Analysis Of Martin Luther King Letter From Birmingham Jail

On April 16, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. wrote a compelling letter from a Birmingham jail cell. This letter was to his peers, fellow religious leaders of the local churches who had felt his direct action tactic in their city were of poor taste. He was written a letter from these leaders and King felt a need to respond. Dr. King was a man who was used to being criticized and usually turned the other cheek. In this particular moment, he felt the need to respond to his peers and he did a successful job of addressing their concerns. King was proficient in using descriptive adjectives that provoke emotion and forces the reader to empathize with his points. Most successful was his use of biblical and philosophical reference to support his argument and remind the clergymen of their role and responsibility. King uses a plethora of non-basic words which stresses his level of education, ability to be well-versed and worldly knowledge. His sophisticated use of words definitely makes him a leader to his peers or any adversary that dares question him.

In his essay “Letter from Birmingham Jail” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was addressing some fellow clergy-man that were questioning his actions that landed him in the Birmingham jail. In this letter Dr. King expressed several values that were worth giving his life for. He, masterfully, supported these values using Scriptural and secular examples. I will discuss only two of the values: Righteous Justice and Peaceful Action.

Martin Luther King in his “Letter from Birmingham Jail” argues that “a just law is a man-made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law” (110). King believes that God creates man in his own image, and for that reason King dedicated his life to fight for the equality of all American, and for the civil rights. According to King unfair laws have never had any presence of a single gain in civil rights without legal determination or nonviolent pressure. The support of some laws causes people much displeasure with the constitutional law surrounding abortion. King states the four stages of protesting injustices to black people, which were: collection of the facts to determine whether injustices exist, negotiation, self-purification, and direct action. These same principles should be applied to protect the babies that have no voice simply because the baby has yet to be born. Anti-abortion protests has been effective because protesters have influenced changes in some state laws which also has created awareness on the topic and has even get more people saying the unborn is a baby instead of a fetus.

Martin Luther King Jr. 's 1963 "Letter from Birmingham Jail", a rhetorical masterpiece, was written in response to eight clergymen’s statements condemning his nonviolent direct actions. He defends the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights nonviolent, direct action against individuals, institutions, and laws that look the other way while unjust racial prejudice against African Americans runs rampant in Birmingham. Using three main appeals, Ethos, Pathos, Logos, Dr. King communicates the struggle that was the essence of human rights, equality. Appealing to the logic, ethics, and emotions of the reader strengthens his rebuttal of the opposition, helps him gain support, and clearly justify the recent direct action he led. King uses logos to illustrate his argument and invalidate the opposition to his claim, leading the reader to side with his position. Exampling this, he demonstrates that direct action is not opposed to negotiation, contrary to what his fellow clergyman believe, and states “Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue” (King par 9).

Every writer needs an inspiration to craft a brilliant literary piece. Whether this inspiration is tangible or intangible, it is still necessary. Some forms of inspiration come as passionate love while others appeal as injustice. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail" was a response to "A Call for Unity" by eight white clergymen. His inspiration for writing the letter was the clergymen's unjust proposals and the letter allowed him to present his rebuttal. Martin Luther King Jr. effectively crafted his counter argument by first directly addressing his audience, the clergymen, and then using logos, pathos, and ethos to refute his opponent's statements and present his own perspective.

During the course of living human being are subjected to many controversial arguments and ethical stations. Education in concept of ethical reasoning and in the fundamentals of the principles are important for one to be skilled in ethical reasoning. Ethical reasoning is a very important element in human nature of living either professionally or individually. Ethical reasoning offers critics with the capability to represent viewpoints, ideas and make judgement. Moreover ethical reasoning enable critics’ to consciously give examination for them to reach a solution that does not harm anybody else. Ethical reasoning can be defined as arguing the wrong and the right of human behavior.

Martin Luther King's letter from Birmingham jail was addressed to some clergymen who had penned an open letter criticizing the actions of Martin Luther King and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). King and the group had protested in Birmingham in opposition to racism and black oppression. In his letter, Martin Luther let the clergymen know that he was disappointed about their criticism and that he wanted to address their concerns (MLK Letter par 1).

Throughout history, there have been many significant documents and speeches that enlighten and inform us on what is and was happening during those times. Abraham Lincoln’s speech, The Perpetuation of our Political Institutions, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s Letter from Birmingham Jail are two important pieces of history. In Lincoln’s speech he speaks about the dangers of slavery in the United States and warned everybody that people who disrespected American laws could destroy the United States. On the other hand, Martin Luther King Jr. defended the strategy of nonviolent resistance to racism, and argued that people have a moral responsibility to break unjust laws. Based on these facts, Martin Luther King Jr does not agree with Lincoln’s counsel.

A long time ago before he had a "dream", Martin Luther King Jr., taught many minorities how to be brave and soldier on through the words of God. He made him self aware of religion and politics in order to ensure he could lead the people to triumph through peace showing he was educated, knowing what needed to be done in order to help fix segregation. His article "Letter from Birmingham Jail," proved that though he was such a strong figure in American society many had no idea he was way more to American history and segregation other than his I had a dream speech. He was revered in American Society because he saw the need to be the change that society at the time needed. Through his vast knowledge of religion, politics and the people

:"Letter from Birmingham Jail" is a powerful piece of writing that graces the writings by Martin Luther. Part of the power lies in the use of rhetorical devices such as ethos, logos, and pathos in the letter. Luther used these stylistic devices and literary approaches to express his message, intention and express the mood of the letter making a masterpiece like no other letters before.

“”Wait!" It rings in the ear of every Negro with piercing familiarity. This "Wait" has almost always meant "Never." We must come to see, with one of our distinguished jurists, that “justice too long delayed is justice denied."” Martin Luther King Jr. has sought justice and equality for African Americans, those trapped within injustice, through peaceful protests and campaigns. During a time of racism and segregation, he was a key figure in the American civil rights movement. On April 16, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. sent the “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”, while incarcerated in jail, in response to the criticism that many of the white clergymen had heaped upon the peaceful campaigns and, indirectly, the work that Martin Luther King Jr. had

During civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr.’s incarceration, he received a letter from his fellow Alabama Clergymen expressing their concerns about appealing to law and order and common sense. Because he had a lot of time on his hands, as stated at the end of his response, he wrote a quite long and elaborate letter. In this letter, King justified himself from the arguments made by the clergy communicating his thoughts both passionately and conveying confidence. They accuse him of being an outsider utilizing hatred and violence in an “unwise and untimely” manner. He defends his position on nonviolent direct action addressing not only the 8 clergymen but any apathetic persons in the United States.

The mass demonstrations, featured in Martin Luther King Jr.’s letter happened in 1963 in Birmingham, Alabama and were dedicated to protesting the racial segregation in the state. The letter written by King was the response to the criticism of his participation in the protest. In the letter, King explains the background of the mass protest and presents the facts that preceded the decision to organize one as well as gives justifications for the reasons to join the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights. The central debate faced by King and analyzed in his letter comes down to one question: was it morally justified to participate in this campaign?

40th President Ronald Regan once said that ‘peace is not absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means’, --Dr. King certainly proves this to be factual! In Dr. Martin Luther King Junior's "Letter From Birmingham Jail", Dr. King's makes use of logical arguments directed towards the whites, clergymen, and the general public in order to educate the reader about the strategy of nonviolent resistance to racism—and how they are not causing any troubles by nonviolently protesting for racial justice and equality for African Americans. By doing so, Dr. King successfully persuades the reader to understand that what he is doing by nonviolently protesting is justifiable, and that the tension created by these nonviolent forms

In the quest for equal rights for Black Americans, there would not have been sweeping change in the United States of America, had there not been peaceful resistance to laws. The rights that are now experienced by all racial groups were hard fought by primarily Blacks and their supporters in the 1950's and 1960's. In Dr. Martin Luther King's letter from a Birmingham jail, Dr. King outlines the need for civil disobedience.