In Letter from a Birmingham jail, by Martin Luther King, King is writing to those who are criticizing him for what he was doing in the South, particularly those who felt offended or criticized his work in Birmingham Alabama. He felt that these people needed to be addressed because they claimed to be of “good will”, but are quick to throw around petty charges in order to keep the peace. The reason that King was in Birmingham was because of his notice of injustice present in the Alabama and the South. He believed that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” which means that no matter where there is unfair treatment, it affects fair and just treatment everywhere. He was pushing for justice for all because we cannot achieve justice …show more content…
if we only fight it in areas prevalent or majority leading. Martin Luther was protesting against the unjust treatment of African Americans in court, the unsolved cases of bombings against homes and churches, and the “ugly record of brutality” that was present in Birmingham. Any laws that uplift human personality are considered just and any law the degrades personality is considered unjust. For his attempt to protest these unjust cases against African Americans in Birmingham, King was arrested for protesting without a permit, and in his letter he is stating many injustice that are not only prevalent in the South, but all around the world. He talks about places in Alabama which are pushing to get African Americans to not be able to vote and the problems with the Christian, white, church, whom he believed, out of everyone else, would support him the most. The basic belief that everyone deserves the same rights is something all decent humans can all agree on. Especially since race issues have somewhat declined since the time King’s letter was written. The dictionary definition of justice states that justice is a just behavior or treatment. It is unanimously agreed, by all just humans, that everyone deserves the same rights and treatment. So injustice is anything that goes against anyone or anything, no matter the color or gender, that is receiving, or has received, unfair treatment. In my own personal story of injustice and how it has affected my life, I can not help but to look back on my ancestors. What I have went through is comparably nothing to the hardships that my family and tribes have faced. Being an American Indian in present day society has been easier for me compared to some others in less fortunate situations. I was given the freedom and support that many are unable to receive. I find a large similarity between the hardships my ancestors faced and the things that King went through. Being arrested for no liable reasons, pushed out from an area based on not being wanted there, and even killings of our people because white christian people, whom King and I, both assumed would be the most open and accepting to others, are unable to accept the fact that some cultures differ from theirs. The main incident of injustice that I would like to examine more in depth and compare to King’s, is the feeling of ownership Americans have over American Indians in the way that we are considered “wards of the state.” A perfect example of this would be the Cherokee Nation v Georgia case. John Marshall argued that the relationship of tribes and the United States “resembles that of a ward to his guardian.” Just like how Martin Luther King and the people involved with his movement were considered aliens or outsiders, the same is thought of Native Americans and whenever a certain person, race, tribe, gender, etc. is considered “different” than those who are considered the majority, an act of injustice has been pursued, no matter the way in which it is pursued. During the case of Cherokee Nation v.
State of Georgia, Georgia was “praying an injunction to restrain the state of Georgia from the execution of certain laws of that state, which as is alleged, go directly to annihilate the Cherokees as a political society, and to seize, for the use of Georgia, the lands of the nation which have been assured to them by the United States in solemn treaties repeatedly made and still in force.” Georgia wanted “their” land and for the Cherokee tribe members who previously habitted that land to be aliens. As a member of the Cherokee tribe, even though that can not be proven unlike my Creek bloodline, I find this case to be offensive to the independent society that Native Americans spent centuries to develop. Once the settlers came into the land and assumed that everything was wrong because it went against their beliefs, injustice occurred. If we think about it this way then the founding values of our society is based on injustice. Without injustice, there would be no conquering of peaceful indigenous tribes, and then no America. This ideas that we were in fact seperate from others based on the belief that indians are unable to govern themselves and control their savage like ways is wrong and even unconstitutional. A constitution made by those who wanted to see the annihilation of our people. In that case does the constitution only apply to those who follow it’s societal rules and guidelines? If you live in American society, or are forced to coexist with it, are your constitutional rights thrown away in favor of those in more power? In that case does power equal injustice? The more power you have the more political gain you could get which could persuade the formation of unjust laws established to keep order and de-vocalize those considered “aliens” very similar to the reason Martin Luther King was arrested for protesting without a
permit. There are several other cases of unjust laws set in place for Native Americans, but perhaps the worst among them is the plenary power doctrine in which Congress presumes, without consent of the tribes, that it has supreme power over Indians and their resources, but that is for another argument. I now can see a large connection between the things that King fought against and those that American Indians go through and/or went through which is largely due to power and the belief of superiority over others. This is the greatest catalyst of injustice. When a minority voices their feeling against a majority and are not listened to as if it was vice versa, then we begin to see how injustice can turn into laws and become considered “justice.” It is a sick game that society plays where they want people to believe that we are all unique and have a voice, but in reality if somebody proves that something is in fact unjust, but it goes against the majority or those in power, then they are shut down and either thrown in prison for a bogus reason or shoved into reservations with little education, healthcare, or services that common people of society receive. Works Cited “Cherokee Nation v. State of Georgia.” Cherokee Nation v. State of Georgia, www.cherokee.org/ About-The-Nation/History/Trail-of-Tears/Cherokee-Nation-v-State-of-Georgia. King, Martin Luther. Letter from Birmingham Jail. Betascript Publishing, 2011, web.cn.edu/ kwheeler/documents/Letter_Birmingham_Jail.pdf.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote his famous “A Letter from the Birmingham Jail” on April 16, 1963 while he was imprisoned in the Birmingham Jail for being involved in nonviolent protests against segregation. The letter is directed at eight white clergymen from Alabama who were very cynical and critical towards African Americans in one of their statements. Throughout the letter, King maintains an understanding yet persistent tone by arguing the points of the clergymen and providing answers to any counterarguments they may have. In the letter, King outlines the goals of his movement and says that he will fight racial inequality wherever it may be. Dr. King uses the appeal three main rhetorical devices – ethos, logos, and pathos – in order to firmly, yet politely, argue the clergymen on the injustices spoken of in their statement.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested on April 12, 1963, in Birmingham, for having a protest without a proper permit. On the exact day King was arrested, eight clergymen from Alabama wrote a letter called “A Call for Unity.” The letter called for termination of civil activities and demonstrations and designated King an “outsider” and saying that outsiders were the problems in Birmingham and not the blacks that are from there. On April 16 King wrote “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, which was his responds to his fellow clergymen. He wrote the letter as a means to convince the clergymen and the white moderate that the nonviolent demonstrations that had got him arrested, were a necessity and to enlighten them on why the segregation laws in the southern states needed to be changed. In “Letter from Birmingham Jail” King uses logos, pathos, and ethos to persuade the clergymen and convince them in assisting him in putting an end to segregation laws of blacks in Birmingham, Alabama.
In 1963, when African-Americans were fighting for black and white equality, Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” While confined in the Birmingham jail, King felt the need to respond to a letter published in the local newspaper. This letter criticized King’s intentions during his visit by saying they were untimely. As a way to defend his actions, King put together a number of arguments and beliefs that proved why taking direct action was necessary during a time of racial discrimination. Furthermore, to persuade his audience, King had to gain trust and share the emotional connection he had with his people.
The “Letter From a Birmingham Jail” is a text directed to all of America in 1963, written by Martin Luther King Jr., during his stay in one of the of Birmingham’s prisons. His intention of writing an open letter was to tell the world the injustice “the white people” had done not only to him, but to all Afro-Americans. The main stimulus was a statement made by a Clergymen naming the actions and the activities of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference as unwise and untimely. However, the purpose of this letter is to show that those actions are totally wise and timely.
When reading historical letters and or other types of reading materials, one cannot bear to become intrigued when reading these didactic and informative pieces of art. For example, one of the most known and most important pieces of historical masterpieces’ would have to be Martin Luther King’s “ Letter From Birmingham Jail.” This letter was written in response to the published statement that was written by eight fellow clergymen from Alabama. Those eight fellow Alabama clergymen were Bishop C.C.J. Carpenter, Bishop Joseph A. Durick, Rabbi Hilton L. Grafman, Bishop Paul Hardin, Bishop Holan B. Harmon, the Reverend George M. Murray, the Reverend Edward V. Ramage, and the Reverend Earl Stallings.
In the "Letter from a Birmingham Jail", Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. responds to an article by eight clergymen, in which he explains the racial injustice in Birmingham, and reasons why King's organization is protesting for Civil Rights. He introduces himself and his actions at the beginning of his letter. He states that the purpose of his direct action protest is to open the door for negotiation on the Civil Rights. He tries to convince his audience by providing evidence in order to gain his audience to be involved in his movement and support him. He also highlights police actions against nonviolent Negros and crimes against humanity in Birmingham city jail.
Martin Luther King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail", was written to answer a critical "Call For Unity" by a group of clergymen in Birmingham. The clergymen were critical of King for "interloping" in the activities of their city. Dr. King said that he had every right to fight unfairness in the country that he lived in. The letter he wrote, in response to the "Call for Unity", and a statement that he would battle racial inequality wherever it was. The "Letter from Birmingham Jail" was the main point in his life. In this letter, he perfectly described his reasons why he felt this way, appealing to logic, emotion, and ethics.
The forceful subjugation of a people has been a common stain in history; Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham Jail was written during the cusp of the civil rights movement in the US on finding a good life above oppressive racism. Birmingham “is probably the most thoroughly segregated city in the United States. Its ugly record of brutality is widely known,” and King’s overall goal is to find equality for all people under this brutality (King). King states “I cannot sit idly. and not be concerned about what happens,” when people object to his means to garner attention and focus on his cause; justifying his search for the good life with “a law that is just on its face and unjust in its application,” (King).
Martin Luther King, Jr. was a pastor, activist, and leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. Mr. King was a man of honor and respect even in the troubling situations of serving jail time. People who were supposed to support him questioned his actions, Dr. King still stood by what he believed in. In Birmingham, Alabama Dr. King hoped that the white religious leaders will come to his aid but instead found reluctance and opposition. In the “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, Martin Luther King, Jr. refutes his critics claims through the use of passionate tones, metaphors, and allusions.
Dr. Martin Luther King addressed many topics in, “Letter from Birmingham Jail”. He answered all the issues that were aimed towards him in a very skillful and well thought out manner. These issues came from, “A Call For Unity”, which was a letter published by eight local clergymen expressing their feelings about what Dr. King was doing. One concern in particular that King did an outstanding job of confronting was that of the clergymen’s anxiety about him breaking the law. King addresses the question of, “How can you advocate breaking some laws and obeying others?” by clarifying that there are just and unjust laws. He also goes on to explain the difference between the two, the effect of unjust laws on the people that they are aimed towards, as
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was the leader of a peaceful movement to end segregation in the United States this mission led him in 1963 to Birmingham, Alabama where officials and leaders in the community actively fought against desegregation. While performing sit-ins, marches and other nonviolent protests, King was imprisoned by authorities for violating the strict segregation laws. While imprisoned King wrote a letter entitled “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, in which he expresses his disappointment in the clergy, officials, and people of Birmingham. This letter employed pathos to argue that the leaders and ‘heroes’ in Birmingham during the struggle were at fault or went against their beliefs.
inform the clergymen about what he and his people are dealing with as a whole
Letter from a Birmingham Jail Is an individual morally justified in breaking a law? The answer to this question is yes,. There are several reasons that have made me believe that it is morally justifiable in breaking the law; however, the most convincing comes from Dr. Martin Luther King in his letter from the Birmingham Jail. " We can never forget that everything Hitler did in Germany was legal." (Classic Arguments 668 -.
In 1963, Birmingham was one of the most segregated cities in the South, so civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. brought his campaign of nonviolent resistance to Birmingham. After leading a demonstration on April 12, 1963, King was arrested for violating demonstration ordinances. Shortly after, eight white clergymen in Birmingham sent out a public statement claiming that although they support desegregation, they advise against anymore protests advocated by King, stating that the “demonstrations are unwise and untimely” (Carpenter et al,). While in jail, King took an opportunity to continue his campaign by responding to these eight white clergymen. In his “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” King uses religious and philosophical allusions to
Aristotle is a very citable man when it comes to the way we think today. His rhetoric techniques are still being used in today's society. The Neo-Aristotelian Criticism is three different appeals of persuasion. This is ethos, pathos and logos, which makes one heck of a convincing argument. Ethos gives credibility, pathos shows emotion and logos uses words. In the text, Letter from Birmingham Jail, we find many examples of the criticism. Martin Luther King Jr. is writing a letter from inside the jail of Birmingham in April of 1963. This letter King wrote was in response to a letter he received from the religious leaders after King is making a stand against the racial issues in Alabama. These leaders stand firm in their letter when they say that when rights are being denied, they should be handled in the courts with negotiations and not in the streets. The authorities have placed Martin Luther King Jr. against his own will after his demonstration of desegregation. While incarcerated, King managed to find anything and everything to write this letter that is now famous for being a link to the end of public racism all over the nation. The content of the letter is filled with appeals of ethos, pathos and logos, which is necessary to make a strong argument.