Wait Has Almost Always Meant Never
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's “Letter from Birmingham Jail” was written during his 8 day sentence in jail in 1963. It is aimed toward a few clergymen who wrote a letter to Dr. King criticizing his doings and of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference during their protests in Birmingham, Alabama referring to him as an “outside agitator”. He tells them that he was not happy about their accusations, and that he wants to confront them about their concerns.
He then addresses their claim that he is an “outsider” who has come to Birmingham to cause trouble and violence. He explains to them that he is in Birmingham not just because he has ties with the group, but because social injustice exists there. He says
…show more content…
Dr. King knows that the business owners would rather have negotiations over the protests, but the negotiations are not possible without protest and protest in turns creates tension. He says that tension is needed in order for people to progress and argues that the “tension created by direct action in this case is necessary for segregation to end.” He then turns to the criticism aimed at him that the “Southern Christian Leadership Conference action is untimely and that they need to wait and be patient.” Dr. King explains that the black community has waited long enough. He insists that “the black man has waited more than 340 years for justice.” He goes on to describe a list of unfair dealings that his people have suffered in the past and in his present day. One these abuses is his experience explaining to his young six-year-old daughter why she cannot go to the public amusement park because “of the color of her skin that has just been advertised on television, and see tears welling up in her little eyes when she is told that Funtown is closed to colored children, and see the depressing clouds of inferiority begin to form in her little mental sky, and see her begin to distort her little personality by unconsciously developing a bitterness toward white people.” He asks that these men will excuse him and his brethren’s impatience in
In the King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” he places an emphasis on how the clergy men and him hold similar values. Throughout the letter we see the King use language to show how they both share concern for their families. (maybe add another idea) One way that we see the King do this is by addressing the men as “Fellow clergymen”, the intention behind this is for the clergymen to trust him more. By studying the language of the letter we can learn a lot about the true motive of the letter.
In his Letter from Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King Jr. makes a sound and effective argument against Southern clergymen that the actions performed by him leading to his imprisonment were justified. His argument is effective because he used references from the Bible that the clergymen are familiar with to argue to them that breaking a law is just if the law is unjust. For example, King argued the idea that disobeying unjust laws can be justified by referencing three biblical figures that disobeyed an unjust law and survived their punishment through divine intervention (21). King also strengthened his argument by refuting the clergymen’s opinions that his actions were too extreme.
Riddled with racial tension and a lack of equal rights, the 1950-60s exposed the truth behind segregation. In a letter written by Doctor Martin Luther King, “Letter from Birmingham Jail” King attacks the idea of racial inequality, and exposes the plights met by black families and individuals. In this letter, King uses excellent examples of imagery to show the racial discrimination being experienced. During this time of discrimination, the struggle for racial equality was prevalent, and extremely brutal. Given the circumstances of this time, discrimination turned into violence due to racial motivation.
Violent, racist terrorism against African Americans was at its peak when Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr was arrested in 1963. Before his arrest, Dr. King went to Birmingham to protest for injustice and segregation, but his methods were to destructive for the community. In the missive, “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” Dr. King, president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, makes an effort to convince his fellow eight white clergymen that it is time to take immediate actions towards injustice and the increased violence among people. By appealing to ethos and pathos, Dr. King convinces his fellow clergymen of the unfairness of segregation.
He had seen firsthand how African Americans experienced brutality growing up. He had seen this when Jess Alexander Helms a police officer brutalized a black woman, and dragged her to the jail house. He had explained it as “the way a caveman would club and drag his sexual prey”. This shows how little rights African Americans had in these days because he was unable to do anything. All of this happened while other African American individuals walked away hurriedly.
Paragraph 14: What are the subjects, and what one tone does he use? King uses examples of the effects of segregation on the African American community to explain why he is part of the protests in Birmingham and why they need to continue this kind of peaceful protest until their voices are heard. By using these pathos and ethos rich examples, he gives some insight to the white Alabama clergymen, who haven’t experienced segregation, the struggles (“when you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will”) and harmful impact of black inferiority on children (“ominous clouds of inferiority beginning to form in her little mental sky”). King uses an angry tone in paragraph 14 to describe these injustices black people face daily,
In Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” he is addressing the Clergymen, more specifically the white church and its leadership who criticized his efforts in the civil rights movement, by calling his demonstrations unwise and untimely. He is also simultaneously addressing the national audience as well in letting them know of the injustices of the time. It was 1963, and Martin Luther King Jr. wrote this letter from inside a jail cell. He had been arrested during an anti-segregation march for not having a valid parading permit in Birmingham, Alabama. In this letter he addresses the criticisms that were brought forth to him.
Dr. King's, "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" is poignant in many ways in regard to a "big picture" viewpoint of our society. Overall, it speaks to the viewpoint that we all have a social responsibility to each other to work against injustice irrespective of where that injustice takes place. "Martin Luther King Jr.'s letter from Birmingham Jail, which was written in April 16, 1963, is a passionate letter that addresses and responds to the issue and criticism that a group of white clergymen had thrown at him and his pro- black American organization about his and his organization's non- violent demonstrative actions against racial prejudice and injustice among black Americans in Birmingham. Dr. King told the local clergy in Birmingham that he understood he was an outsider and he realized that his presence in Birmingham would cause trouble. However, he also felt that he had a moral
To provoke someone, you have to use the right words to make the person interested and want to take action. In the article “How the Children of Birmingham Changed the Civil-Rights Movement” the author
Martin Luther King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail addresses his fellow clergymen and others who critiqued him for his actions during this time. The clergymen along with others are addressed in an assertive tone allowing them to fully understand why his actions are justified. Throughout the letter critics are disproved through King’s effective use of diction and selection of detail. Martin Luther King opens the letter stating that the clergymen are being “influenced by the argument of ‘outsiders coming in” consequently he explains the reason for him being in Birmingham. In the opening of his explanation he states the injustices occurring, relating it to the prophets of eighth century B.C.
Martin Luther King Jr. wrote a letter from his jail cell in Birmingham after he was imprisoned during a march for civil rights. This letter was in response to one written by church leaders in Birmingham condemning the actions of Martin Luther King Jr. and his compatriots. They felt the march was “unwise and untimely” and expressed a belief that the problems he was protesting were better fought through the court system. Overall, Dr. King spoke about the necessity and process of non- violent direct action, just and unjust laws, and of his disappointment in the actions of the white moderate. He argued with the words and logic of a well-educated gentlemen to counteract the church’s argument which appealed to white moderates.
Dr. King wanted to end segregation and he also wanted equal rights for everyone, but he was told by the clergyman that the movement was “unwise” and “untimely”. King explained that there will never be a right time for change in this society with bringing equality and justice to us all. Dr. King was told several times to wait, which prolonged his protest and marches. King became frustrated because people were being mistreated and judged everyday based off the color of their skin. Dr. King felt that segregation was wrong, and he refused to sit back and do nothing.
Even after all the injustices done to the black population of the United Sates, Dr. King is calling for them to set aside violence, bitterness, and hatred. He wants them to fight for their equality peacefully. According to Dr. King, this is the best way to stop violence. One side must step up and act peacefully in order for violence to end.
In 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. led a peaceful movement in Birmingham, Alabama. The purpose of the demonstration was to bring awareness and end to racial disparity in Birmingham. Later that night, King and his followers were detained by city authorities. While in custody, King wrote the famous “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” This letter voiced out his disappointment in the criticisms, and oppositions that the general public and clergy peers obtained.
A Letter From Birmingham Jail Martin Luther King Jr. is a name that will never be forgotten, and that will go down in the books for all of time. He was foremost a civil rights activist throughout the 1950s and 1960s. during his lifetime, which lasted from January of 1929 to April of 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. was an American Baptist minister and a social activist and was known for his non- violent protests. He believed that all people, no matter the color, have a moral responsibility to break unjust laws and to take a direct action rather than waiting forever for justice to come through and finally be resolved. In the Spring of 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. stated in a speech that Birmingham was among one of the most segregated cities in the world.