Nonviolent Protests

In A Call for Unity, the eight clergyman from Birmingham published an article in the local newspapers urging blacks to withdraw support from Martin Luther King Jr. and his demonstrations. Instead of supporting MLK they believe that the local community should work together to get past their differences. The Clergymen criticize Martin Luther King’s demonstrations in their article, stating that outsiders (King) should not get involved, negotiation is better than direst action, protests were untimely, and many other premises. King responded to these criticisms in his Letter from Birmingham Jail. He justified these nonviolent measures that sent him to jail and explained why the segregation laws against blacks in the south must be changed. After analyzing both

If they need medical assistance, they cannot go to the same hospital as whites. When they die, they are buried in different cemeteries. Families of color are forced to bring up their children in a humiliating and insulting atmosphere. The state and authorities, as one of social factors, support the racism. The clear examples were dishonest courts and cruel, inhuman actions of the police. Promises to restore justice and equalize the rights of white and colored residents do not mean anything. Church leadership prefers to stay aside the civil problems. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” clearly shows that the church acts in a cowardly manner concerning the issue of racism, supporting the state law, but not the moral one, which claims that all men are brothers. Such a mechanism of society does not function properly because all of its elements are deformed. The deformation is caused by the pressure of state authorities and lack of justice, which was caused by the social conflict. Birmingham can be called a hot spot, where the conflict between the white and colored population was on the brink between the peaceful actions and open battles. The long-lasting conflict influenced the symbolic interactionism. This theory shows that social interaction is based not on the way human beings sense their environment, but on the way they define the environment and each other. In this situation, the colored

In “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. resolutely responds to eight clergymen who question his methods of protest against segregation in Birmingham, Alabama. Specifically, in paragraphs 12-14, Dr. King explains why his protests are indeed being done in a timely manner to obtain the “constitutional and God-given rights” (A Portable Anthology, page 207) that Africans have been restricted of for over 340 years. Dr. King’s argument, combined with his strategic use of rhetorical devices to enhance it, helps create a palpable feeling of understanding that captivates the audience into seeing America through his vision.

Since the beginning of american history there have been peaceful and non peaceful protests. These protests have had valuable effects on American society such as Martin Luther King Jr and Rosa Parks have impacted society greatly and for the better. In my opinion peaceful protests still have negative effects though they are immensely more appropriate than non peaceful protests because peaceful protests often turn violent because people don't know how to act for example Trump Protests.

In the text, “We do not believe that these days of new hope are days when extreme measures are justified in Birmingham.” The clergy men do not believe that this is the proper time or tactic to use extreme measure to get your point across. They do not believe in extremist measures here in Birmingham and classifies them as very unlikely to work. MLK claims that having extreme ideas isn't always a bad thing. MLK quotes, “If one recognizes this vital urge that has engulfed the negro community, one should readily understand why the public demonstrations are taking places.” MLK explains here that yes he is an extremist promoting his ideas of freedom through demonstrations, but people need to understand the problems of the black community. He also states,“If his repressed emotions are not released in nonviolent ways, they will seek expression through violence.” This explains that if extreme idea are not allowed to release their emotion through a safe way they will turn to eventually turn to violence. Lastly MLK says, “but thought I was initially disappointed at being categorized as an extremist, as I continued to think about the matter I gradually gained a measure of satisfaction from the label.” He states being an extremist isn't a bad thing. It means you are passionate about something you want and are not willing to give

“Letter from Birmingham Jail” is addressed to several clergymen who had written an open letter criticizing the actions of Dr. King and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) during their protests in Birmingham. Dr. King tells the clergymen that he was upset about their criticisms, and that he wishes to address their concerns.

In the Letter from Birmingham Jail, Dr. King demonstrates the need for extreme action by depicting Birmingham’s dire future if the Clergymen continue to simply wait for the city to change. He claims that without extreme action one of two possible scenarios will play out, either nothing will ever change in Birmingham and people will continue to suffer under injustice, or worse, the African American community in Birmingham will be forced to resort to violence in order to accomplish their goal of equality. In the quote “millions of Negroes will… seek solace and security in a black nationalist ideology - a development that would inevitably lead to a frightening racial nightmare,” Dr. King demonstrates the consequences of the clergymen condemning his protest by explaining that his protests are the only way for many of the African American people to work out their frustrations, and without them, the majority of the black populace in Birmingham has no way to release its

In the letter, “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. informs the readers of the reasons how and why he is giving a nonviolent protest to racism. King begins the letter stating how he was invited to Birmingham and how he is trying to fight against the “injustice.” In his letter King continues on to explain that the black men have waited to long for justice and they are still fighting it in the present today through the unjust laws. The white churches were brought up negatively through the letter numerous times especially since the letter was specifically written to the clergy members. Dr. King ends his letter in personal hope that the clergy men will see what is wrong in the overall picture of injustice in Birmingham and

Martin Luther King created an archive that might start the defining moment of the Civil Rights development furthermore provides of the battle for genetic equity. King’s “Letter From Birmingham Jail,” aims to defend those who are frantic for peaceful immediate action, the outright shamelessness for unfair laws is very disgraceful and it needed to be exposed for what it really was. Also the expanding likelihood of falling back on amazing confusion and fighting, the utter frustration for those who lie within the chapel who, in King's opinion, required not to live up to their obligations as individuals for the lord. Those activities of the African-American race needed aid and support as the lord required demonstrated in King's Letter. Likewise, King explains, “past promises have been broken by the politicians and merchants of Birmingham and now is the time to fulfill the natural right of all people to be treated equal”. Secondly, King's solution for those clergymen's declarations that separating the law may not be the path to accomplish the effects the African-American is searching for. King feels that the chapel has bypassed its responsibilities to the African-American people, concealing behind “anesthetizing security of stained-glass windows”. King sums up his letter by making a side point that he trusts that the chapel will view its duty and intend as Concerning illustration individuals of the lord and comprehend to have immediate action, those who support unfair/one sided laws and the looming risk of the African-American climbing dependent upon Previously, savagery if they would not listen. King does this all in a diplomatic, ardent

However, it was required to have a permit in order to protest which Martin Luther King Jr. didn’t have. These demonstrations began to get out of hand as more and more people began to get more vocal. The tension was at an all time high between the whites and the blacks. Due to these actions, eight Clergymen in Birmingham, Alabama published an open letter to those who opposed the desegregation laws and to the protestors in order for them to understand that the public demonstrations aren’t solving the problem. The only way to solve this problem is by taking it to the court. This open letter acknowledged their reasons for protesting but persuaded the call for unity for both sides. In the meantime, they want both sides to maintain law and order and try to unite with each

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.

During a public statement by eight Alabama Clergymen blacks were urged to withdraw their support from Martin Luther King and his demonstrations. These men state that the demonstrations taking place could be properly pursued in the courts. In the meantime, the decisions of those courts should be peacefully obeyed. Some members of the negro community have taken it upon themselves to fix the ongoing racial problems which have been proven to be unwise and untimely. A local negro leadership has called for honest and open negotiation of racial issues in the area. It is believed that facing this issue could be accomplished if the citizens of the area meet with the knowledge and experience of the situation. “Hatred and violence have no sanction in our religious and political traditions. (Clergymen)

     The repeal of laws that forced separate but equal treatment of peoples throughout the United States was a major step toward relieving oppression in the southern states, but even these laws are avoided and ignored. There are a generation of people that have grown up being segregated. This forces one group to feel superior and the other to feel inferior. This gap between the people of Birmingham has widened to a huge gulf. People can so longer see their lives any other way but segregated, and are constantly forced to recognize their difference instead of looking at the common things shared by all men. In order to maintain civil relations in Birmingham, all citizens must try to comply with the laws of the city, and adhere to any promises that have been made to the opposing side. The clergymen who wrote the letter opposing nonviolent action, agree that matters in Birmingham are unstable but insist that the Negro community should simply wait, and that the natural flow of time will solve all of their problems. Because of this idea the leaders of the city have postponed and canceled many meetings that could have occurred between influential

Martin Luther King Jr.'s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” is one of the most eye-opening, truth giving letters I've read in awhile. Such a letter informed the clergyman about what actually was going on in the world which required the Civil Rights Movement to become what it has during that time. The police brutality of the Negroes, the discrimination from the church of supposedly “brotherly love”, as well as the promises that were made to the Negroes and never kept by the government or even our own president are some of the upfront topics MLK fervently elaborates on in this noteworthy letter. By telling the clergyman about these sobering facts, MLK is trying to describe to them as to why he came to Birmingham; this reason in which he came is due to the fact that MLK felt that it was his duty to inform the town about all of the racial injustice the Negroes face and how they can call for racial justice. On top of the sobering facts that MLK used in his letter, he also told the clergyman about what he felt was his role in this movement, why he took direct action now, and how the people can strive for racial justice.

On April 16, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. a Christian Baptist minister and social activist wrote an open letter to secure the strategy of nonviolent resistance to racism in the south. He wrote the letter to let the eight other clergymen of Birmingham he was approached by others for guidance, support, care, and encouragement on how to deal with racial and social injustice in Birmingham, Alabama and the south, and help with establishment of civil rights. As he tries to convince the other clergy men that the protests are necessary and at the right time to act upon them. We now compare the methods of protesting in the 60’s and today, and the effects of what has and will happen.