Tension In Letter From Birmingham Jail

Segregation formed between 1849 and 1964, splitting whites from black into public and private places. Black Americans did not receive the same privileges or opportunities as White Americans. However, many civil rights activists worked to remove segregation and provide those affected with more options. Martin Luther King Jr. is one of these leaders. Martin Luther King advocated for several tensions, including police violence, in his fight against segregation, which shows that unfair laws should not be upheld.

Civil rights leader Martin Luther King opposed segregation. We see in King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail, he states, “We had no alternative except to prepare for direct action, whereby we would present our very bodies as a means of laying

Moreover, King emphasizes, "Actually, we who engage in nonviolent direct action are not the creators of tension. We merely bring to the surface the hidden tension that is already alive. We bring it out in the open, where it can be seen and dealt with.” (p. 24) Based on this quote, tension is raised by nonviolent direct action by King and others who supported him. The evidence presented here backs up my assertion that Martin Luther King, Jr., experienced intense stress. He intentionally created this tension because he wanted others to witness it. This evidence demonstrates that King had significant tension that he wanted the public to witness. According to Rosa Parks, “As I sat there, I tried not to think about what might happen. I knew that anything was possible. I could be manhandled or beaten. I could be arrested, ….In fact, if I had let myself think too deeply about what might happen to me, I might have gotten off the bus.” (8) This quotation is significant because it conveys that Rosa Parks did not want to consider what would happen if she refused to give up her seat and the cops arrived. This quotation demonstrates that Rosa Parks would have exited the bus if she had considered what the police may do to her when they arrived. She was unwilling to consider that. She was aware that by retaining her position, she ran the risk of being killed or severely assaulted. That is

Martin points out that, “One has not only a legal but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a responsibility to disobey unjust laws (15)” Depending on this quote, individuals shouldn't feel justified in abiding by unfair laws. It is an unlawful statute designed to continue the oppression of minorities. The passage demonstrates why people shouldn't be eager to obey or follow anything immoral, as well as unfair laws. King and others spoke out against these unfair laws because they felt it was wrong. This ties into the core idea that individuals should defend what they believe to be ethically correct. King comments, “ I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere (4).” According to this quotation, King believed he was unable to witness the injustice in Birmingham. He was aware that injustice might undermine the necessary, just justice. This quote shows that King would not turn a blind eye to the injustice taking place in Birmingham. He was aware that the unfairness and illegal activity in Birmingham may undo the already accomplished justice. It is evidence that King stood up for what he believed to be morally correct. He didn't give up after one battle. Birmingham was one of the areas he always got back up and went where he was most needed. This illustrates the idea that