Compare And Contrast Luther King's Letter From A Birmingham Jail And Living Water

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I decided to compare between the views of Dr. Martin Luther King’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” and Lao Tzu’s “Living Water.” First, I summarize the texts of both Dr. King and Lao Tzu. Next, I compare their views on the basis for the good life.
King’s letter is addressed to many men of religion (Clergymen) who criticized Dr. King and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference’s (SCLC) actions during their protests in the city of Birmingham. Through his letter, King expresses his disappointment about the clergymen’s criticisms, and he wants to address their concerns. King defends his right to be in Birmingham is very straightforward tone of writing. King presents a moral reason why he has the right to be present, as he says that he came to the city to fight injustice. He believes that all communities and state are related with one another. King blames the clergymen for criticizing the SCLC without trying to understand the racist causes of injustice that is being protested against. Dr. King explains his plans of organizing nonviolent action.
According to Hari Sharma, Martin Luther King was a leader of peaceful protests against the segregation of African-Americans. In 1963, the city of Birmingham passed a legal provision banning street protests without permission (Sharma, 2007). Hence, the black people of Birmingham felt that they are not allow …show more content…

Martin Luther King and Lao-Tzu are of different periods in the world’s history, but they were both great philosophers whose differences come from their core beliefs. According to Lao-Tzu, the way for humankind to reach happiness by connecting with nature and let things go. On the other hand, Martin Luther king believes that people, as human beings, have the ability to control evil and correct the defects of the world. It appears to be difficult to find similarities in both texts and views, but while thinking deeply it seems that there are a few themes that can be similarly interpreted in both

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