The Philosophy of Nonviolence of Dr. Martin Luther King in his Letter from a Birmingham Jail

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Letter from a Birmingham Jail gave the people an insight into the mind and his unwillingness to give up on his dream for better life and respect for ‘Negroes’. However, it was not just his mentality we have an insight on but also his philosophy, his mantra. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a devoted Christian and refused to use cruel, demeaning words and unnecessary violence to get his points across to the people. He fought against the injustices brought on upon the black people by the ‘white power’ in Birmingham. Letter from a Birmingham Jail also gave insight into his personality and character. Throughout the letter, he never used cruel words, he never used words that could be taken offensively by the people who he was protesting against, in some cases, what he says can be taken light-heartedly and jokingly, and he always talked with respect. He even apologized to the reader, the ‘white power’, and asked for forgiveness from his God. Dr. King’s philosophy, his commitment to the cause, and his unyielding determination for his dream for the future generations made him a hero among the masses, an unforgettable icon for the Civil Rights Movement. His message, no matter what it was or where, shook the very chains that ‘white power’ still had around the black people. His words added weight to the opposite side of the balance beam, giving strength and weight to the black people. His gospel of freedom through nonviolence was the pillar, the foundation of the Civil Rights Movement and the mantra for people struggling for justice throughout the South. Nevertheless, I ask you, in today’s society, is his message still significant? Is there a way to move people to fight with you without using force? The answer will ...

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...out you and your goals and try to stop you by any means necessary. His philosophy was a beacon and still is for people today even if it exists in those rare and fleeting moments when a person jumps in and stops a physical fight between two people, or when a person stands up for the people whom have had injustices brought down on them because of who they are and things they cannot change. His message is strong, stronger even more now because we the people have a person who we can look up to, we can move the coldest of people with determination and willpower because those along are what got the black people to where we are today. The significance of his words, his philosophy, come together along with others in the past to create a beautiful mosaic of heroes who used words, not violence and brought actual meaning into the saying ‘the pen is mightier than the sword’.