Letters from Birmingham Jail and Keynote Address at the First Woman's Rights Convention

“If the machine of government is of such a nature that it requires you to be the agent of injustice to another, then, I say, break the law,”1 are words once written by Henry David Thoreau. What makes a law unjust is when a code that a majority group compels a minority group to obey, and the law does not affect the majority group.2 Antigone, the protagonist in Sophocles’ book Antigone, and Martin Luther King Jr. are very similar in there approaches to dealing with unjust laws; utilizing forms of civil disobedience, sharing the same values of the Good Life: being the value of family, respect for others, and the belief of self-empowerment. However, there’s a large discrepancy between the two; Martin Luther King Jr. opposed an unjust law that directly

The principle of equality in 1776 meant the most to white rich American males. Our government has changed so much since 1776 that equality means both men and women alike. “We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men and women are created equal.” Women and men stated at the Declaration of Sentiments

Thomas Jefferson and Martin Luther King Jr. are two American men who were key leaders during very controversial periods in U.S. history, and they were instrumental in movements that forever changed American society. Although their generations, cultures, backgrounds, and motives were quite different, their cause was relatively the same. It was a cause that stood against injustice, oppression, and sought the freedom of all men. Their beliefs and struggles were evident in their writings. Two of the most famous writings in particular are "Declaration of Independence" and "Letter from Birmingham Jail". Both writings are very effective and successful in reaching out to their intended audience. However, "Letter from Birmingham Jail" is more

One of the most interesting things about a culture is the voice of the people. In the United States, the American Voice is the combined voices of the people who live in America and the mixing of thousands of different perspectives and ideas. The natural mixing of American culture leads to change whether for better or for worse, as time goes on, so does America and the American people. American literature commonly has strong themes of unity and equality. The clearest way to see the voice of a culture is through its literature, essays by american authors like The Declaration of Independance, Ain’t I a Woman, and Letters from Birmingham Jail.

"All men are created equal..." is what the original Declaration of Independence expresses. Is that an ideal that this outstanding nation has followed through the years or, perhaps, it is just a measly sentence on a piece of old paper? The United States of America has always considered itself greater than other nations, especially at giving people their deserved freedom. The American people have gone a long way to acquire their freedom, however. There are even people, here, who still struggle for it. To regain their freedom, the African American people went through desolate lives of slavery and then endured the brutal American Civil War, which may be one of the bloodiest wars in US history. After that, all slaves in America were considered free. Black men in America still couldn't vote, however, until Congress passed the Fifteenth Amendment in 1869. Even so, the amendment only gave white and black men the ability to vote. Women were still considered property of men, which eventually led to the Woman's Suffrage Act. The US has struggled long and hard to realize one of the key principles in the founding of this extraordinary nation; the

In order to achieve true freedom one must find a peaceful solution in order to fight for their rights.in the text “letter from Birmingham jail” by Martin Luther King Jr. and “The speech at the march on Washington “ by Josephine Baker, both fought for equality and freedom for all.

To me, Martin Luther King, Jr. is not an unfamiliar name. His famous speech I have a dream is partly selected as our English text in China. Although I know he is well known for the strong and affective words, "Letter from Birmingham Jail" still gave me a very deep impression. It is perfectly organized in a logical and thoughtful arrangement. On the other hand, the words are strong and full of real, impressive emotion.

Martin Luther King was a very important person in the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s. Dr. King among many others was a true Civil Rights activist. Dr. King is also known for his famous “I have a dream” speech. King was also known for a letter he wrote while confined in prison. Dr. King’s letter titled, “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, was written in the 1960s. The letter is written in response to the criticism of eight white clergy men. This letter has been found important throughout history because it expresses King’s feelings toward the unjust events and it is an example of a well-written argument. Most importantly, this letter explains current events in Birmingham in 1963 as well as in the rest of America and it demonstrates the approach Reverend King took throughout the whole civil-rights movement of 1950s and 1960s.

King stated, "there are two types of laws: just and unjust." He goes on to add, "Any law that uplifts human personality is just. Any law that degrades human personality is unjust" (King 3). Not only is it declared that it is acceptable to disobey unjust laws, but it is his moral obligation to do so. Dr. King notes that it was illegal to help a Jew in Nazi Germany. A heart wrenching example such as the holocaust is a perfect way to get people to see things from his perspective. Another noteworthy example would have been the Jews' enslavement in Egypt. Undoubtedly, that story would have resonated with the clergymen as well. It is also important to remember that King does not believe he is above the law. Out in the open and with love is the only way he is willing to break these laws, and he is fully accepting of his punishment. He would give his life in the name of his

In his speech, in order to back up his basic structure King uses rhetorical modes, one of which is pathos, or the mode of utilizing human emotions, by making his audience no longer hate Negroes and instead hate racism and wish for a new, better world, which is part of the structure of his essay. King tries his best in the speech to make the audience sympathize with the Negroes, dislike racism and then be filled with hope of a new world without racism by using strong adjectives and metaphors. For example, King constantly describes the Negroes as being “crippled” by the “manacles of segregation” and “chains of discrimination.” Through this, King makes the audience feel that the Negroes are in great calamity; as if the Negroes had committed a crime and have to be restrained, something which King emphasizes on when he compares the situation of the Negroes as to being stranded on a “lonely island of poverty” while everybody else around them are indulging in a “ocean of material prosperity.” Therefore, through this, the audience realizes how it is not because the Negroes are stupid that they live in poverty, but because the white American society is literally holding them back.

10.) Although he states that “… all men are created equal… “ (Jefferson 1), Jefferson is only referring to males who own property. This excludes all women, children, and those who are of different ethnicity and color. Even though the colonies eventually seceded from Britain, the idea of equality being shared among all was never enforced.

Martin Luther King’s “Letter from the Birmingham Jail” addresses the issue of individual civil rights. In the context of the racially segregated south, Martin Luther King argues that civil rights are not being protected for the power minority. An oppressed group has their civil rights unprotected and thus are marginalized; an oppressed individual does not have equal civil rights to an oppressed individual and it is this difference that creates the distinction between the oppressed and unoppressed. King mentions examples of how the black minority is being oppressed and not given equal civil rights, such as police brutality and unfair prosecution, racial humiliation, and restricted economic and social opportunities. In order to protect individual civil rights for all the oppressed group, which lacks equal civil rights, must strongly and unwaveringly pursue these rights. Like how the black civil rights movement pursued equal civil rights, an oppressed group must repeatedly actively pursue equality from their oppressors and thus restore individual civil rights. Laws that impede these rights are unjust according to King. An unjust law is an immoral law. King uses religious reasoning as well as objective reasoning in order to determine what is just versus unjust. In terms of religion, an unjust law is a law that corrupts the soul by preventing people from feeling as equals and thus goes against the religious idea that all people are equal under god. In terms of objective

King, (1991) in his speech from “Letter from Birmingham City Jail” explains that breaking the law is allowed in dangerous and extreme situations. Before taking action, King and the rest of his group found lots of evidence of injustice, had discussions with those in charge and made changes to their strategy (King, 1991, pg. 406). King, (1991) explains that god gave the land to them and the actions were based in those in Asia and Africa (pg. 407). King, (1991) says the consequences of not taking action were to leave things as they were with lots of violence, racism and poverty (pg. 407-408). King, (1991) explains that are unjust and just laws, which follows natural law (pg. 408). Natural law theory is the belief that what is moral correct is accordance with how it is in nature (Vaughn, 2016). King, (1991) explains that unjust laws are human laws that do not follow nature (pg. 408). King says for example, unjust laws are when the dominant group makes the submissive group follows rules that they disobey (King, 1991, pg. 409). King, (1991) says that those that disobey the law must do it with good will to accept the penalty (pg. 409). Nonviolence means were used with good intentions (King, 1991, pg. 414). This is in accordance with the doctrine of double effect. The doctrine of double effect says things should be done with good intentions and cannot be done with bad intentions (Vaughn, 2016). King’s argument was very well supported. His views are consistent with many ethical principles. However, there were examples and arguments that were repeated.

The public has labeled Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in many different ways over the years: a minister, a dreamer, and a leader. In Birmingham, April 1963, he could have been said to be a law-breaking extremist by many of the community’s members. Dr. King previously, before being thrown in jail, was the leader of the non-violent protests happening in the Birmingham area. A group of clergymen scorned his actions and those of his followers in a local newspaper. His rebuttal was not hateful, but rather insightful to the reasonings behind his actions and why they were necessary. Dr. King uses religious allusions and references which helps deliver this message and makes it so it is easily comprehensible. He has to put on a large aura of knowledge and

“One may well ask,” wrote Martin Luther King, Jr. in his famed 1963 manifesto Letter from Birmingham Jail, “‘how can you advocate breaking some laws and obeying others?’ ” That question is crucial for those who, like King, break the law in the name of greater liberty. The civil rights leader, having been arrested for parading without a permit during a protest against against the segregation and oppression which defined the city of Birmingham, Alabama, saw the answer as simple. “There are just laws,” he wrote, “and there are unjust laws.