Examples Of Injustice In Letter From Birmingham Jail

Martin Luther King justifies his cause for the protest by putting the men in the shoes of the black people that are trying to be heard through the protests. For instance, he raises doubts about the meaning of a “just law” and pointing out specific examples that exemplifies that laws were unfair and unjust. “We should never forget that everything Adolf Hitler did in Germany was ‘legal’ and everything the Hungarian freedom fighters did in Hungary was ‘illegal.’ It was ‘illegal’ to aid and comfort a Jew in Hitler’s Germany” (King). This was a powerful example of an unjust law because how could it be illegal to aid a person under a dictator like Hitler’s rule.

He writes this letter to defend his organization and peaceful protesting, yet also identifies the racial injustices he, and many other citizens received. King’s writing was very effective in accomplishing his goal to get his point across that segregation is a very serious thing. King hopes that his powerful and emotional message in his letter will impact how the clergymen, the whites, and many others approach and take action towards segregation. He hopes that they will see how terrible inequality truly is and make the American Society have less hate and more

Civil rights leader and social activist Martin Luther King Jr. wrote a world renown correspondence, Letter From Birmingham Jail, in April of 1963, during a time when segregation was at it’s peak in the South. When King was making his mark in American history, the United States was experiencing great social unrest due to the injustice towards their colored citizens, which would lead to social rights rallies and unnecessary violence. In response to King’s peaceful protesting, the white community viewed “[his] nonviolent efforts as those of an extremist,” and subsequently imprisoned the pastor (para 27). King specifically wrote to the white clergymen who had earlier addressed a letter to him as to why he was apprehended, in which they argued that his actions were untimely and unconstitutional. In response, King emphasized that justice is never timely, and the refusal to acknowledge equal rights was inhumane and regressive.

King starts off by stating, “ My Dear Fellow Clergymen.” By King stating that it proves to me that he is qualifying himself to be at the same level as the clergymen, and that he is not saying he is better or worse than them as despite himself being in jail. King also states that, “So I, along with several members of my staff, am here because I was invited here. I am here because I have organizational ties here. But more basically, I am in Birmingham because injustice is here.”

Ethos helps the speaker keep up with his standing as a dependable nonentity. Readers ought to comprehend that he is holding back nothing. King Jr. makes emotive requests to convey the critical predicament of basic liberties and cases that his restriction in Birmingham Prison proves his urgency. Equally, the ruler's utilization of logos supports the public authority's rebel character. In the letter, certain individuals need change and the people who go against it.

In the letter that he deliberately wrote for national audience, King states, “To put it in terms of St.Thomas Aquinas: An unjust law is a human law that is not rooted in eternal law and natural law. Any law that uplifts human personality is just. Any law that degrades human personality is unjust. ”(293)

Kings rebuttal to the white clergy men was stated in, "A Letter From Birmingham Jail. "In his response, King wants his audience to believe that justice cannot wait. In his phrase, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere", King declares that he feels connected to and responsible for everyone who is experiencing this unfairness. He believes that speaking out against these wrong doings is the right thing to do. Which is why King makes his claim of fact that he is not an outsider, but is here merely by invitation.

Justice for African-American Is injustice the main concern that many people are suffering from? Everything that black people suffered in the past shows how injustice is the main concern for many people. In addition, many people think that injustice is just a word that does not have to do anything with people’s lives. According to Merriam-Webster, injustice is defined as, “an act that inflicts undeserved hurt. Injustice applies to any act that involves unfairness to another or violation of one 's rights”. This definition shows how the action for some that is unfair could bring violence and affect so many people.

While reading “The Crito” By Plato and Martin Luther King’s “Letters from a Birmingham Jail” I will use these two pieces of literature as a springboard to answer whether it is moral to break a law that you consider unjust. I will start first by analyzing Plato’s dialogue “The Crito”. The conversation takes place in a prison; this is where Socrates is awaiting his execution, and will be serving out the last days of his life. Socrates is visited by Crito, an old loyal friend, a generous friend who lacks ethical teaching and I also question his morals.

He then refers to his earlier statement about the apathy of the clergymen regarding the reason for the demonstrations, alluding to their anxiety over the protesters willingness to break the law. However, he brings up a dichotomy: the laxness and rigidity in which different laws are enforced. Namely, he sarcastically refers to the apprehensive enforcement of the 1954 Supreme Court decision outlawing segregation. Well, why are only some laws enforced? King answers this question by stating that there are two kinds of laws: just and unjust.

“It was evidenced sublimely in the refusal of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to obey the laws of Nebuchadnezzar, on the ground that a higher moral law was at stake. It was practiced superbly by the early Christians” (387) and “I am grateful to God that, through the influence of the Negro church, the way of nonviolence became an integral part of our struggle” (381). Dr. King uses these analogies and examples to show his followers he knows the subject matter at hand. This is another example of King showing his reputation for knowing the

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a minister, spokesperson, activist, and civil rights leader, wrote “Letter From Birmingham Jail” specifically to the eight clergymen who addressed his unlawful acts, but the message is also intended for Christians and the people of the whole nation. Martin Luther King’s Letter From Birmingham Jail uses parallelism to emphasize the extent that discriminatory actions happened in Birmingham and in the U.S, allusion to justify his actions, and antithesis to contrast two ideas and eventually persuade the clergymen and all others that nonviolent protest will help end racial segregation. He also uses the rhetoric to defend his actions. Dr. King uses a list of rhetorical devices in his letter. One device that stood

Letter from Birmingham Jail Martin Luther King wrote Letter from Birmingham Jail on April 16, 1963 while being confined in Birmingham City Jail. The letter was addressed to Kings Fellow Clergymen who had written an open letter. Letter from Birmingham criticizes King and Southern Leadership conference while protesting in Birmingham. Dr. King told the clergymen he was upset and wanted to address the concerns and criticisms they had.

Letter from Birmingham Jail Response Within “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” Martin Luther King, Jr. positions himself as a tired man; tired of waiting, tired of fighting, yet perseveres relentlessly with great momentum. “My feets is tired, but my soul is rested” (“Letter from Birmingham Jail” 6), a message to those who oppose freedom of the black man that this is a battle which will not easily dissipate. Raised by the gospel, King sees everything wrong with what is taught by white Christianity and quickly corrects the error in their ways, drawing reference to the Bible throughout his letter. King shows an apparent dumbfounded-ness toward the South’s religious leaders, who issued a public statement condemning the actions of peaceful protests

When responding to the eight white clergymen, he states, “Seldom do I pause to answer criticism of my work and ideas,” giving the reader the notion that a plethora of criticism must come across his desk. But, he has chosen to write a response and explain himself simply because King feels they are “men of genuine good will” and their criticism is “sincerely set forth.” After the introduction of his letter, he feels he must next explain his location at the time: Birmingham Jail. “I am in Birmingham because injustice is here,” says King. This quote lets the reader know there is a reason behind King’s arrest, a very good reason, too.