperament…'(226, 211-213). King’s defense against charges of hypocrisy argues that may coach folks to follow the laws that may profit them rather than breaking them since they are making an attempt to follow and required movement of modification Through The Eyes of nonviolence. He reveals that the unjust law ‘gives a false sense of superiority within the lily-white a false sense of inferiority.’ His use of logos clearly dismisses simplicity additionally as talking with no consideration that the audience accepts the validity of Christian morality, demanding that one ought to apply morality to issues. For a lot of through the utilization of Logos and attributes, he asserts that he extremely decipher ‘the white moderate to know that this tension within the south is it a necessary part of the transition from an unpleasant ornamental piece, and therefore the Negro probably accepted his unjust fabric, to a substantive and positive peace, within which all men can respect the dignity and price of human personality’ (228, 302-306). King criticizes white priesthood opposition, that created them look as if they post the movement. Everybody should follow their acutely aware since they’re all being treated terribly otherwise, that makes folks not blow over the acutely aware, however by the government’s word and affects multiple folks negatively and completely affects the ‘superior race’. King reviews the advantages of individuals’ mistreatment their acutely aware and the consequences of not mistreatment to force everybody to rethink their selections, together with recollect their morals. Equally, the writer argues for the exercise of being acutely aware. As an example, in writer ‘Civil Disobedience, “he presents the results of individuals that like acutely aware since ‘the mass of men serve the state therefore, not as men in the main, however as machine…in most cases there is no free exercise no matter of the judgment or of the sense of right and wrong…on a level with wood and earth and stones…no a lot of respect than men area unit robust, or lump of dirt. they need an equivalent kind of price solely as horses and dogs.'(226, bracket 5, 90-98) In keeping with the writer men area unit seen perform their duties like machines since they are doing what they are told while not thought, acutely aware, of the duty to eventually convert them into true men and create it easier for the govt. To manage them, together with pattern while not earning any good respect folks while not an acutely aware area unit thought of as unimportant and important as a result of they are straightforward to manage and can not have the courageousness to try to something against the govt. Since they’re going to eventually forget if they are doing right or wrong. Moreover, there ‘are not 100 thousand politicians within the South, however, 100 thousand merchants and Farmers here, what curious about Commerce and agriculture than they’re in Humanity, and don’t seem to be ready to try justice with slaves and in Mexico…'(228, bracket 10, 167-171). The land being affected shows that they are selecting wrong then what’s right, which isn’t sensible for anyone. Thoreau created many theoretical claims concerning democracy and therefore the relationship between the voters and therefore the government. Thoreau believes that the govt. ought to be supported by one’s acute awareness and therefore the national ought to have written an opinion towards unjust, races government that represents ideas, and the way acutely aware is required with everything to be ready to structure a secure and unbiased government and society.

The essays for Martin Luther King, Jr. allow us from Birmingham Jail and Henry David Writer direct action to show how one will be protected against an affair. Each author a really persuasive and their letter writings. Henry David Thoreau and Martin Luther King, Jr. are right concerning the injustice of state laws, of right and wrong, and all over again and solid attentive to a personality’s being. Martin Luther King, Jr. As a nonsecular, peaceful man United Nations agency used not bowed stringed instruments rallies along Americans to unite against irrigation for the bigger sensible way forward for America. Henry David Thoreau writes of his own individual rights and the people of others, that the government opposes unlawful laws of taxes. “Can there not be a government within which majorities don’t nearly set right and wrong, however conscious? And that majority decide solely those inquiries to which the rule of vantage is applicable? Should have voters ever for a flash, or within the last degree resign their conscience to the legislator? What has each man a conscience, then? I believe that we should always be men 1st, and subjects later. it’s not fascinating to cultivate a respect for the law, most as for the right”(323) thus is asking why we have a tendency to follow and why one must not ever question a law sip at the bulk of individuals United Nations agency run the govt.. area unit we have a tendency to not people with a minor in acutely aware to grasp right from wrong? the writer believes that ought to be their own individual and not let the govt. management them. each area unit on Dr. King, Jr. Grave the law aforesaid by government oranges and lots of times haven’t ethical code sure as shooting categories of voters. Thoreau conjointly states, that “government is best that governs not in the least and once men area unit ready for it, which will be the type of state that they’re going to have”(322). the writer believes the simplest government is one that doesn’t oppose I am simply lost and lets folks live and suppose for themselves this government what find themselves behaving for and of the folks in the long run.

Both essays specialize in the mutual topics of morality and Justice and use these topics to tell and inspire their audience to, at times, defy the govt. so as to ascertain the required Justice. though the writer and King each correspondingly address these topics of morality and Justice throughout their essays, their essays are unit in no manner similar and writing designs, tones, and or goals. King speaks to his readers concerning the justice that’s being served to African Americans specifically. He uses an emotional charm as he pleads with his readers to take action to finish segregation. This emotional charm combined together with his optimism for Freedom sets him and his writing totally different from that of the writer. Thoreau’s essay, on the other hand, is larger vital to the unfair Yank government. As an example, In their speech ‘The Mass of Men,’ Henry David Thoreau implies that almost all voters (not solely jailers, army members, and alternative teams he names) serve the govt. in one method or another. The word serves suggests a scarcity of freedom, and therefore the word machines suggests a scarcity of management and consciousness. While not conscious, men commit their bodies to unjust service of the State. Even men in the United Nations agency do not take into account themselves slaves—free men—serve the State and are not even aware of it. writer asks readers to think about what freedom and slavery extremely mean. Unlike King, the role Worley speaks to his readers and a distressed, aggravated tone as he reprimands them for following unjust laws. King tries to clarify that justice encompasses a sense of morality by speech, “one has not solely a legal however an ethical responsibility to adjust simply laws. Conversely, one has an ethical responsibility to refuse unjust laws. I might believe St. Saint Augustine that “an unjust law isn’t any law at all”(16). Since King was a minister of the church, he perpetually referred back to the bible to show support for justice and morality, however, there’s no current nonsecular issue. Once staring at justice and morality, it’s straightforward to relate the two as being equally connected, however, they’re not equivalent. Thoreau as it’s all thus totally different from Kings as a result of he presents over one go. Not only will he describe the government’s unfair laws, but he conjointly teaches his readers how and why to revolt and tells them to bring a finish to the continued. During a letter from the Birmingham Jail, Dr. Martin King showed a lot of courage in some ways. the very fact that racism was an enormous part of life that African-Americans had to beat, Dr. King showed a lot of courage was standing up for what he felt and knew was right. Therefore the letter, he declared that there was a call for participation to get rid of related racial signs that were in stores and therefore the merchants were allowed to try to do so. The promise was broken, some size we have a tendency to create and we’re ne’er removed, and shortly once those that were removed place right duplicate. Once the signs were seen Dr. King and his followers began to begin having workshops of non-violence actions. In these workshops repeatedly asked themselves if the decision to settle for the penalization that was near to come back au courant them, and if might they settle for it with no regrets or violent action. The very fact that he stood up for what he believed in and protested what was extraordinarily wrong within the white size shows the ethical courageousness that Dr. King has Dr. King may be an excellent example of ethical courageousness as a result of I lost it back once white eyes was legal we’re utterly undress and he stood up for what he believed in and didn’t abide by the law which is that the definition of ethical courageousness. Ghost they each discuss similar topics of morality and justice underneath the government’s rule. And hope thus sure meat and motivating folks, the road and Kings taking part in however and why these folks ought to take nonviolent actions towards unjust laws. For every other’s favorite examples and sensible analogies, we have a tendency to learn the importance of fighting for justice and maintaining morality. Most significantly, the writer and King argue in favor of direct action not solely to inspire the fight for freedom to the govt., but conjointly to confirm that the people’s God-given rights and rice to individuality are unit preserved for generations.

The most effective was the ‘Letter of Birmingham Jail’ by Martin Luther King along with his concepts towards simple government and Society. As an example, in contrast to King WHO was fighting for equal rights and equality Thoreau was fighting too however he was fighting as a result of attacks were too exacting. Dr. King had a decent reason to be far more effective by illustrating what number of African Americans were treated. Similarly, Thoreau shows different ways that were accorded to however his topic regarding unfair taxes. Till this present day King and Thoreau have you ever evidenced these days society each way that of word is towards the govt. and Society has to be compelled to be.

In conclusion, both writers Henry David Thoreau who originally wrote ‘Civil Disobedience’ and Martin Luther King, Jr. ‘Letter from Birmingham Jail’ made a huge impact in history by giving their opinions on justice for everyone.

In Letter from Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King Jr. states that African American’s have been victims of unsolved bombings in their homes and churches. In this paper it will be discussed and analyzed how African American’s fall victim to the tobacco industry though the targeted marketing and promotion of smoking and menthol cigarettes causing determents to their health. In Letter from Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King Jr. shares that his reasons for being in Birmingham are due to injustices the African American community continues to face. Due to Birmingham’s nature of probably being the most segregated city in the world, Martin Luther King Jr. argues that they have been targets of racial discrimination and hate crimes. He sheds light on the issue of police brutality against African American’s who seek peace as well as the unjust treatment they face in court. Furthermore, African American’s in Birmingham have been unable to feel safe as they have been the victims of bombings in their churches and even their own homes. He believes these bombings go unsolved likely due to race. Even after constantly seeking to negotiate with city officials, no changes or steps towards change were made. (King Jr.) By Martin Luther King Jr. pointing out the issue of African American’s being victims, the question arises: are African American’s still subject to harm by the government or large industries due to underlying feelings of racism?

Currently smoking cigarettes is the number one cause of preventable disease and death and more than 480,000 die from smoking every year in the U.S (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). When looking at race/ethnicities of smokers, the highest rate went to non-Hispanic American Indians/Alaska Natives at 24%, and 14.9% went to non-Hispanic black smokers. When looking at the percentage of the race/ethnicities of smoker’s, black smokers do not even make the top 3 of races/ethnicities who smoke; however, they continually have the highest usage of menthol cigarettes in the US. When looking at the usage of non-menthol cigarettes, 20.1% went to Caucasians and only 6.1% used menthol cigarettes. The black community had close to triple that amount at 19.5% when looking at the use of menthol cigarettes among race/ethnicity, and only 3.8% using non-menthol cigarettes. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) While black people are not even amongst the highest percentage of smokers, they continuously have the highest percentage of the use of menthol cigarettes over any other race/ethnicity and it is something that should be questioned.

Smoking cigarettes with and without menthol provides a different experience for each user. Menthol cigarettes sooth the dry throat feeling and reduce the harshness as well, and while this may seem like a positive, these traits attract younger people as it makes the smoking experience more pleasurable. (National Jewish Health) When the smoking experience is more pleasurable if the partaker wishes to quit it can become an even more difficult task then usual. Using menthol within cigarettes acts as through receptors on sensory nerves, which ultimately makes the partaking individuals more nicotine dependant. The tobacco industry has marketed menthol cigarettes as safer and healthier due to its cooling properties and reduced throat irritability, however, studies have proved that otherwise. An FDA approved clinical trial on cessation treatments was carried out among 1500 US adult smokers. The results show that when menthol was associated to smoking it reduced the likelihood of the cessation of smoking. Furthermore, a meta-analysis of studies from approximately 150,000 smokers show that African American menthol smokers have 12% lower odds of smoking cessation compared to non-menthol smokers. (Food and Drug Administration) These findings allow us to question whether or not the tobacco industry is specifically targeting African American communities when it comes to advertising.

When it comes to tobacco products, it seems as though African American’s have been specifically targeted by the tobacco industry. A study was conducted where African American smokers were given a mobile device for 2 weeks, and they were to respond to questions 4 times a day about their exposure to tobacco ads. In addition, they were to provide the number of times they smoked, if they made any purchases following to seeing any ads, and if their purchases were impulsive. The results of this study show that 33% of the individuals had reported seeing at least one ad every assessment, and out of the ads, 87% of them were for menthol incorporated tobacco products. The study concluded that when the individuals were exposed to more ads, they were more likely to purchase tobacco products and more likely to do so based on impulse. (Robinson, Muench and Brede)

Although these companies reject any form of targeted marketing a 1992 study shows that promotional strategies have been used to sell menthol and non-menthol tobacco to the African American communities making it look more desirable and attractive. The study shows that in San Francisco while 20% of billboards were for tobacco products, 33% of those billboards were placed in low-income black neighbourhoods and were pushing the use of menthol and non-menthol tobacco products. Furthermore, it was shown that black adolescences were more likely to be exposed to this advertising in magazines popular to black youth in comparison to white youth. These were magazines such as Ebony, Essence, and Jet which had 80% readership amongst black youth. (Lee, Cutler and Burns) In addition, more evidence of targetted marketing was found within St. Louis city. Compared to St.Louis County, St. Louis City is relatively poorer than the former and has a larger minority population as well. When looking at tobacco advertising billboards containing menthol ads and not, a study shows that tobacco billboards in the St. Louis city were 1 ½ times higher than the tobacco billboards in the county. (Luke, Esmundo and Bloom)

From the evidence stated it has been shown that targeted marketing has been used when advertising tobacco products to African American’s. In Letter from Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King Jr. believes that African American’s have been targets for misfoutuanate events and some even leading to death. As smoking is one of the leading causes in preventable death and disease, when companies market specifically towards a certain community it can be infered that it is due to underlying feelings and views of racism.

King addressed the term and label of extremism in his writing directly. Initially, he dismissed the idea that he was an extremist; however, later, he redefined that label. Dr. King critically evaluated the two opposing sides, which were the radicals and the complacent (Burrow 17).

As applied to the latter group, he defined them as those “drained of self-respect and a sense of somebodiness” (King 4). He further noted that true extremists were the participants of the different black nationalist groups. He stressed that extremists were promoting violence and racist behavior against the white members of the population. This way, he positioned himself amid black America.

Further in the letter, Dr. King embraced the label and added a positive connotation to it. In particular, he “gained a bit of satisfaction from being considered an extremist” (King 4). He discussed multiple examples of when political or spiritual leaders were considered extremists. For example, he called Jesus Christ an extremist “for love” (King 4). King also mentioned that Thomas Jefferson was considered an extremist for fighting for universal rights.

By providing these examples, Dr. King illustrated that creative extremism was the power capable of accelerating progress. By redefining the label, he was capable of rising above the people criticizing such a worldview.

Importantly, the discussion of the label pushed King to reflect on the term “moderate.” These were the people who were not eager to fight or ignored racial inequality. A moderate “prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice” (King 3). According to King, such people were afraid of any action. This meant that they engaged in deliberate ignorance, which implied racial malice. Therefore, such people were trying to disguise their true motive (Stearns 175). By contrasting the two opposing sides, Dr. King put the reasoning behind each position to the forefront.

Works Cited

Burrow, Rufus, Jr. Extremist for Love: Martin Luther King Jr., Man of Ideas and Nonviolent Social Action. Fortress Press, 2014.

King, Martin Luther, Jr. Letter from Birmingham Jail. 1963. Web.

Stearns, Richard. The Hole in Our Gospel Special Edition: What Does God Expect of Us? The Answer That Changed My Life and Might Just Change the World. W Publishing Group, 2014.

The main topic of the letter is the discussion of the issue of justice and injustice. Dr. King set forth a few examples of fair and unjust laws. The author had a clear definition of the first domain. He wrote: “Any law that uplifts human personality is just” (King 3). In regards to the second concept, he explained that an unjust law is “any law that degrades human personality” (King 3). He was convinced that it was the obligation of any person to fight against injustice. Therefore, a just law was a power that protected people. Meanwhile, an unjust law degraded individuals, and it caused inequality.

Importantly, Dr. King expanded his discussion through the analysis of segregation. The opponents of the activist stressed that segregation was a legal action. Dr. King refuted their claim and noted that “legal” was not the same as “morally right” (King 5). It should be noted that he believed that everyone should disobey injustice. Dr. King also put forward the idea that people were guaranteed specific rights by the constitution. Therefore, the discussion went beyond the moral code of action (Buford 55). Martin Luther King Jr. had a more nuanced position based on legal, moral, and spiritual perspectives.

In the discussion of just and unjust laws, Dr. King touched upon the issue of equality. He explicated that the exclusion of some cultural groups was discriminatory. He wondered: “Can any law set up in such a state be considered democratically structured?” (King 3). He implied that there were discriminatory voting rights in the country (Velasquez 623). He reinforced his discussion of just and unjust laws and protests against injustice through further examples.

There were instances of civil disobedience to law exhibited by the Christians and Socrates. Thus, through these multiple examples, Dr. King vividly explained the difference between just and unjust laws and proved that refusal to obey was a justified act.

Works Cited

Buford, Maurice A. Bold Followership: A Biblical Cure for Organizational Toxicity. Springer, 2018.

King, Martin Luther, Jr. Letter from Birmingham Jail. 1963. Web.

Velasquez, Manuel. Philosophy: A Text with Readings. 13th ed., Cengage Learning, 2015.

Letter from Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King, Jr. is a rational and honest response of the leader of the anti-segregation movement in the 60s to church representatives who criticized the peaceful protest in Birmingham. The letter is very detailed and long, and the author himself notes that it looks like a book (King, p. 10). However, its size is an advantage as King has consistently and convincingly responded to criticism of the activity of his organization. In the beginning, the author explains that a peaceful action in Birmingham was thoughtful and inevitable. The refusal of local authorities to respect the rights of black people, enter into negotiations and fulfill their promises forced opponents of segregation to come on the streets to claim their rights (King, pp. 2-3). The author also talks about the humiliation and injustice towards colored people that force them to act, therefore calling the protest “untimely” is also unfair (King, pp. 3-4). The author also speaks of justice and injustice laws and police brutality towards blacks to show the inequity of the world in which they live.

This letter is an excellent source for studying the events of the struggle against segregation, as well as American society and its attitudes before its abolition. In addition to scientific and historical facts, the letter has many emotional, even, and touching moments that can be used in political speeches today. Consequently, the value of King’s writing for history, politics, social justice, and equality cannot be overestimated.

Rhetorical Analysis

Martin Luther King’s letter is an example of literature that is designed to awaken people’s feelings, show the truth, and inspire society to act. Although formally, the letter was intended as an answer to the clergymen, it had an open form and was published; therefore, it was accessible to a broad audience. For rhetorical analysis, the letter of King has all the elements to achieve the goal of writing it, namely to demonstrate the injustice of segregation and achieve its abolition.

Even though the format of the letter implies a limited audience, its publication allowed it to convey ideas to a wider public. Thus, while reading the letter, it seems that Martin Luther addresses only a few people, his words are intended for all representatives of the authorities and religion, white and people of color who should understand and see the meaning of the struggle against segregation. For this purpose, the author used references to religion and science, routine situations, and impressive facts to explain his ideas and beliefs.

Consequently, King’s letter has arguments and statements that relate to such rhetorical elements as ethos, logos, and pathos. The first element of the ethos is expressed between the lines since the very fact that the author is in prison for participating and organizing a peaceful demonstration shows his personal and unfair experience. The story of the negotiations with the authorities and entrepreneurs of Birmingham, their unrestrained promises, and arrests are vivid and convincing passages showing the author’s personal experience and forcing readers to believe his words (King, p. 2). Consequently, the very personality of King, as well as his stories, are one of the convincing elements of writing.

Moreover, the letter is filled with logical ideas and references to famous religious and scientific works, which emphasize the author’s arguments. For example, King talks about the spread of Christianity, the first representatives of which were also called “outside agitators” and “disturbers of the peace” (p. 8). However, they continued to spread their ideas with faith in God, and Christianity became a world religion. The author also uses convincing arguments in the discussion of justice and injustice laws. King uses the words of St. Augustine, Martin Buber, and St. Thomas Aquinas to emphasize that the laws they violate are unfair and must be eliminated (p. 4). At the same time, the author underlines with Christian patience that he is ready to suffer punishment, which only emphasizes the injustice of society. Thus, these passages, along with many others, demonstrate the rationality and logic of King’s ideas reinforced by his personal experience.

However, despite the logic and rationality of the arguments, passages addressing the feelings of readers also have a significant impact. For example, a touching paragraph is King’s thoughts on the oppression and segregation of black people who are deprived of universal human rights due to unjust laws (pp. 3-4). He talks about the violence and beatings, the humiliation of human dignity by such labels as “nigger” or “boy,” as well as the pain experienced by the children uto nderstand that they cannot have what the white children have (King, pp. 3-4). Such examples are intended to arouse the sympathy and indignation of readers and to explain the cause of the struggle. Another emotional passage is a story about the beating and intimidation of older men and women in prisons, forbiddance of food, and the desire to sing a prayer (King, p. 9). In addition, all expression about religion has an emotional connotation as they appeal to faith and mercy. Therefore, the pathos in the letter of King is central, although arguments and logic are also critical elements.

In conclusion, King’s letter is an example of a work that has all the elements to be convincing and meaningful to society and its history. Personal experience, logical arguments, and emotional aspects of writing show the acts of King and other participants in the anti-racist movement as a rational decision but not a fanatical faith. In addition, in each paragraph, the reader sees the author’s sincerity and confidence in his beliefs, which is aimed at conveying a peaceful but decisive mood and inspires society to change.

References

King, Jr., Martin Luther. Letter from Birmingham Jail [PDF]. 1963.

Introduction

The article is about the injustice meted out on the African Americans in the US before the passing of the Civil Rights law that initiated sweeping civil reforms in the US, guaranteeing equal rights for African American citizens. Written as a letter by Martin Luther King Jr., the text criticises the lack of progress in the elimination of oppressive segregation laws in the American South.

The author further criticizes white Christian leaders in the American South, accusing them of not being vocal enough in condemning the evil inherent in segregation laws. The author accuses these leaders of supporting the status quo by refusing to support the cause of the Americans in their attempt to have these laws changed or repealed.

The letter is addressed specifically to the Southern Christian and Jewish leaders, who had asked the author to stop his non-violent campaigns in Birmingham, for the sake of overall peace in the city. The author, in response, wrote this letter to explain why his campaigns were necessary, and garner their support for similar future campaigns in an attempt to rid the American South of the repressive segregation laws.

Author’s Two Main Concerns

The author addresses two overriding issues in his attempt to convince these Southern religious leaders (and other concerned readers) why the segregation laws were unjust, and why inaction would never result in a change. The author states that, segregation laws were unjust because they deprived African Americans a sense of self; moreover, African Americans had an obligation to fight these unjust laws.

According to the author, the segregation laws made African Americans acquire a sense of inferiority. The author lists the evils that are visited on African Americans because of these laws. African Americans were routinely lynched by mobs, killed by police, referred to in derogatory terms such as “boy”, and denied entry to various social places due to their race (Par. 15).

Such events weighed heavily on the consciences of African Americans, leading them to have a belief that they were inherently inferior to their white counterparts. The second issue that the author addresses is the belief that the fight for change and the repeal of these unjust laws cannot be postponed or delayed.

Since the Southern religious leaders had requested the author to exercise patience in his demand for reforms, the author is adamant that his non-violent push for equal rights for African Americans could not wait for an ideal or opportune time to proceed – justice delayed too him was justice denied (Par. 14).

Critical Response and Analysis

These two concerns by the author are justified. The argument that the segregation laws were inherently unjust, contributed to high poverty rates amongst African Americans, and made African Americans to feel inferior to their white counterparts is plausible. Segregation laws were ratified by most constitutions in Southern States; therefore, such laws, however unjust, acquired a sense of legitimacy amongst the citizens of these states.

Subsequently, most educational, religious, public and private institutions would, out of obedience to state constitutions, pursue policies that entrenched segregation. Due to this almost omniscient presence of segregation laws and policies, the average African American would, in his daily practice, encounter some form of discrimination.

African American children would also easily encounter and perceive discriminative acts against them. Therefore, due to the high prevalence of such discriminative laws, African Americans easily and inevitably acquired a belief that they belonged to an inferior race.

Secondly, the author is justified in being impatient with the pace of reform in the country. The author informs the Southern religious leaders, who had urged him to be patient in his demand for reforms, that had they been the ones to experience the effects of the unjust segregation laws, they would not urge for caution and patience.

According to the author, “freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed” (Luther, 1963, Par. 14). African Americans were right in being impatient with the slow and almost nonexistent pace of reforms in the country, and in the Southern States in particular. The emancipation proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln, which effectively ended slavery in the US, was signed in 1864.

This proclamation was supposed to grant African Americans equal citizenship rights, and was intended to free them from all forms of discrimination previously directed at them. The author writes his text/letter almost 100 years later and yet African Americans are still in some form of bondage wrought by segregation laws.

Clearly, the African American benefited little from leaving the struggle for equality in the hands of his oppressor. African Americans were thus right in engaging in non-violent protest and other forms of civil action to push the concerned leaders to repeal these discriminative laws.

Textual Analysis

The author uses many relevant analogies, quotes, observations and examples to state his purpose and give credence to his argument. The author states his most graphic example of the discriminative, vile and heinous acts experienced by African Americans in paragraph 15.

The author describes the atrocities committed by white mobs and the police on African Americans. He chronicles the acts, beginning with African American mothers and fathers being lynched, African American youth being cursed, kicked and killed by the police, and proceeds to list other such crimes, ending the list with instances of African Americans being referred derogatively as “boy” regardless of age, and African American women not being properly addressed as “Mrs.”

The crux of the author’s argument on why his followers could not afford to be patient in their demand for reform rests on the examples of heinous acts meted on African Americans stated here. The order of these crimes on African Americans as placed by the author almost obscures the deadly crimes such as lynching and extra-judicial deaths.

By ending his numerous examples with comparatively minor acts of African Americans being referred to as “boy”, or the women not being given the title “Mrs.”, the author makes the serious crimes of lynching and extra-judicial killings appear less so.

The progression should have started with these minor acts and ended with the unforgivable, wicked and heinous crimes of lynching, extra-judicial killings and beatings, to make them more prominent, as they would be if they were to appear at the end of the list. Such an arrangement would foreground these serious crimes, and subsequently stir indignation in any reader. It would also explain why waiting for reforms to take place at a slow pace advocated by the Southern religious leaders was not an option – lives were at stake.

Conclusion

The author has convincingly stated his purpose; that of highlighting the unjustness of the segregation law, and the need for a pro-active approach bring about the repeal of these laws. His example on crimes against committed against African Americans, served to highlight the less serious crimes at the expense of crimes such as lynching and murder.

Reference

Luther, M. (1963). Letter from Birmingham Jail. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute. Web.

‘The letter from Birmingham Jail’ was written by king junior during his incarceration in the jail of Birmingham. This showed that despite the fact that he was lonely in the prison, his resolve to fight for the freedom of the black people was still strong. He says that he was in Birmingham because there was injustice.

By saying this, he means that regardless of the discrimination and racial prejudices that prevailed, he was prepared to fight for the freedom of the blacks. His letter was a response to another letter written by the clergy complaining about the demonstrations that were agitating for the freedom of the blacks.

King’s letter has the capacity to evoke patriotic feelings among the readers. He agrees that there are many states in the US but the cohesiveness of the nation as a single unit is vital. The constraint in the letter is that racism does not play any part in a nation that is united and one that focuses on progression.

Racial prejudices and discrimination have the impact of damaging the structure and foundation associated with the greatness of the US. He says that the oppressors do not give freedom voluntarily unless the oppressed fight for it. With reference to history, people in authority find it difficult to give up their positions and in most cases, they are corrupted by the power they yield. This leads to dictatorship that limits the freedom of people greatly.

King’s main issue in his letter is racial discrimination and the injustices that the black people are exposed to. He is concerned about the interrelatedness of all communities because according to him, injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere. As a result, he is fighting for the emancipation of the black population and other colored people in the United States.

He claims that since the clergy is not willing to listen to them and give them their rights, they have to show the importance of the matter by holding non-violent demonstrations. He says that there are just and unjust laws and tries to distinguish between the two. He does this in a bid to ensure that there are no laws that perpetuate racial discrimination.

With regard to the letter from the clergy, the main issue is the demonstrations being held by the oppressed who support King. They claim that the activities being spearheaded by king are untimely and unwise. In their letter, they strongly argue against the demonstrations taking place.

They say that the habit of holding demonstrations is not the right way to address the issues the blacks want to be addressed. According to them, the action taken by king and his associates is untimely. This is basically because they have not given the new administration of the city enough time to act. Instead, they have resorted to extreme actions. Although the demonstrations are non-violent, the clergy is of the view that they will eventually precipitate violence hence they should be stopped.

The claim by the clergy that the demonstrations will trigger violence although they are peaceful is a fallacy. According to them, the end result of the demonstrations will be violence. King uses rebuttal to convince them that non-violent demonstrations cannot lead to violence. He tells them that this is not a logical assertion and uses analogies. For instance, he says that it is similar to condemning a person who has been robbed because the fact that he had money caused the robbery.

In King’s letter, the support comes from the associates and the oppressed people who feel that they should not continue to live in oppression. After so many years of suffering, the black people have come out in support of king by saying that they must be granted their freedom.

The oppressor does not give freedom willingly unless it is demanded by the oppressed. The warrant in the letter is that the teachings of Christ manifest themselves slowly. King uses biblical allusions as a form of backing in his letter. He refers to biblical characters that were determined to leave their home villages in order to liberate their people. He likens himself to them and says that he will leave his hometown to ensure that all people are free.

The letter from the clergy has its support in the argument that the actions of King and his associates are wrong and should not take place. They support their argument by saying that the actions are untimely and unwise because the new administration should have been given some time to take action.

There warrants and backing is based on the law. They use the law to shield themselves and prevent the demonstrations from taking place. According to them, the law prohibits such demonstrations hence they are able to take action against demonstrators on its basis.

One unethical quality that is evident in the letter by the clergy is that it tries to silence the demonstrators not because there is a good reason to do it, but simply because there is racial discrimination. The act of preventing them from demonstrating is aimed at ensuring that they never get their rights. It is unethical for human beings to deny their fellow human beings their rights.

The second unethical issue in the letter written by the clergy is that it is morally wrong for the church to be an instrument of oppression. On the contrary, churches are expected to be on the forefront in fighting for the rights of all people and ensuring that justice prevails everywhere. Their act of trying to oppress people is therefore unethical.

In kings’ letter, one of the unethical issues is his constant blame on the church. He argues that he was raised in the church and he is still a minister of the gospel. It is unethical that he has identified many flaws in the church yet he has been part of the church and has never taken any action to correct the ills that are prevalent in the same church.

The second unethical issue that is evident in the letter is that King compares himself with biblical characters. Although he is very determined to fight for his cause, he might not be able to do what the biblical characters did or march their achievements.

It is factual that there is injustice which emanates from racial discrimination and that is why King is in jail. Since the clergy does not want to listen to the issues of the blacks and give them their rights, the only option is to fight for their freedom. King’s letter is effective because it highlights the concerns of the black people and points out where the clergy has gone wrong.

It is more effective than the one written by the clergy in that it gives facts and highlights the things that the clergy should have considered before raising there issues. While King’s letter is elaborate, the one written by the clergy is sketchy and does not give convincing reasons for its arguments.

In April 1963, Black demonstrations were held in Birmingham under the leadership of Martin Luther King. Eight clergymen, representatives of different religions, published an open letter to King asking him to stop the demonstrations. In their message, they advocated compliance with the court’s decisions on racial issues, criticized visitors for organizing protests and approved of the “calm actions” of the police and authorities during them. Luther refused to stop peaceful demonstrations and was imprisoned, where he wrote his answer to the priests.

The letter, addressed to King’s followers, contains a call for continuing the movement against racial segregation. As a deeply religious person who served in the church’s name and religion, Martin became very disappointed in its preachers, which he notes in the letter. In it, he also demands corrective and distributive justice concerning the black population. The thoughts expressed on this occasion by the activist are directly related to the problem of justice and the problem of civil rights of blacks and their respect. Martin Luther calls for the application of the rights and freedoms of Negroes. In his opinion, this should be done by resolving civil and criminal cases by a particular State authority court according to the rules provided for by these rights. Such legal solutions would contribute to the establishment of the type of justice that representatives of procedural liberalism dream of. King also notes how far America is removed from the ideal of an equal opportunity society.

In his Letter from Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King, a fighter for the rights of African Americans, repeats the idea of freedom and equality for US citizens. It once again makes people remember what the founding fathers talked about.

Several elements in King’s letter from Birmingham Jail and Lincoln’s second inaugural address connect the two historical figures, although other distinct features separate them. It is essential to reflect on these works in the light of other contributions, such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions. Owing to the historic social implications these works had in America, reflecting on the connectors, disparities, and the most outstanding aspects of Lincoln’s and King’s works is imperative to understanding their unique quests for social reform to narrow the divide among Americans.

There are constant Biblical references and references to God in both King’s and Lincoln’s works. “Yet if God wills that it continues until all the wealth piled…” is among the many instances Lincoln mentioned God in his speech, and is an indication that he recognizes God’s hand in the happenings of his time (“Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address”, n.d., par. 5). King is also cognizant of God’s influence in the events of his era in several instances, one in which he expresses gratitude to God that nonviolent ways had become an integral part of the struggle for equality (“Letter from Birmingham Jail”, n.d., par. 22). The ability of these figures to incorporate their faith in their works is a key connecting element between King and Lincoln.

Another point of convergence between King’s letter and Lincoln’s speech is that they directly and strongly spoke against racial segregation. For instance, King states that injustice anywhere threatens justice everywhere, presenting the sociopolitical structures of his time as discriminatory (“Letter from Birmingham Jail”, n.d, par. 4).

Matching King’s sentiments, Lincoln also spoke of racial inequality, “It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God’s assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men’s faces,” revealing the oppressive nature of the system and practices in America during his time (“Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address”, n.d., par 4) Thus, Lincoln’s and King’s works present racial inequality as a critical social issue in their respective eras, portraying the happenings of their time as oppressive and discriminative.

Lincoln’s second inaugural address and King’s letter from Birmingham are similar in their advocacy for social change. King pushes for the need for direct action, claiming that “Human progress comes through the tireless efforts of men willing to be co-workers with God” (“Letter from Birmingham Jail”, n.d., par. 21). In this regard, Lincoln spoke on the need for action, on the need to bind the nation’s wounds, urging others to see and do what is right (“Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address”, n.d., par. 6). Thus, both of these figures were calling Americans to action, persuading Americans to join in their respective causes and stand against the ongoing racial prejudice.

Despite these shared aspects, one key element separating King’s from Lincoln’s message relates to direct action. Lincoln was careful not to invite the public to actionable approaches such as boycotts. Instead, his was a persuasive approach, urging Americans to desist from the segregation of people of color. On the other hand, King called for protests against the oppression of people of color, asserting that the people of color needed to stand up against racial segregation, “Let him march; let him make prayer pilgrimages to the city hall; let him go on freedom rides -and try to understand why he must do so” (“Letter from Birmingham Jail”, n.d., par. 23). The quest for equality drove both figures, but their variant approaches to this cause make them distinct.

The most notable aspect of King’s and Lincoln’s work is their desire for social reform. They purposed to bring to light the principal issues plaguing the nation during their respective eras fearlessly. They declared that the time for change had come, and they called for others to join in the cause to address and solve the social challenges of their time. In the absence of these efforts, perhaps it could have taken a substantially longer time to make the progress that has been made so far in regard to racial equality.

In light of Stanton’s Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions, the social issue of inequality, as addressed in King’s and Lincoln’s works, appears to be deeply rooted in America’s system. Stanton brings the discrimination of women by the patriarchal society, “The history of mankind is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations on the part of man toward woman,” despite them being primary constituents of that same social structure (“Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions”, n.d., par. 18).

The Letter from Birmingham held a similar sentiment, noting, “There are some counties in which, even though Negroes constitute a majority of the population, not a single Negro is registered” (“Letter from Birmingham Jail”, n.d., par. 15). Lincoln also challenged the existing system of his time, questioning the morality of those who sought to “wring the sweat” off of others’ faces for their own benefit. Stanton’s message adds to the perspective of King’s and Lincoln’s works; that inequality is deeply rooted in America’s history.

In conclusion, King’s letter and Lincoln’s inauguration letter possess multiple interconnecting components, although some distinct aspects separate Lincoln’s address from King’s letter. They both took advantage of their positions in society and their outstanding public speaking competence to persuasively address issues of concern during their respective times. King and Lincoln spoke on racial oppression and segregation from religious and moral standpoints and advocated for action to effect the much-needed change. The overwhelming messages from King’s letter and Lincoln’s address helped America transform into a nation still learning to appreciate rather than despise differences.

References

Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address. (n.d). Battlefields. Web.

Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions. (n.d). Bowdoin. Web.

Letter from Birmingham Jail. (n.d). Csuchico. Web.

Introduction

Martin Luther King can aptly be regarded as the true lover of mankind, who dedicated himself for his fellow beings. He devoted most part of his life for the well being of the black Americans. He appeared wherever he found injustice, protest, injustice and action. His welfare activities and writings for his race won him great acclaim, and his “Letter from Birmingham Jail” is an important written document of the civil rights protest era and a widely read modern literary classic. His historical speech, “I Have a Dream” was conferred for thousands of blacks in America.

Main Body

Dr. Martin Luther King Junior’s greatest speech, “I Have a Dream” and his widely discussed letter, “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, are the true pictures of his age and they portray the pathetic state of the black Americans under the whites. This paper attempts a comparative study of Dr. King’s great speech, “I Have a Dream” and his “Letter from Birmingham Jail” and tries to find out what is common between them. Dr. King expresses the dreadful impact of racial discrimination. The social convictions, the laws, and even the law courts were against the blacks.

Dr. King begins his speech “I Have a Dream” providing the allusion to the time when the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. Dr King’s words reveal his beliefs in social justice and each line of his speech gives a serious picture about the social crisis. The purpose of his speech was to give freedom to the slaves and make all men equal. Through this speech, he reveals the dreadful plight of black people in America. Dr. King mentions that the black people have led a submissive life under the white dominated society. Dr. King points out that all rights and laws are insufficient for the black men and women. Dr. King says that even after 100 years, the black Americans live under isolation and segregation.

Dr. King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” is also a fine piece of literature that expresses his worries about the church, especially about the white clergymen who had a negative attitude against the black men in America. The disbelief of the white clergy and their discouraging attitude of religious and civil rights movement etc had a deep impact on King, and he wrote the letter to the priests regarding their irresponsible attitude in various other fields. As the president of southern Christian Leadership Conference, he could associate with other programs for the welfare activities for the blacks in America.

At the very beginning of the ”Letter from Birmingham Jail” itself, he tries to oppose the arguments raised against him by the white clergymen. He gives them a reply to their question why he is there in Birmingham. He says, “I am in Birmingham because injustice is here” and he continues to say, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”. His views regarding the demonstrations are noteworthy. He is of the view that almost all the demonstrations taking place in Birmingham are futile in the case of the black Americans and it is the most segregated city in the United States. Negroes faced discrimination from all part of the society; even the courts did not show them any benevolence. Continuous bombings of Negro homes and churches in Birmingham turned them against the city leaders.

Dr. King never believes in violence. According to him non-violence is the best weapon for disobedience. He mentions the name of Mahatma Gandhi and his guidance in Indian independence struggle. King uses a stylistic language having poetic improvisation. In the first half of his speech King expresses the furious American nightmare of injustice and inequality. King tries to lead us into an imaginary world, where all men live in harmony.

In the second half of the speech, “I Have a Dream”, Martin Luther King shares his prospect of a better future with racial harmony. Dr. King uses the phrase ‘I have a dream’ several times in his speech. It may be a landmark on King’s inspirational concepts. This phrase is the core of speech by which he captured the minds of the people. King’s phrase “I have a dream “is like a rhetoric, which is used to enhance the soul.

King’s speech is marvelous both technically and ideologically. King’s speech is widely acceptable as an effective use of examples. King uses a number of metaphors in his speech. Through these metaphors, Dr. King enters to the soul of the speech. These metaphors form clear images that are connecting to certain emotions. For instance, Dr. King uses the metaphor ‘sweltering heat’ to express injustice. Injustice is uncomfortable and painful. Alexandra Alvarez rightly comments that the whole speech itself is metaphorical in nature and it reveals the political crises in America. He makes it clear when he says: “The speech event itself is metaphorical in nature, signaling political protest.” (Alvarez, 337-357).

The metaphors that King used absolutely increase the effectiveness of his speech

Many metaphors have been used in his “Letter from the Birmingham Jail” also. He uses it effectively while speaking about the religious support in the struggle for freedom. He feels that people loose their true belief in religion and he makes it clear when he says that they lost the ”spiritual salt that has preserved the true meaning of the gospel.” (King, p.8).

In his “Letter from the Birmingham Jail”, Dr. King uses obscure allusions from the Bible, as he has been writing to the eight educated clergymen. The purpose of using allusions in his works was to make clear his words and actions to his audience. In his speeches, he had to satisfy different kinds of people from different backgrounds and with different levels of education. In most of his speeches and writings, he often quoted allusions from the constitution and patriotic songs, which are easily understandable to the audience. These allusions were helpful in rousing the patriotism and equality in the minds of the people.

Many allusions can be identified in his speech, “I Have a Dream”. He uses a large number of Biblical allusions. When he speaks about the injustice shown by the whites against the blacks, he aptly quotes ”No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.” (King).

Here King uses the allusions from Bible – Amos 5:24 “But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.”(Dr. King; “I Have a Dream.”). Along with the Biblical allusions, Dr. King has also uses some allusions from Shakespearian plays. King also uses ethos, a persuasive mode of speaking in his speech. King increases the beauty of his speech by using pathos or the appeal to emotions, which capture the mind of the audience.

Imagery is another literary device commonly found in Dr. King’s writings and in speeches. He used it also for the comprehension of his audience and readers. Images and togetherness are the two themes found in his speeches. He has also used images from the current social situations; imagery of a group of tired travelers; etc to create picture in the minds of the audience. However, he does not use much imagery in his letter because, here his readers are well educated and much imagery is unnecessary to satisfy their comprehension. Nevertheless, the imageries he used in his letter are powerful and thought provoking. It is clear when he portrays the real state of the black men of America who “still creep at horse-and-buggy pace towards gaining a cup of coffee at a lunch counter.” (King, p.3). The pathetic state of the country with a snail pace was exhibited through this imagery.

Along with the literary devices generally used in his speeches and writings, literary devices like similes, parallel nouns, use of contrastive ideas, parallel clauses, parallelism, that is, the repetition of the same words in different contexts, etc can be identified in Dr. King’s writings.

His speech, “I Have a Dream” is to an extent rhetorical. Here, in his speech he could wisely use the power of repetition, such as the phrase ‘I have a dream’ which had a tremendous effect on the listeners. There are many common factors in the speech and the letter. Both discuss the problems concerned with the blacks in America. However, the letter is not for the public like the speech and its content is fully personal, as it was specially written to the eight clergymen. In his speech, he could emphasize the facts. Both the letter and speech could reveal Dr. King’s unending thirst for equality. As a black man, he had realized the bitter realities of life with the whites, and he never allowed any kind of partiality between the blacks and the whites. He strongly believes that the present condition will change one day or the other. He dreams “one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.” (Dr. King- “I Have a Dream”). His hopes of a better future have been expressed through his lines, quoted from the Bible.

Conclusion

To conclude, we can infer that Dr. King’s speech, “I Have a Dream” and his ““Letter from the Birmingham Jail” were aimed at the welfare of the blacks in America and in their social and moral well being. As a true humanitarian, in his life time he could never shut his eyes against the social injustice and violence, which finally took off his life.

Works Cited

Alvarez, Alexandra. Journal of Black Studies: Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream”. Sage Journals Online. 18.3. 1988. 2008. Web.

Alvarez, Alexandra. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream”. Journal of Black Studies. 18.3. 1998. 2008. Web.

King, Martin Luther Jr. I Have a Dream. American Rhetoric: Top 100 Speeches. 1963. 2008. Web.

King, Martin Luther Jr. Letter From Birmingham Jail. The Estate of Martin Luther King, Jr. 1963. 2008. Web.