How Did Martin Luther King Respond To Letter From Birmingham Jail

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

The question of whether the law of the land overrides human morality has been a popular topic that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. discusses in his letter titled "The Letter From The Birmingham Jail." King's letter uses both the Rogerian and Classical model to argue that the law of the land can not deem justice or injustice, but rather morality must be the judge.

In particular, the black community has waited long enough. Dr. King insists that the black man has waited “more than 340 years” for justice, and he then launches into a litany of abuses that his people have suffered both over time and in his present day. Amongst these abuses is his experience explaining to his young daughter why she cannot go to the “public amusement park” because of her skin color. Because the black man has been pushed “into the abyss of despair,” Dr. King hopes that the clergymen will excuse his and his brethren’s impatience.

The similarities between these two are most evident in their desire for freedom. Martin Luther King Jr. wanted freedom from segregation and Plato wanted freedom from ignorance. They both wanted justice, and knew that it was immoral to take deny another being justice. For example, Plato has said,

Martin Luther King, Jr.’s, “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” emphasizes the need for civil disobedience when faced with unjust laws. This idea contradicts Socrates’ claim made in Crito, that one must follow the law under all circumstances. In this paper, I will argue that Socrates is not a proponent of civil disobedience based on King’s definition of civil disobedience and Socrates’ charges. Moreover, I will argue that both Socrates and King disagree with one another based on the concept of civil disobedience—breaking the law and rejecting certain ideals.

Do you have what it takes to make the morally correct choice? An even better Question is: What are you willing to give up to save another? Martin Luther King gave up his freedom in an attempt and to gain civil rights for the people of Birmingham. Peter Singer explains if you give up just $200 you can save the life of someone with nothing. King and Peter Singer both used honesty to convey their message of what is right and what is wrong, but they both describe very different situations that hold their case and point. King wrote his letter from Birmingham jail on April 16, 1963. Dr. King wrote this letter to his fellow clergymen who defamed the action of Dr. King and the Southern Christian leadership Conference. In King’s response he honestly told his fellow brothers of the church that he was angered by their criticism and explained his actions in Birmingham. Peter Singer wrote “The Singer Solution to World Poverty” on September 5, 1999 for the “New York Time”. It is an honest piece that describes the difference between morally right and wrong. Singer talks about two people who both make the morally choice in the eyes of society and explains to the audience how we as America choose to do nothing to help but they can still buy expensive cars.

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).

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham Jail is a response to a public statement of caution that was issued by several religious leaders of the South. During the midst of the nonviolent demonstrations against segregation in Birmingham, Dr. King was arrested and felt compelled to respond to their statement as he saw these fellow religious men as sincere and of good nature. In this letter he defends the use of nonviolent resistance to the racism occurring. He states that there is a moral responsibility to break unjust laws when taking direct action, in order to further the cause for justice which does not occur on its own.

The two philosophical pieces I decided to work with included John Rawls' Theory of Justice and Martin Luther King Jr.'s Letter From a Birmingham Jail. The reasoning behind pairing the two were the way the two approaches intertwined and could support each other. Rawls's and King's cases for justice had careful consideration of the human condition and could easily be applied to American society. Ultimately, the notion that justice could be achieved through means of questioning authority and preconceived ideas had the most appeal to me.

Martin Luther King Jr. wrote as a response the “Letter from Birmingham Jail” to the letter from eight white clergymen that wrote about an unjust proposition. The clergymen wrote about how the protests should stop, and the problem of civil rights should be attempted as a negotiation among the local leader or in the courts, yet they didn't specify when they were going to start. The clergymen were also stating that any black person that was an outsider should not be allowed lead or organize any protests. King's letter supports the strategies of nonviolent resistance to segregation, including explaining how people have a moral responsibility to break any unfair laws.

Martin Luther King Jr. wrote the “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” after an unjust proposal made by eight white clergymen. Their claims were to be that no Negro “outsider” should be allowed to establish or lead any protest and should leave them to their local neighborhoods. King replied directly to the clergymen, but used religious ties to also have his voice heard in the public. In his counter argument, King strategically used logical evidence, emotional aspects and good motives to present his perspective to the clergymen.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was imprisoned in Birmingham jail because of his contribution and participation in nonviolent demonstrations opposing the segregation championed by the southern leaders. The essay explores his longhand letter in response to civic statement of alarm and threats from the letter written by white religious leaders.

King used morality as a way to differentiate between just and unjust laws. For example, unjust law should go against your morals. King states, “An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral”(King, 5). Unjust laws make you feel bad morally, out of harmony.

Martin Luther King Jr. lived from 1929 to 1968. His specialty was being a Baptist minister.

Letter from a Birmingham Jail” is Martin Luther King Jr. response to several white clergymen who previously criticized the Southern Christian Leadership Conference protest in Birmingham Alabama. He argues how segregation in South is morally unjust and has systemically oppressed African Americans for over 300 years. The only way to fight this ongoing injustice is to create tension in the community. The clergymen disapprove of this method and calls for him to be patience instead of being radical. He responds by saying that this level of tension is needed and takes the term extremist as a compliment. Martin Luther King Jr. says in this argument: “the question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be. Will we