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Examples Of Logos In Letter From Birmingham Jail

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In Martin Luther King Jr's “letter from Birmingham Jail” he uses logos to support his argument that nonviolent resistance is a necessary means of achieving civil rights for African Americans. Kings use of logos in the letter is evident in his use of facts, statistics, and examples.

King uses logos to demonstrate the effectiveness of nonviolent resistance. He cites numerous examples of successful nonviolent protests throughout history, including the Boston tea party and Gandhi's salt march. He states, “nonviolent resistance is not a method for cowards, it does resist. If one uses this method because he is afraid or merely because he lacks the instruments of violence, he is not truly nonviolent. This is why Gandhi often said that if cowardice is the only alternative to violence, it is better to fight."He also states “any law that degrades human personality is unjustifiable” By using these examples, King shows that nonviolent resistance is a legitimate and effective means of achieving change. …show more content…

He argues that African Americans have been oppressed for centuries and that change is long overdue. He states “for years now i have heard the word ‘wait’ and it rings in the ear of every negro with piercing familiarity. This ‘wait’ has almost meant' ‘never’' and that “all segregation is unjustifiable because segregation distorts the soul and damages the personality.” By using this argument, King shows that the civil rights movement is not moving too fast, but rather that it is moving too

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