Category: Martin Luther King

In Martin Luther King Jr’s essay entitled “ The Ways of Meeting Oppression” the Social Activist who led the civil rights movement during the 1960s. The author defines that no individual or group need to admit to any wrong, or need anyone to resort to violence in order to right a wrong. He supports his claim by presenting three real life ways of encountering oppression. Which are acquicenscies, violence and non violent resistance. He proceeds to show the advantages and disadvantages of each method has from dealing with oppression. Finally, he argues that non-violent resistance is not aimed against oppressors but against the oppression. King employs a comparison and contrast strategy to categorize the reader’s ethos with advanced vocabulary and grammar. King brings worth a philosophical tone to inform the reader-get an idea that nonviolent resistance is more beneficial than the other two extreme ways of meeting oppression.

The author organises his writing by characterizing acquiescence as one of the forms of dealing with oppression. Through his essay, King examines how people easily surrender to oppression and become used to it as a living. Creating an atmosphere where oppressed people learn to live with acquiescence and never really understand what justice is. “ Religion reminds every man that he is his brother’s keeper. To accept injustice or segragation passively is to say to the oppressor that his actions are morally right.” (King 426). As a result, King believes that this encourages oppressors to keep doing the same thing and never stop. King take this into consideration that it is not the best way to meet oppression. In addition, he attacks the people who uses this method. “ To accept passively an unjust system is to cooperate with that system; thereby the oppressed become as evil as the oppressor.” (King 426).

Secondly the author points out violence, as another method of dealing with oppression that King strongly disagree with. The author portrays that people who resort things with violence influences evil and hatred in society. He explains how violence only creates permanent results. However, at some times it might look like the best way to solve problems but he believes that no one should ever downgrade themselves to that level of little understanding and standard. As King, refers that violence creates more problems than solving them by saying “ Violence is immoral because it thrives on hatred rather than love.” (King 427). He strongly argues that violence is not the key word or the solution to any problem, but introduces love as an option to solve world problems. The author trusts that everything someone has in this world like family, friends, and material goods can be taken away by all means just because of violence. King strongly includes his thoughts, and views on how violence leave societies in war rather than peace.

On King’s last method of meeting oppression is nonviolent resistance. He deems that violence ends by defeating itself. He refers to this form as the best method to deal with oppression. “The principle of nonviolent resistance seeks to reconcile the truths of two opposites-acquiescence and violence.” (King 427). He acknowledges that people who use nonviolence as an answer to oppression take in the characteristics of both acquiescence and violence methods. “Nonviolent register agrees with the person who acquiesces that one should not be physically aggressive towards his opponent; but he balances the equation by agreeing with the person of violence that evil must be resisted”(427). As stated before King once again analyzes that nonviolent resistance should not be submitted to any wrong, nor need to resort to violence in order to right a wrong.

Martin Luther King Jr’s views on the three methods of meeting oppression made it relatively true and convincing. “The Ways of Meeting Oppression” made readers realize that he was truthful with all the evidence he supported including his ethos being the most effective out of all. King left his readers with a belief in something bigger than any human. That nonviolence can be the answer to many problems that occurs in this world. As a result, it awakens many people to use nonviolent resistance. On the other hand, others choose to use the violence and acquiescence as a way of dealing with oppression, but King for a fact captures this powerful message of showing respect and freedom to the oppressor.

Silence is the absence of speech, yet simultaneously silence can express beyond words. The texts “One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest” by Ken Kesey and Martin Luther King’s discourse, “Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence,” was published in 1962 and 1967 respectively. This society is seen as growing towards the understanding and the philosophy of freedom and equality.

Both of the texts explore the underlying nuances of silence and its range of implications. The appearance and facets of silence take numerous manifestations. From the texts, it can be interpreted as a catalyst in driving the oppression, and in Kesey’s novel it is depicted as the ultimate psychological escape mechanism, and to an extent, it is considered a betrayal in both texts. This is depicted through the use of repetition, imagery, characterization, and diction.

In “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”, Kesey develops the theme of silence and oppression through characterization (particularly the behavior of the characters) and effective use of imagery. The author uses these literary techniques to criticize oppressive regimes and conformist views. The Combine depicted by Nurse Ratchet “forces [the inmates] one way or the other, into doing what [she thinks them] should do.”

As a result of this, the lack of voice within certain characters expressed through this oppression has various figurative implications. This is most apparent in Chief Bromden, the superficial layer of his outward character is perceived as a chronic incapable of reaction or response to the oppression around him, becoming almost invisible to Nurse Ratchet and the orderlies.

In literal terms, he remains a mute spectator and a witness to the persecution, whilst simultaneously being persecuted. But the origin of his silence was the day the white officials came to retrieve a portion of the land and failed to recognize Bromden talking, as a matter of fact, “they [looked] like [they did not] hear [him] talk at all.”

This is significant in depicting the racial discrimination and oppression experienced by Bromden, leading to the development of his disassociation with communication, as a measure to save himself through confinement. It worsened further under Nurse Ratchet’s dictatorship in the Asylum, where Bromden was trained to remain silent and forced to accept the way circumstances were.

Another instance where oppression led to silence was Billy Bibbit’s suicide, this can be perceived as the ultimate form of silence. His demise was the result of Nurse Ratchet’s threat, he had no chance to ignore but look “straight ahead at her face, like there was a spiraling light, a hypnotizing swirl”. This imagery alludes to the controlling nature of Nurse Ratchet’s “mechanical power”.

Moreover, hypnotism is also associated with psychological control and prompting the desired response, which in this case was suicide. Ultimately Billy’s death could be seen as a catalyst to propagate silence in other inmates and induce fear, which is deciphered as a perpetual dynamic of silence, as a means to be reminiscent with the inmates. This is not only a continuous reminder of the consequences of dismissing the legal obligations of conformity but also a reiteration of the authority the Combine holds.

This can be paralleled to Martin Luther King’s speech where the Vietnamese and the victims of America, predominantly the black Americans, were under the jurisdiction of segregation, oppression, and violence. Through the use of effective diction and anaphora, Martin Luther King establishes that silence is the consequence of oppression and nullification.

King further states that rules and policies governed by despotic regimes and manipulative authorities are bound to lead to political ramifications, social distress, and the uttermost silence amongst the oppressed. King commences by stating that those who are “[victimized]” by those “who shout war” are “voiceless”, it creates a dichotomy, a malfunction in the system by which the “voiceless” suffer.

(This highlights the distinction between the oppressed and the oppressors.) This further accentuates the idea of division and incoherence, the separation from “brotherhood”. Moreover, the silence demonstrated by the victims renders them passive and inferior. This is evident through the use of anaphora and the adjacent words trailing the phrases; for instance, “they languish…they watch…they must weep…they wonder…they see”.

The singular verbs “watch”, “weep”, “wonder”, “languish” and “see” speaks volumes of the remote and passive response in which silence looms within the mouths of the victims. These words which are particularly selected for emotive purposes contain a negative connotation of fear and hopelessness to enhance the idea of silence as a measure of marginalization.

Moreover, the distinction between the victims and the persecutors is evident through the speech structure, as depicted by the adjacent paragraphs which uphold contrasting illustrations of the oppressor versus the oppressed. Moreover, it creates a binary dichotomy between the ‘voiceless’ victims and the corrupted so-called ‘liberators’.

This distinction is further emphasized through diction, for instance, the phrases those who “shout war” and the ‘voiceless ones’ employ the words ‘shout’ and ‘voiceless’. These would be classified as opposite sides of the spectrum and their differences depict that of the victims and the oppressors.

Another aspect of silence is illustrated as a betrayal, which finds resonance both in ‘One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ and ‘Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence.’ In this context, silence is associated with ignorance and is represented through a lack of verbal support; the indifference to the sufferings of those who are persecuted by the procrustean society.

This is most evident when McMurphy purposefully failed to respond to Chewick’s question concerning the petition for cigarettes. He hoped he would ‘ back him up’ but ‘all he got was silence.’ This strongly suggests that silence is betrayal, which would ultimately become the cause of Cheswick’s suicide.

Paralleling this to Martin Luther’s speech, King explicitly states that ‘[one must] break the betrayal of his [own] silence’, which King did as to be the ‘voice for the voiceless’. Not only did King say this to assert his proposition, but to force the attendees to question and judge themselves concerning this matter.

King further uses personification to illustrate the potential consequence of betrayal, which he states as ‘America’s soul [becoming] totally poisoned’ and ‘the part of the autopsy [reading] Vietnam.’ He later convicts the observers who see this international affair and continues by stating ‘it is that those of us who are yet determined that America will be led down the path of protest and dissent.’, creating an accusatory tone and thus crafting the idea of betrayal, in their silence.

Another facet of Kesey’s novel portrays silence as a liberating force from the cultural assimilations and the substantial weight of society. To be able to speak shows one possesses the ability to articulate ideas, perceive and verbally transfer their understandings and interpretations of the world they live in, and in doing so, one is liable to the criticisms and the consequences of the weight of their words.

Another perspective on Bromden’s silence is that it was the ultimate mechanism to dissociate from societal expectations and responsibility. Without syntax or composition, “a room all white walls and white basins”, no smear of color, creativity, or understanding is expressed, Bromden’s blank silence has no content to be judged, nor of any suspicion to hold against.

The silence is a vacuum that annihilates all sense of oppression by which one could simply dismiss reality and fall into the “fog”. In the fog, Bromden loses himself “when nothing else is happening” and when silence rules over time “[he] usually gets the fog… to contend with.” This metaphor depicts Bromden’s feeling of safety in solitude and isolation when words do not dictate nor rule his position in the Asylum (a microcosm of society itself).

Simultaneously, Bromden’s lack of voice allows him to access information and sneak into the ‘hospital secrets’ which other inmates could not do. In ‘acting deaf’ he has freedom in other aspects, which is ultimately a self-sustaining retaliation from the oppression.

To summarize, both the texts, ‘One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ and Martin Luther King’s speech resonates as a criticism of the society’s oppressive regime through the theme of silence. Although Kesey effectively portrayed silence as the ultimate weapon to fight oppression through an extensive metaphor; both Ken Kesey and Martin Luther King expanded upon the various facets of silence and the implications regarding the oppressed and the oppressor.

Which was depicted through the use of metalanguages such as repetition, speech structure, and characterization. Finally, from the latter analysis of the text, it can thus be concluded that silence speaks volumes of a repressive and oppressive society.

Thank you for listening. But before I conclude please allow me to put forth a thought-provoking philosophy and leave you with a question. Certainly, these pieces of literature were developed based on reality and our reality is developed through our understanding and the meaning we bring to the individual words and conversations that we form.

If so, we all have slightly various interpretations of art, literature, music, and words. Thus, to what extent are we liable to conform to a particular perspective if everyone is different and unique? And to what extent do other viewpoints mold and shape our choices and our character? And when does a man become the product of society and all he is and will be in silence? Thank you.

My CFC paper is about Martin Luther King Jr. and how he changed the world for people. Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta Georgia, the second child of Martin Luther King a pastor, and Alberta Williams King, a former schoolteacher, along with his older sister Christine and younger brother Alfred Daniel Williams. Martin Luther King Jr grew up as a middle child his father was the minister of Ebenezer Baptist church the same church Martin Luther King Sr believed Martin Luther King Jr would take over but at the age of 15 in 1944, he entered Morehouse College in Atlanta under a special wartime program later after Martin Luther King Jr studied medicine and law but these were eclipsed in his senior year by a decision to enter the ministry, as his father urged. but soon after Martin Luther King Jr graduated from Morehouse in 1948. Martin Luther King Jr. was considered lucky mainly for his success in graduating from college at the age of 15 which it is considered rare for an African American to do in those times.

While in Boston, King met Coretta Scott, a native Alabamian who was studying at the New England Conservatory of Music. They were married in 1953 and had four children. King decided to contest racial segregation on that city’s public bus system following the incident on December 1, 1955, in which Rosa Parks, an African American woman, had refused to surrender her bus seat to a white passenger and as a consequence was arrested for violating the city’s segregation law. The boycott transit system had chosen King as their leader. He had the advantage of being a young, well-trained man who was too new in town to have made enemies but he was generally respected, and it was thought that his family connections and professional standing would enable him to find another pastorate should the boycott fail. In his first speech to the group as its president, King declared to have a protest and this is what he said “We have sometimes given our white brothers the feeling that we liked the way we were being treated. But we come here tonight to be saved from that patience that makes us patient with anything less than freedom and justice.” He knew that his family’s safety was threatened, and he continued to lead the boycott until, one year and a few weeks later, the city’s buses were desegregated.

King lectured in all parts of the country and discussed race-related issues with religious and civil rights leaders at home and abroad. In February 1959 he and his party were warmly received by India’s Prime Minister. In this post he devoted most of his time to the SCLC and the civil rights movement, declaring that the “psychological moment has come when a concentrated drive against injustice can bring great, tangible gains. In late October he was arrested with 33 young people protesting segregation at the lunch counter in an Atlanta department store. Charges were dropped, but King was sentenced to Reidsville State Prison Farm on the pretext that he had violated his probation on a minor traffic offense committed several months earlier. In Birmingham, Alabama, in the spring of 1963, King’s campaign to end segregation at lunch counters and in hiring practices drew nationwide attention when police turned dogs and fire hoses on the demonstrators. King was jailed along with large numbers of his supporters, including hundreds of schoolchildren. Near the end of the Birmingham campaign, in an effort to draw together the multiple forces for peaceful change and to dramatize to the country and to the world the importance of solving the U.S. racial problem, King joined other civil rights leaders in organizing the historic March on Washington. On August 28, 1963, an interracial assembly of more than 200,000 gathered peaceably in the shadow of the Lincoln Memorial to demand equal justice for all citizens under the law.

In the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, authorizing the federal government to enforce desegregation of public accommodations and outlawing discrimination in publicly owned facilities, as well as in employment Soaking did it but he was not done he did so many things to help people. King’s plans for a Poor People’s March to Washington were interrupted in the spring of 1968 by a trip to Memphis, Tennessee, in support of a strike by that city’s sanitation workers. King seemed to sense his end was near. But he did and cared, he kept helping people and before he died he told his people “I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight that we, as a people, will get to the promised land.” and those were his last words he told his people. The next day while King was standing on the second-story balcony of the Lorraine Motel where he and his associates were staying, King was killed by a sniper bullet. And that day in front of all his people he was murdered and in history he will stay as a hero and well-respected person that no one will ever forget because he stood up for all the rain that were not treated equally and the poor, without him it wouldn’t be the same now and we all owe him our respect and honor.

Christianity has remained one of the strongest and well-known religions for ages dating back to Jesus’s birth. Christianity is the religion established on Jesus Christ the person, his teachings and story. Numerous people partake in and follow Christianity, however there have been individuals who lived their whole lives faithfully and expressed their religions values and beliefs through Christ like actions. St (Mother) Teresa of Calcutta, St Oscar Romero and Martin Luther King Jr. All offered their lives to Christianity through bravery and selflessness. St Teresa offered her life through her participation and founding of charity and missionaries. St Oscar Romero served as an archbishop and fought for poverty and social injustice. As well as Martin Luther King Jr. who was a Baptist minister who stood up for social rights. All three of these people followed Jesus’s teachings and beliefs that Christianity has taught them. Martin Luther King Jr. offered his life to Christianity.

Martin Luther King Jr. grew up in a Christian household with both his grandfather and father being pastors. He additionally followed in his family’s footsteps by becoming a pastor himself. While aiding with the church, King worked towards civil rights for African American’s. “Always a strong worker for civil rights for members of his race, King was, by this time, a member of the executive committee of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the leading organization of its kind in the nation” (Nobel Peace Prize). King went on to do numerous things for not only the colored community but for any victims who were subject to economic disadvantages and injustice (History.com) One of his peaceful protests was in 1995 the bus boycott. Which ended in African American and Caucasian people having equal rights to ride transportation. This protest took lots of bravery from King, him and his family were threatened, their house was bombed, and he was arrested and subject to personal abuse. However, that did not stop King, he was then elected president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1957, it was a group made to provide new leadership for the civil rights movement (Nobel Peace Prize). He used ideas from religious leaders all over the world like Gandhi, for the teachings in this group. He led numerous protests in Birmingham and Alabama which set the world on fire to know who that man was and what he was standing up for. “He planned the drives in Alabama for the registration of Negroes as voters; he directed the peaceful march on Washington, D.C., of 250,000 people to whom he delivered his address, ‘l Have a Dream’, he conferred with President John F. Kennedy and campaigned for President Lyndon B. Johnson” (Nobel Peace Prize). Martin King Jr. was not one to give up, he was assaulted up to four times and arrested as many as twenty-five times. King knew he had to use the courage he was given from God to help people who suffered from injustice. Martin King Jr. offered his life to Christianity through his use of bravery and courage, he spoke up for the people who couldn’t and changed the world.

St Teresa or most commonly known as Mother Teresa, was one of the most incredible people to walk the earth. Her goal growing up was to serve God and be selfless, which lead her to missionary work. She left her childhood home at the age of 18 in 1928 to join the institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, known as the Sisters of Loreto, in Ireland (Biography.com.) Mother Teresa later changed her name after one of the most influential saints. “It was there she took the name Sister Mary Teresa after Saint Thérèse of Lisieux” (Carter). Although St Teresa did not end there, about a year later she went to India to teach at the Catholic school for girls. She taught the girls insight on how Jesus lived and how he died for us to live and carry on his legacy. Furthermore in 1946 Mother Teresa received a ‘call within a call’ (Carter). She recalled that Jesus told her, and expressed that she takes the leap and discontinue teaching in India. He advised that she open a place in Calcutta where she and others can care for the sickest and poorest of the country. Mother Teresa expresses selflessness and offers her life to Christianity by devoting her time to missionary work.

St. Oscar Romero was a hero to us all. Romero grew up in a poor family in the 1920s he had five brothers and sisters and slept on the floor of his family home every night. He went to a local school, and grew up to become a priest. Ordained at twenty-five in 1947, Romero served as a pastor to the parish of San Miguel, El Salvador (Kurtz). In 1970, St. Oscar Romero became Auxiliary Bishop in San Salvador. In 1974 he became Bishop of Santiago de Maria. As Bishop Romero started to see and experience the hate that was occurring in El Salvador. He found out that children were becoming sick and dying due to the fact that their parents could not afford the medicine to aid the children. Romero then put his own needs aside to help these children, he used money from the diocese and his own pocket, but he knew it wasn’t enough, so he started to speak out (Keen). “In 1977, Romero became Archbishop of San Salvador, the capital city. The situation in El Salvador was becoming worse and he couldn’t remain silent any longer” (Keen). The military were killing people in El Salvador, especially those demanding justice such as teachers, nuns and priests. Lots of people began to disappear and Romero demanded that the President of El Salvador investigate the killings, but he failed to do so. Romero could only think about the people suffering in his country, and he couldn’t let it keep happening. 1979 he visited the Vatican to make this public to the whole world. He gave the Pope detailed reports of the murders and kidnappings in El Salvador. When the killing and kidnappings rose, he was conflicted. Romero could only pray and help these people by telling teaching them about God. Not caring about what he wanted but knowing he had to help them somehow. “On March23, 1980, after reporting the previous week’s deaths and disappearances, Romero began to speak directly to soldiers and policemen: ‘I beg you, I implore you, I order you…in the name of God, stop the repression!’” (Keen). That same night St. Oscar Romero died, in the middle of mass in the chapel of the Divine Providence hospital, he was shot by a paid assassin mid prayer. St. Oscar Romero offered his life to Christianity through self-nesses, he taught in the slums of El Salvador about God and preached his word. He used his own resources to help the dying children in his country, and spoke up to the victims of the Salvadoran government when they were being tortured and killed. Romero died doing what he was born to do, by teaching others about God and aiding them in the war going on.

Leaders who develop and live the life Jesus would want us to are very important when learning or even teaching about Christianity. These leaders gave themselves up for God. They were brave in the face of danger, and selfless. Martin Luther King Jr., St. Teresa and St. Oscar Romero all offered their lives to Christianity through bravery and selflessness. Martin Luther King Jr. stood up for the rights of colored people from the bus boycott to starting the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and did not back down when he was afraid. St. Teresa not only participated in missionary work but created and organization in the slums of Calcutta where she devoted her life to serving the sickest of people. Along with St. Oscar Romero who spoke out against the violent war going on in El Salvador, he took a stand to help and serve the people of his country and get them the help they deserve. These 3 amazing humans helped make the world a better place and expressed their faith through their bravery and selflessness which further offered them to the Lord and Christianity.

Martin Luther King once said “We may all have come from different ships, but we’re in the same boat now”. In the world we’re living now social justice has always been a big role in our society, you realized it or not. Social justice works for many ways against racism, ageism, sexism, heterosexism, and even religion. While it can be challenging for me to give an exact meaning of social justice in our society, there is a general idea in everyone’s mind that social justice is to give opportunities equally to all people without engaging in discrimination. Social justice issues happens on a world scale, as in the affect people around the world. It can also take place in one particular country and city. More too on much pint -sized scale, like classrooms or in a neighborhood. Regardless, it’s safe to say that social justice is on the right track on our society as it has helped many minorities and many organizations and countries are practicing social justice. However, imagine a world where social justice is not practiced by any of our leaders or even our society. Imagine the countless possibilities of many events that will occur in past that will effect our society now.

Well in the context of fiscal, following long periods of monetary development, it is social justice that is in question with the economy and globalization (Faber, 2016). Without social justice, countries aren’t able to move forward in economy. In specific, the third and fourth world countries. The wealthy countries like United States, Saudi Arabia and even Europe are building walls figuratively and literally. For instance, Americans built walls along Mexican border, to avoid people from Mexico to enter their countries. However, an economy is not directly affected by social justice (Clarke, 2016), but if theres a slight chance that inequalities exist in society, less fortunate people from the low income who are profoundly gifted and capable are not able to thrive or perform positively for the country, hence a country aren’t to reach it’s fullest. This goes the same for global development, with the unsuitable social policies a nation will fall behind. This in turn will affect the country development as they are not able to participate in global development and acquire benefits thusly. For example, in this recent case of LGBT, the Sultan of Brunei have decided to implement syariah law against the LGBT community which means stoning them until death with the appropriate procedure. This has made many countries and hollywood celebrities boycotting against him. In turn, all his development overseas are in jeopardy.

Next, health and education, both of this are somewhat related. For Instance, health literacy, it’s defined as capacity to peruse, comprehend and follow up on health care information (Hill, 2004). This help patients understand the basic context of the health care, such as appointment slips, prescriptions labels, insurance form and other health related informations. With low education, countries or even a community of people aren not able to grow forward as their health problem are increasing with low knowledge of health literacy. This can be seen on countries like Africa and India and many other developing countries (Bradhan, 2001),as their education are in an exceptionally awful shape for the people who are in need. As a result, their death rate are one of the highest among other countries. In America, more then 30 percent of direct medical costs faced by blacks, Hispanics and Asian-Americans can be attached to wellbeing disparities. Due to discriminatory access to mind and other wellbeing advancing assets, these community are frequently more debilitated when they do discover a wellspring of consideration and acquire higher medical expenses. That 30 percent means more than $230 billion over a four-year period. Moreover, examines have demonstrated that clinicians will in general have progressively pessimistic frames of mind toward individuals of color, and oblivious racial predisposition among clinicians has been appeared to prompt more unfortunate correspondence and lower nature of consideration.

Other than that, world without social justice might just start world war 3. There are possibilities that could lead to world destruction, one of it is having no social justice in this era. Especially at this time era, where everyone are more sensitive over small matters. However, the vision of social justice might not linked well with war or even conflict. To the degree that it advances the benefits of repaying wounds and reestablishing every disputant to its legitimate position, it goes for accomplishing restitutive equity, or what Auerbach (1983) has called ‘equity without law.’ And to the degree that it goes for vindicating the specific interests of the questioning gatherings as opposed to applying principles of general materialness to their case, it looks for ‘value’: a type of compensation dependent on components exceptional to each contest as opposed to on a law regular to every comparative case. For example countries that’s not been giving a proper social justice is Palestine. Palestine has been in war with the Israel for over a decade (BBC, 2015). Many Palestinians have died due to Israel’s attack on them. Other than that, Israel’s attack of Gaza has sentenced its 1.9 million occupants to destitution and metal brutality once a day as development is limited and there is an ever present danger of military power. Furthermore, the advancement of power also will be affected if there are no social justice. It’s true that, when people gain more power they tend to abuse their power. Whenever power shifts, inequality, violence and exclusion becomes a norm.

Lastly, area that will be affected is the environmental changes. Environmental change has influenced numerous nations and areas, where water and food is scarce and individuals are enduring. Climate changes are brought about by individuals who are least influenced by it (Xiao, 2016). A country’s economic growth can be seen through the emission of carbon dioxide. Usually countries like this who are wealthy are well equipped with laws and the framework to deal with climate crises, plague flare-ups, and atmosphere related loss of employments that make less fortunate nations so defenseless against the impacts of environmental change. Without social justice, less fortunate people with low financial resources will be affected directly as it’s harder for them to relocate for them to find shelter. In a developing countries, most men and women work in agriculture. Their crops usually are destroyed when there’s drought, their incomes and foods are gone. Furthermore, with scarce foods and livestocks the prices of foods are higher, this will directly affect the poor families (Xiao, 2016). Other than that, this will accept the indigenous people. Rivers and the forest will definitely be disrupted due to activities like resource extraction and pollutions, this in turn will affect indigenous’s habitat such as hunting, fishing and many more (Zoledziowski, 2018). Moreover, most of the nutrients supply for the indigenous people are from the trees. Indigenous lifestyle will be continuously threatened with rapid industrialization and colonialism.

In his Letter from a Birmingham Jail, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. uses a variety of rhetorical devices (King Jr.). For example, he opens with an appeal to Logos by noting that his presence in Birmingham is logical because of his organizational ties to the area. Farther along in his essay, he appeals to the community standards of the clergy, using the device of Ethos, saying, “I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate.” In the central paragraphs, especially beginning, “But when you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers …” he makes use of the device of Pathos to justify direct action rather than patient waiting.

Throughout, however, he refers back to the notion of time, the moment, and in this, he is addressing the concept of Kairos. Kairos is a unique opening or opportunity in the flow of events when something can be accomplished. It is the notion that Shakespeare may have been thinking of when he referred to, “the tide in the affairs of men. Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;” (Shakespeare Julius Caesar Act 4, scene 3, 218–224). Martin Luther King, Jr. answers the question, ‘why now’, for the demonstrations which precipitated clerical criticism (Carpenter, Durick and Grafman), in several ways, urging his readers to see the choice to come to Birmingham, and more broadly, to engage in direct non-violent action, right at that point in time, as inevitable and reasonable.

In pointing towards this moment, at this place, he notes the 340-year history of oppression of enslaved Africans and the progress of other races and peoples around the world towards self-determination. He narrows down the moment by referring to the promises of Birmingham merchants of September 1962, and the self-purification undertook by the movement to prepare for non-violent protest when these promises failed. He further particularizes the time by referencing the March election as another key event around which they planned. Then he describes the Easter shopping season as a prime time to generate an impact on sales through a “strong economic-withdrawal program”.

It is at this point that he could possibly have added to the intensity of his highlighting of Kairos.

The Easter season is more than a key shopping time. It is also the culmination, for believing Christians, of 40 days of meditation on the life and acts of Jesus. King could have noted that during this season, Christians would and should be reflecting on a similar, dramatic act of civil defiance and a most selfless act of non-violent protest.

He could have pointed out that Christians would be studying the Biblical account of the entrance of Jesus and his followers into the city of Jerusalem in full knowledge of the authorities’ antipathy to them, and the subsequent indictment and condemnation that led to crucifixion. He drew a parallel later in his letter between the punishment of Jesus for extremism, and the apparent extremism of the civil rights movement, but he could here have drawn attention to the fact that the Easter season should be a time for remembering another non-violent response to an oppressor government and culture.

Additionally, Passover in 1963 was drawing to a close around on Easter Monday. He could have noted that believing Jews would simultaneously be commemorating Moses’ leadership of the Israelites out of Egypt. This was certainly a dramatic act of civil defiance against an oppressive state.

He could have stated something similar to the following:

The Easter season also gave us a chance to draw the attention of observant Christians and Jews to the signal events of their denominations. This was the moment when Christians remember that Jesus laid down his life for us, and Jews recall in gratitude that Jehovah led them out of slavery to the Egyptians. How could we not take advantage of this moment when people of faith are thinking about events that parallel so closely the selfless resistance against oppression that we are attempting to accomplish?

This would have strengthened his invoking of Kairos.

Works Cited

Carpenter, C.C.J., et al. The following is the public statement directed to Martin Luther King, Jr., by eight Alabama clergymen. 1963. Web.

King, Martin Luther Jr. “Letter from a Birmingham Jail [King, Jr.]“. 1963 Web.

Shakespeare, William. “Julius Caesar: “There is a tide in the affairs of men“.” 1623. E-notes. Web.

I have a dream

Among the many speeches given by Martin Luther King Junior, this was his most quoted speech all over the world. This speech was given in the year 1963 during the reign of President Jeff Kennedy with it main theme freedom of the black Americans. The audience of this speech were the more than two hundred thousand supporters of civil rights. Martin Luther demanded for an end to racial segregation and discrimination.

His aim was to inform and make it known to the whole of America that the time of freedom had come. From the literature point of view, this speech is rhetoric in its own special way. This is because Martin Luther king uses many forms of styles of literature so as to effectively deliver a speech that will be of great impact.

Among the styles the King uses are metaphors, ethos and logos, repetition, quotations from written publications among other styles of literature. Some of his references of the quotations on his speech include; the bible, emancipation proclamation, the United States constitution as well as the United States Declaration of Independence.

To begin with is the use of anaphora to put emphasis on the theme and aim of the speech by making it easy for people to memorize hence the message of the speech is driven home. The clause “I have a dream” is repeated up to eight times in different sentences of the speech (Hansen 177). Other clauses repeated in the speech include;

‘Now is the time’ found in the sixth paragraph of the speech, where Martin was emphasizing that the time of freedom had come (Hansen 177).

‘Let freedom ring’ is another clause used severally from the 27^th paragraph running through the 41^st paragraph of the speech (Hansen 177).

Other clauses repeated in the speech are ‘we must’, ‘Go back to’ and ‘with this faith’ among others (Hansen 177).

Another form of rhetoric is the frequency of words used in the speech. The repetition is also used to put emphasis on the main objectives that Martin Luther had when delivering the speech. For example the word freedom is used up to twenty times so as to put emphasis on the theme of the speech. This word has the highest frequency in the whole speech. This is to mean that Martin Luther just wanted freedom for his fellow black Americans.

The word dream is repeated about eleven times in this speech. This meant that, despite the fact that many people thought freedom was a dream it would come to be a reality at one point in time. According to Martin Luther King himself, he had foreseen freedom that is why he talked of having a dream. Other repeated words of the speech include; justice-eight times, our-seventeen times and nation-ten times.

In his speech, Martin Luther also borrowed phrases from credible speakers and publications. Some of his references of his speech include; the bible, emancipation proclamation, the United States constitution as well as the United States Declaration of Independence.

Borrowing from the United States Declaration of Independence, he talked of “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” (Hansen 58). Others of his phrases were biblical quotations, for example in the second paragraph he picks a quote from Psalm 30:5, “It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity” (Hansen 58).

Martin Luther goes further and picks another biblical quote from the book of Isaiah 40:4-5 which states that “I have a dream that every valley shall be exalted”( Hansen 58). Another of his biblical quotations if from the book of Amos 5:24 which goes by “No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream”( Hansen 58).

Not only were his quotations from the bible only, he also borrows from other renown writers. For example, in one of the opening lines of the speech he talks of “this sweltering summer of the Negro’s legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn” (Hansen 58). This is a quote from a renowned writer Shakespeare from his book Richard III.

The use of specific examples to illustrate his theoretical and logical statements is another style of literature that Martin Luther King applied in this speech. He for example uses many geographical cites so as to evoke emotions from his audience. He mentions town like Mississippi, Georgia, New York just to mention but a few.

Last but not least, the use of metaphors to explain the contrasting circumstances is also depicted in this speech. Some of the metaphors used include; “rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice” and “sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice” (Hansen 107). This speech also makes use of pathos technique because of the issues he addresses which are so emotional that they have an impact on the audience.

Time to break silence

This speech was given four years later after the I have a dream speech by Martin Luther King Junior in 1967(Pach 1). He delivered the speech in the city of New York with his main theme being to call for an opposition to the Vietnam War by the Americans. The audience of this speech was a crowd of around three thousand people who had gathered outside a church in New York known as Riverside.

Despite the fact that some of his talk would even be offensive he still had the urge to talk about the war and imperialism in this speech. That is why he began by telling the crowd that at time people are forced to do things so as to satisfy their own conscience.

In this speech he talks about the war that according to him was to assault the poor people making them die early. However, most people and especially the leaders of America criticized this speech saying that there was a mixture of themes. This is because despite the fact that Martin Luther was talking about the war on Vietnam, he also included the issue of civil rights in this speech. Just like in the previous speech, he continues to use ethos, logos and pathos as elements of rhetoric (Pach 1).

As he begun this speech he questioned himself by asking with what authority was he speaking on Vietnam. This was a strategy of making him comfortably address the issue. In this he applied logos technique. He also made this speech very emotional in a bid to using the pathos technique which led to many people listening and putting in mind what he said. For example Martin Luther talks of “passionate plea to my beloved nation” (Pach 1).

As a matter of fact, the issue of war and violence is very touching in the hearts of people as it involves suffering and torture of innocent people. When Martin Luther addressed the issue of war and politics yet he was a civil rights activist, he evoked many questions in the minds of people. In this he applied rhetoric by contrasting the scenario. Since people objected what he was talking about, he used pathos to distract the objections from the people in the crowd who were shouting at him as he delivered the speech.

Ethos is also found in this speech when Martin Luther King Junior addresses the government to fulfil some of his demands. At the end of this speech, he concludes with a poem. The use of poetry in this speech is a style in literature that aims at evoking the attention of the audience. His rhetoric does not end there. He ends the speech by saying “Amen” which literally means let it be (Pach 4)

Of the two speeches, I have a dream is more persuasive compared to the Time to break silence. This is because in this speech, Martin Luther was so compassionate to emphasize on the road to freedom of the black Americans. The style he used in the speech drove his point home as most of his requests and demands have been achieved up to date. However, both speeches had an exemplary use of different styles of literature which strengthened the themes that Martin Luther had.

Works Cited

Hansen, Daniel. The Dream: Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Speech that Inspired a Nation. New York, NY: Harper Collins.2003

Pach, Chester. Martin Luther King, Jr. Beyond Vietnam A Time to Break Silence. 2011- January 26, 2011. <http://www.milestonedocuments.com/>

Introduction

This journal entry focuses on the historic speech that was delivered by Martin Luther King Jr at the Lincoln Memorial. It highlights moments that characterized the delivery of the “I Have a Dream” speech. The crowd anticipated positive and inspirational declarations from the iconic leader of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States of America (Hansen, 2009). King’s charismatic demeanor inspired many people to believe in the future devoid of discrimination and oppression. It is important to note that the speech had a great influence on protesters because it ignited inherent desire and resolution with regard to the realization of current objectives that anchored the Civil Rights Movement. In order to achieve his objectives, Dr. King delivered an elaborate speech that gave hope to millions of citizens who were victims of racism and other forms of oppression in American society (Hansen, 2009).

The speech created the impetus for the pursuit and actualization of core ideals that espoused the Civil Rights Movement. Through his speech, Dr. King propagated a demonstrable resolve with regard to the propagation of equality, justice, and fairness in society. Unlike previous presentations, the speech had an influence on the overall realization and implementation of statutory provisions that were critical to the sustenance of equality and justice in society. In fact, equality and justice play an important role in ensuring harmonious coexistence in a social context. The speech demonstrated Dr. King’s passion and dedication to the Civil Rights Movement (Hansen, 2009).

Discussion

The speech by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr was inspirational and momentous because it captured the current realities of the civil rights in our society. The crowd that gathered at Lincoln Memorial gave rousing reception and approval of the speaker because they could connect with the message of Dr. King’s presentation. I was lucky to witness the events at Lincoln Memorial. During the speech, Dr. King was visibly ecstatic and certain of the message that he delivered to his audience. He commenced the presentation by outlining numerous issues and challenges that were evident in American society (Hansen, 2009).

His initial remarks revolved around freedom, equal treatment, and propagation of justice in social, political, and economic spheres of life. He advocated for laws that would recognize racial and social dynamics that were evident in American society. His message sought to entrench desire for equal treatment with regard to crucial areas of engagement, such as the delivery of social services and access to employment opportunities. The reception from the audience gave credence to the existence of ills that Dr. King was articulating in his famous speech (Hansen, 2009).

In his presentation, Dr. King sought to assure the people of his unreserved support and resolve towards the realization of core ideals that had inspired the establishment of the Civil Rights Movement. He demonstrated immeasurable confidence and faith in the future. Dr. King understood his duty and responsibility as a leader and mentor to millions of people who were suffering due to inconsistent and discriminative laws. Although his assertions seemed to be farfetched, Dr. King managed to inspire the audience through his rhythmic and well-planned presentation. His stamina and oratory prowess played an important role in ensuring successful delivery and internalization of the presentation. In the absence of such stylistic and tactical inclinations, it would have been difficult for Dr. King to provoke interest and approval from the audience (Hansen, 2009).

Another important aspect was his ability to tackle issues that were relevant to prevailing circumstances in American society. As Dr. King commenced his presentation, it was evident that the audience yearned for relevant declarations that would ultimately improve existential parameters in society. The eager and enthusiastic crowd gave approval to every word that he pronounced in the course of his presentation. Throughout his speech, Dr. King displayed passion and genuine desire for realization and propagation of ideals that would ultimately guarantee a future devoid of discrimination and unfair treatment against Americans of African descent. The captivating presentation embodied ideals and aspirations that were not only relevant to America but also to other societies around the world (Hansen, 2009).

Dr. King was assured that American society would realize its folly with regard to racial discrimination and unfair treatment against segments of its citizenry. He decried the recurrent unfair treatment towards citizens in pertinent areas of national interest such as healthcare and emolument. He also envisioned a society that would offer opportunities to all citizens irrespective of racial, political, and religious considerations. He reiterated his belief with regard to the propagation of equality in social, political, and economic undertakings (Miller, 2012).

The presentation played a critical role in restoring hope among citizens who faced numerous challenges in terms of discrimination and other forms of unfair treatment. He presented facts that motivated the audience to support justice and equal treatment in a societal context. In order to inspire his audience, Dr. King mentioned key areas that were critical to citizens. He outlined his desire for a better future with regard to areas that were fraught with discriminative tendencies (Miller, 2012).

Such assurance was necessary because it gave hope to millions of Americans who were victims of injustice and unfair treatment on account of race and creed. Dr. King’s presentation gave rise to renewed propagation of the rule of law in the United States and the world at large. It inspired citizens to struggle against racial discrimination in society. This reality was captured in his presentation. He sought to highlight the extent and severity of racial segregation in American society (Miller, 2012).

Conclusion

As earlier mentioned, Dr. King’s speech gave rise to candid evaluation with regard to racial discrimination in the United States of America. Citizens of African descent were subjected to inhumane existential parameters in pertinent areas of engagement in society. In fact, such realities gave credence to the establishment and sustenance of the Civil Rights Movement (Miller, 2012). Dr. King’s presentation enshrined important areas of interest with regard to the realization of core objectives in the context of civil rights and liberties in the United States of America. The landmark speech highlighted numerous grievances that required action by authorities in order to guarantee positive action and appropriate intervention. It also created the impetus for individual intervention and action towards sustenance and propagation of equality and fairness in society (Miller, 2012).

In my understanding, the “I Have a Dream” speech was a representation of the overall desire for action towards the realization of ideals and aspirations that embodied the Civil Rights Movement in the United States.

References

Hansen, D. (2009). The Dream. Newyork: HarperCollins. Web.

Miller, K. (2012). Martin Luther King’s Biblical Epic: His Final, Great Speech. Mississippi: Univ. Press of Mississippi. Web.

Martin Luther King’s speech “I Have a Dream” is one of the mightiest oratory on civil rights. King addressed thousands of people who gathered to listen to their prodigy and to reveal their position on the matter. Admittedly, the speech, as well as the entire Civil Rights movement, reached certain goals set. For instance, overt segregation ceased to exist. Many claims that there is no discrimination against African Americans. However, society has not turned into a big and happy family where values of brotherhood reign. Therefore, the speech is still relevant even five decades later, as African Americans are still discriminated against, and the discrimination has now extended to affect immigrants and females.

Admittedly, African Americans now enjoy the same rights as White Americans do, but the former is still deprived of certain opportunities and has to face some degree of hostility. Thus, the media tend to create a quite distorted image of the African American who is depicted as a member of a gang or unemployed. There is certain prejudice that these people are undereducated and cannot (or even should not) occupy certain positions in companies. Clearly, there still exist “the quicksands of racial injustice” (King 549). It may be covert, but it still persists, and for many African Americans, it is a hostile world where they are a minority which is sometimes criminalized by the majority. Therefore, people have to turn back to King’s speech very often.

At the same time, this kind of discrimination is also apparent in the attitude towards immigrants who are often criminalized. Admittedly, thousands of immigrants are coming to the United States in search of a better life. They do not have enough money and may need support. Americans fear that these newcomers may take their jobs. Clearly, certain tension and misunderstanding occur based on cultural and linguistic differences. Of course, immigrants and open-minded Americans would agree with MLK that it is necessary “to open the doors of opportunity to all of God’s children” (King 549). Again, the speech is still relevant as contemporary people can learn a lot from it.

Finally, women are also facing certain kinds of discrimination. The world of business is the most apparent illustration of this process. The so-called ‘glass ceiling’ is one of the manifestations of discrimination. Women are deprived of an opportunity to get posts they want to hold. There is also certain prejudice that women belong to their households and can complete only simple tasks. More so, the media promulgate the image of an attractive woman who is concerned with her good looks only. This image makes males (as well as females) fail to take women seriously. Of course, the words of the Civil Rights fighter can refer to females as they still do not have equal opportunities with males.

In conclusion, it is necessary to note that King’s speech is still relevant as nowadays, African Americans, immigrants, and females do not have opportunities that they would have in the world of justice. People tend to be hostile to others who are somehow different. Even though Martin Luther King promoted ideas of equality and social justice five decades ago, there is still a lot of discrimination and hostility. Admittedly, there is no segregation, and all can enjoy equal rights in a democratic society which is stated in numerous laws. Nonetheless, in the real world, people may still face issues associated with inequity. Therefore, Americans should refer to the speech from time to time as this may help them see that there are wrongs that have to be eliminated from society.

“The Quest for Peace and Justice” is a lecture delivered by Martin Luther King Jr. on December 11, 1964, at the University of Oslo as a part of his acceptance speech for the Nobel Peace Prize. King and his nonviolent initiatives were the most prominent force that established the law against racial discrimination, resulting in the Peace Prize award for the nonviolent campaign against racism. Even though more than fifty years have passed since King delivered the lecture, some aspects of modern society connect to the themes covered in the speech.

In the lecture, King emphasizes how the world is lost in external material meanings and abandons the internal side of feelings and morality. The statement is still applicable in the current society, as most of the population focuses on the material side of things and wealth instead of internal meanings, such as relations and connections. In the age of capitalism, external factors, such as income, define an individual’s social status, and nobody pays attention to an individual’s morals, spiritual strength, and development.

The current global situation with immigration policies, where refugees are forced to move from one location to another with no opportunities to settle and or return home, does not reflect the ideology expressed by King. King states that poverty is one of the main problems for the global community, both in developing and economically developed countries. King suggested that wealthy nations should help the people in developing countries. In the lecture, he emphasized how poverty in developing countries is less threatening, as people in those countries have no opportunity to build wealth due to years of “exploitation and underdevelopment” (King). Thus, wealthy nations should provide a compassionate attitude and show support to developing countries.

King’s opinion on immigration is mainly focused on making collective efforts to eliminate poverty on a global scale. His opinion supports my understanding of immigration, as I prefer to think that all people live on the same planet, and people need to understand that improving living conditions for everyone requires collective efforts. Moreover, peace, collective efforts, and perception of the global population as a whole would help maintain justice and equality and eliminate such problems as racism.

Work Cited

King, M. L. “The Quest for Peace and Justice.” The Nobel Prize, Web.