The Letter From A Birmingham Jail - 1266 Words

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a key figure in the civil rights movements that took place in the 1950s and 1960s. The â€Å"Letter from a Birmingham Jail† is an open letter written by King defending nonviolent resistance against racism. The letter argued that people have a moral responsibility to break unjust and unethical laws. The letter also stresses themes of unity among brothers in order to overcome racism. I will argue in support of King’s stance that citizens are morally justified in breaking unjust laws and that openly and responsibly opposing unjust laws is itself a duty of every citizen. Disobeying a law naturally seems counter-intuitive to fixing a problem. This idea is very Socratic in nature. Socrates believed that it was a great disservice to the state to follow laws that were unjust. â€Å"I was attached to this city by the god . . . as upon a great and noble horse (the state in this case) which was sluggish because of its size and needed to be stirred up by a kind of gadfly† (Apology, 30e, Plato). According to Socrates, â€Å"pursing virtue and truth in the name of the state† (Apology, 42a Plato) is necessary and actions such as civil disobedience are also necessary in order to find that virtue and truth at times. Both King and Socrates were â€Å"gadflies† in the sense that they were willing to question and bring tension to laws that were unjust and needed to be changed. This tension brings along the willingness to fix the laws and make them just. Settling for a â€Å"negativeShow MoreRelatedA Letter From The Birmingham Jail1110 Words   |  5 Pagesstatement of the text’ which is often drawn directly from the Bible; (3) the ‘body of the sermon,’ which consists of repeated emotional climaxes; and (4) the ‘conclusion’ which resolves the emotional tension aroused by the sermon by drawing the sinners to God.† (Pipes 143). Based on these characteristics and King’s religious background and experience as a preacher, it is logical to argue that the structure of â€Å"A Letter from the Birmingham Jail† resembles that of a sermon which is aimed at an audienceRead MoreLetter from Birmingham Jail1872 Words   |  8 Pages2015 Letter from Birmingham Jail-Rhetorical Analysis Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote the â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail† in order to address the biggest issue in Birmingham and the United States at the time (racism) and to also address the critics he received from the clergymen. The letter discusses the great injustices happening toward the Black community in Birmingham and although it is primarily aimed at the clergymen King writes the letter for all to read. In his â€Å"Letter from Birmingham JailRead MoreThe Letter From Birmingham Jail 1321 Words   |  6 Pages(King). Children ripped apart from their families, not being able to socialize with certain people, or even go to the local amusement park. It was a hard time to be a colored person, and there was one hope. Martin Luther King, Jr. believed that one day blacks and whites could one day come together peacefully. King tried to do what he believed was right with everything in his will to finally join forces and not be talked down on by whites. In the â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail† he includes several eventsRead MoreThe Letter From A Birmingham Jail809 Words   |  4 Pagesbut all human beings who were being treated unjustly. He is known for many speeches, but The Letter from a Birmingham Jail† written in 1963 was phenomenal in my opinion; this letter, written in response to â€Å"A Call for Unity,†(Carpenter et. el, 1963 ) an article written by eight, white, Alabama clergymen, was to serve as a response to those who believed that King acted inappropriately for coming to Birmingham, Alabama, as an outsider, for creating immense tension with his demonstrations, and for theRead MoreLetter from a Birmingham Jail759 Words   |  4 PagesLuther King’s â€Å"Letter from Birmingham jail† is a mix of emotional passion and logical precision that seeks to achieve meaningful cause. The letter was a response to white clergy who were critical of his intention in Birmingham naming him an â€Å"outsider†. Kingà ¢â‚¬â„¢s response to critics through a letter explains his arguments vividly and effectively. King wrote the letter in a way that he agreed with his critics, nonetheless still using their words against them in logic harmony. King’s letter illustratesRead MoreLetter From A Birmingham Jail1900 Words   |  8 PagesSummary and Response â€Å"Letter from a Birmingham Jail† John Hodgin English 111-54H Professor Bradford Ivy Tech Community College September 24, 2017 Cover Letter Professor Bradford, Obviously my primary motivation for writing my Summary and Response Draft is that it is a requirement for my English Composition Class. Having said that, I also have another heartfelt motivation for writing my Summary and Response about Martin Luther King’s â€Å"Letter from a Birmingham Jail†. I have studied aboutRead MoreEssay on A Letter From a Birmingham Jail717 Words   |  3 PagesA Letter From a Birmingham Jail In Martin Luther King, Jr.s Letter from a Birmingham Jail, his thoughts and ideas are directly stated, well expressed, explained, and illustrated. Kings style of writing gives the reader a clear glimpse into the world with which he struggled and allows his letter to be powerfully effective. In the introductory paragraph, King introduces his reason for writing the letter and details who the audience is to be. He explains that he rarely answers criticismsRead MoreLetter From Birmingham City Jail Essay1700 Words   |  7 PagesProfessor Ybarra Philosophy 1C 23 November 2015 Letter From Birmingham City Jail Martin Luther King Jr. wrote the Letter from Birmingham City Jail to the clergymen, saying that they criticized the actions and how they were targeting him. He explains in the letter how the city of Birmingham has gone through all the nonviolent campaigns and that it proves that their is serious racial injustice. Martin Luther King Jr. composed the letter to Birmingham in 1963. The reason why so many people were complainingRead MoreLetter From Birmingham Jail Act904 Words   |  4 Pages In April 1963, the city of Birmingham, Alabama, was caught in the midst of massive civil rights protests. Protestors advocating for desegregation brought the city to a halt with widespread disruptive yet peaceful protests. After a circuit court placed an injunction against protesting, parading and picketing King was arrested for his involvement. While in jail King received a letter written by eight Alabama clergymen criticizing King for his disruptive protests and the breaking of laws which leadRead MoreLetter From Birmingham Jail Essay Essay1451 Words   |  6 PagesZhuo Liu Lauren Sassenoff English 1P-5 25 September 2016 Letter from Birmingham Jail Essay In 1963 Martin Luther King Jr. wrote a letter while incarcerated in Birmingham jail to eight clergymen in response to their letter known as â€Å"A Call for Unity.†Ã‚  The letter asked for the stop of direct action type protest in Birmingham, Alabama that Martin Luther King was leading.   The letter has become known as one of the greatest works of argument in American history. Part of the reason for the letter’s