Mlk Rhetoric

Martin Luther King Junior addresses within the first few lines his audience, the clergy. He also, quickly asserts that he is responding to the criticism of his fellow clergyman. Typically MLK did not have time to address his critics, but as he mentions, these men are of “genuine good will,” so he replies to their critiques. Particularly, the clergy and his opponents were frustrated because of his, “direct action” campaign, this was primarily fleshed out through the famous sit ins and marches. King asserts that he would have liked to been able to negotiate, but since the whites were not willing, he says “the purpose of our direct action program is to create a situation so crisis packed that it will inevitably open the door to negotiation.”

MLK, wisely and wittily asserts, that according to the oppressors, there will never be a “right time” for rebellion. He expresses that the black community cannot wait any longer, he writes, “we have waited for more than 340 years for our constitutional and God given rights.” It is my opinion, that the paragraph which MLK very literally explains the hardships of racism (12th paragraph), and allows us to step into the story of him telling his daughter about the amusement park, is what set off his critics. It is at this point in the letter, even forty plus years later, that a knot wells up in the stomach of the reader. No matter what year it is, or who you are, one cannot read this paragraph and not be moved by

MLK writes that a just law is, “is a man made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God, and unjust law is, “ is a code that is out of harmony with moral law.” MLK also quotes another early church father Aquinas. It should be noted, yet not critiqued, that MLK is citing the major architects of “just war”, and men who did not support nonviolence or pacifism. Could it be inferred MLK might suggest is it worth fighting over preserving the “just laws?” Lastly, MLK informs readers that one who intentionally breaks an un just law must do it out of love and willingness to accept the penalty. MLK makes some of his most striking, and convicting remarks, when he writes, “lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.” King is attacking the white moderates, claiming that they are more of pollution to justice than the Klu Klux Klan. I suspect this greatly irritated the mostly white clergy he was writing. King is frustrated with the apathetic white moderates who refuse to take a side, claiming they support the goal, but not the means. King asserts the moderate position to be highly toxic to the fight for