Rhetorical Analysis Of Mlk Letter To Birmingham Jail

Segregation tore apart and destroyed the social justice of the United States. In the hopes to end discrimination Martin Luther King JR, a minister and Civil Rights Activist, fought as Ghandi once did with civil disobedience. After Dr. King had received a letter from the clergy of Birmingham, the city where he was also currently in jailed, accused of being “untimely” and “unwise.” In his response, he argues on page one paragraph four, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” to prove his point where he uses a series of rhetorical strategies such as aphorism, analogy, and homily.
Throughout, Dr. King reminds the clergy that he fights for a moral purpose in a place where immoral acts are committed too often. With the use of aphorism he explains that unjustifiable acts do not sit right in his mind and cannot be unbothered by them. He says on page one paragraph four, “I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned with what happens in Birmingham.” He refuses to overlook the acts taking place in

Birmingham even if they are not directed at him. When people offend and single out groups or even individuals it affects not only them but the people who care and mourn for them, it’s something everyone in any era must consider before directly and openly committing cruel acts even if it is through words. In another attempt to show the clergy of their immoral doings he says, “It is unfortunate that demonstrations are taking place in Birmingham, but it is even more unfortunate that the city’s white power structure left the Negro community with no alternative.” In a way he is saying that the white community has made it near impossible to leave any sort of hope for the colored. It is wrong in its own to show so much hate but to take the people's hope is weak on themselves, they resort to taking their weakness to make them feel in control. Such fights should not be legal but are, at least they could be fair to moral to both parties. If there is anything Birmingham lacked it is their sense of mortality, the U.S. has learned from that time in history what morality really is and how the nation needs to stay true to it.
In addition, Dr.

King values analogies to show the clergymen that the way Birmingham is living holds back society and further proving “Injustice anywhere is threat to justice everywhere.” He states on page five paragraph twenty “... law and order exist for the purpose of establishing justice and when they fail in this purpose they become the dangerously structured dams that block the flow of social progress.” Laws are meant to keep peace but the laws of their day made conflict nothing less than inevitable. Today the U.S. truly lives by constitutional views- everyman is created equal. On page five paragraph nineteen he argues “Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.” King believes that it is worse for people to avoid the problem then ignorantly wrong. If people avoid problems there is no growth that can be made. Segregation really held back society, today the U.S. is a discrimination free country and one of the

strongest.
To disclose, Martin Luther King JR. applies homily when segregation threatens the holiness of church. On page eight paragraph thirty-three he says, “Everyday I met a young person whose disappointment with the church has turn into outright disgust.” Church is a safe place because God loves all- God never turned away anyone, but an owner of building puts a sign that reads “whites only” leaves a young confused heart to be angry with God. Church is meant to be kept holy and free of resentment. In the same section he states, “But the judgement of God is upon the church as never before.” It is God's test for if those who stand for him may stand for his brother no matter the color of their skin. If they deny their brothers and sisters of a home that is not their the God will deny them entry of the pearl gates. God does not deny anyone so no one earth has the power to deny the church for another.
Martin Luther King JR. lived and died for the nation to become whole, not different communities that call themselves a nation but do not live as one. Society needs to makes mortality a priority to remain humble. Laws must apply to this too, they are meant for the greater good and should be nothing less and at the time it was an excuse to be corrupt. Men of church should live up to God's plan- as should everyone. Religious or not love, acceptance, and trust should have been a given when these United States first formed but was somehow lost in translation. Dr, King moved the nations with his mind and how it became political poetry when he wrote and spoke in such a series of rhetorical strategies.