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Just And Unjust Law

Decent Essays

In Letter from Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King Jr. argues the differences of a just and unjust law. He clarifies the idea through the quote, “One may well ask, ‘How can you advocate breaking some laws and obeying others?’ The answer is found in the fact that there are two types of laws: there are just laws, and there are unjust laws. I would agree with St. Augustine that ‘An unjust law is no law at all.’” (King, p. 3.) Throughout the letter King uses inductive reasoning, from personal experiences and observation to form a conclusion about unjust laws. Martin Luther King Jr. justified his actions of rebelling the ‘just’ laws by non-violent protest and this letter. The message King portrays through the letter is still relevant in today’s …show more content…

“An unjust law is a code that a majority inflicts on a minority that is not binding on itself… A just law is a code that a majority compels a minority to follow, and that it is willing to follow itself.” (King, p.3.) In this quote, King explains the abuse of power by the white majority in 1963. He compels this message of rules being essentially forced on his people through racial segregation and abuse of power, rather than willingly abiding by the law. King writes about his encounter and observation with the justice system saying, “You warmly commended the Birmingham police for keeping the “order” and “preventing violence”. I don’t believe you would have so warmly commended the police force if you had seen its angry violent dogs literally biting six unarmed, nonviolent Negroes…observe their ugly inhuman treatment…watch them push and curse old Negro women and young girls; if you would see them slap and kick old Negro men and young boys,” (King, p.5.) These are the examples of King’s idea that a law can be just on …show more content…

This concept also applies to the development of gay rights within society. Within the past 10 to 15 years, gay rights have slowly improved. Same sex-marriages became legal in all 50 states within the United States of America in 2015. Although there are differences between the history of segregation in the 1960s and the discrimination of the LGBTQ+ peoples in today’s culture, the Letter from Birmingham Jail shares similar connotations. The common connection of equal rights not being given is displayed through, not only race in the 1960s, but today’s societal view of the gay community. Kings states, “Any law that degrades human personality is unjust. All segregation statuses are unjust because they distort the soul and damage the personality.” (King, p.3.) This corresponds to today’s culture because there is often discrimination towards those who choose to be attracted to people outside of the heterosexual norm. In a daily basis those who apart of the LGBTQ+ community are denied basic human rights simply because they are not heterosexual or cisgender. This is unjust as society should believe regardless of your sexuality or gender identity, everyone deserves the right to have basic human rights, however, this is not the case in today’s day in age. In conclusion Martin Luther King Jr. explains through the Letter from Birmingham

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