There comes a time when the cup of endurance runs over, and men are no longer willing to be plunged into the abyss of despair. But he will not see this without pressure from devotees of civil rights. Based on the arguments he makes and the stipulations he assumes, it is possible to construct the audience he means to be affected by this letter: a moderate, white, generally moral but conflicted group. Due to the extent of his higher learning, Dr. King had ready access to a number of allusions from a variety of religious and secular traditions, and he makes full use of that knowledge in the Letter. While each allusion serves a particular purpose in the context of the argument in which it is used, when taken together they underline two aspects of his argument. After MLK was arrested for peaceful protest in response to a letter from an opposition "While confined here in the Birmingham city jail, I came across your recent statement calling my present activities "unwise and untimely." Seldom do I pause to answer criticism" Pg 1 - Para. We bring it out in the open, where it can be seen and dealt with. Though he obviously would prefer it, he is firm in his commitment to justice and certain that his cause will succeed because of that commitment. If I have said anything that understates the truth and indicates my having a patience that allows me to settle for anything less than brotherhood, I beg God to forgive me. During the first half of the Letter, Dr. Kings arguments are marked more by their restraint than by their fire. Moreover, I am cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states. Perhaps the South, the nation and the world are in dire need of creative extremists. We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people. Nourished by the Negros frustration over the continued existence of racial discrimination, this movement is made up of people who have lost faith in America, who have absolutely repudiated Christianity, and who have concluded that the white man is an incorrigible devil.. For years now I have heard the word "Wait!" Isnt negotiation a better path? You are quite right in calling for negotiation. Frankly, I have yet to engage in a direct action campaign that was "well timed" in the view of those who have not suffered unduly from the disease of segregation. Something within has reminded him of his birthright of freedom, and something without has reminded him that it can be gained. The logical and well put together letter was written as a response to a statement in the newspaper, which was written by some clergymen. I hope this letter finds you strong in the faith. Though this passage comes earlier than the explicit discussion of the white moderate, it is one of the clearest articulations of the accusation he makes against them. I wish you had commended the Negro sit inners and demonstrators of Birmingham for their sublime courage, their willingness to suffer and their amazing discipline in the midst of great provocation. However, because he stipulates that his audience is ostensibly interested in the virtue of justice, he argues that moderation allows them license to live in a sinfulness of inaction. Now is the time to make real the promise of democracy and transform our pending national elegy into a creative psalm of brotherhood. First is his argument that all men are interrelated, and responsible for one another. A Letter in Pieces. Summarize what led to the decision to start the protests in Birmingham? Rhetorical Analysis of "Letter From a Birmingham Jail" How Stoicism Supports Civil Disobedience Detail the distinction between just and unjust laws. We must come to see that, as the federal courts have consistently affirmed, it is wrong to urge an individual to cease his efforts to gain his basic constitutional rights because the quest may precipitate violence. A law is unjust if it is inflicted on a minority that, as a result of being denied the right to vote, had no part in enacting or devising the law. If one recognizes this vital urge that has engulfed the Negro community, one should readily understand why public demonstrations are taking place. 1 - Line 1 Audience The reader (s) to whom this is directed. Where were their voices of support when bruised and weary Negro men and women decided to rise from the dark dungeons of complacency to the bright hills of creative protest?. Smothering in an airtight cage of poverty. They were too God-intoxicated to be astronomically intimidated. By their effort and example they brought an end to such ancient evils as infanticide and gladiatorial contests. Knowing that a strong economic-withdrawal program would be the by product of direct action, we felt that this would be the best time to bring pressure to bear on the merchants for the needed change. I had also hoped that the white moderate would reject the myth concerning time in relation to the struggle for freedom. A just law is a man made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God. 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. Opening through "I have organizational ties here." Individuals may see the moral light and voluntarily give up their unjust posture; but, as Reinhold Niebuhr has reminded us, groups tend to be more immoral than individuals. Even when he becomes more confrontational in the letters second half, Dr. King is always deferential, offering the possibility that the clergymen sin from ignorance or error, thereby offering them a way to backtrack. Before the pen of Jefferson etched the majestic words of the Declaration of Independence across the pages of history, we were here. More books than SparkNotes. In deep disappointment I have wept over the laxity of the church. Then it occurred to us that Birminghams mayoral election was coming up in March, and we speedily decided to postpone action until after election day. Discuss Dr. Kings use of restraint in the Letter. What does it reveal about his purpose, and what is its effect? Frequently we share staff, educational and financial resources with our affiliates. You speak of our activity in Birmingham as extreme. And yet little by little, it becomes clear that Dr. King intends this statement for a much larger audience. Their witness has been the spiritual salt that has preserved the true meaning of the gospel in these troubled times. Just as Socrates felt that it was necessary to create a tension in the mind so that individuals could rise from the bondage of myths and half truths to the unfettered realm of creative analysis and objective appraisal, so must we see the need for nonviolent gadflies to create the kind of tension in society that will help men rise from the dark depths of prejudice and racism to the majestic heights of understanding and brotherhood.. The multiple traditions from which Dr. King draws his allusions reflects this belief, showing his deference for and trust in a variety of approaches, including: secular theory; Jewish theology; Christian thinkers; political figures; and historical persons. More and more I feel that the people of ill will have used time much more effectively than have the people of good will. We must come to see, with one of our distinguished jurists, that "justice too long delayed is justice denied.". So often the contemporary church is a weak, ineffectual voice with an uncertain sound. ", "But more basically, I am in Birmingham" through "live in monologue rather than dialogue. Hence segregation is not only politically, economically and sociologically unsound, it is morally wrong and sinful. How does the discussion of group immorality relate to the letters overall purpose? Professor Jonathan Rieder argues that the Letter can be understood as having two sections: the Diplomat and Prophet sections. In our own nation, the Boston Tea Party represented a massive act of civil disobedience. Society must protect the robbed and punish the robber. I hope, sirs, you can understand our legitimate and unavoidable impatience. One who breaks an unjust law must do so openly, lovingly, and with a willingness to accept the penalty. Copyright 1999 - 2023 GradeSaver LLC. In truth, King is concocting a syllogism if Socrates is good, and Socrates was right to create tension so that the mind could grow, then tension is good for inspiring mankind to grow. While Rieders designations are perhaps too tight to be perfectly applicable, they do help to understand the overall progression of Letter from Birmingham Jail. At the beginning, Dr. King is playing a diplomat, attempting to reach a certain end through polite, restrained means. Though he makes other subsumed distinctions (like the way just and unjust laws either punish or include minorities), this general definition serves to illustrate his overarching point: that laws are not separate from morality, but instead ought to be reflections of it. Never before have I written so long a letter. On the basis of these conditions, Negro leaders sought to negotiate with the city fathers. If today I lived in a Communist country where certain principles dear to the Christian faith are suppressed, I would openly advocate disobeying that countrys antireligious laws. ", I must make two honest confessions. through now this approach is being termed extremist., But though I was initially disappointed through embodied in our echoing demands., Read the Study Guide for Letter From Birmingham Jail, Rhetorical Analysis of Letter From a Birmingham Jail, We Are in This Together: Comparing "Letter from Birmingham Jail" and "Sonny's Blues", Fighting Inequality with the Past: A Look into "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" and Related Historical Documents, A Question of Appeal: Rhetorical Analysis of Malcolm X and MLK, View our essays for Letter From Birmingham Jail, Introduction to Letter From Birmingham Jail, View the lesson plan for Letter From Birmingham Jail, View Wikipedia Entries for Letter From Birmingham Jail. I have hope that Mr. Boutwell will be reasonable enough to see the futility of massive resistance to desegregation. We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people. what is the perspective of these people and why does it matter. The teachings of Christ take time to come to earth. Such an attitude stems from a tragic misconception of time, from the strangely irrational notion that there is something in the very flow of time that will inevitably cure all ills. The Negro has many pent up resentments and latent frustrations, and he must release them. Here, he presents the stakes of such cowardice: the church will become irrelevant. His language is unequivocally harsh, likening the church to a social club without authenticity. The sense of outright disgust is attributed to young people, but is arguably Dr. Kings own. Is not segregation an existential expression of mans tragic separation, his awful estrangement, his terrible sinfulness? LETTER (noun) Let me give another explanation. The injustices that happen in Birmingham effect other places. They have gone down the highways of the South on tortuous rides for freedom. Birmingham was one of the most racially segregated and oppressive, to blacks, city in America. But again I am thankful to God that some noble souls from the ranks of organized religion have broken loose from the paralyzing chains of conformity and joined us as active partners in the struggle for freedom. Secondly, Dr. Kings use of multiple traditions for his allusions reinforces the unimpeachability of his argument. Turnitin Technology to Improve Student Writing Archives Philly com May 4th, 2018 - Archives and past articles from the Philadelphia Inquirer Philadelphia Daily News and . For years now I have heard the word Wait! It rings in the ear of every Negro with piercing familiarity. Abused and scorned though we may be, our destiny is tied up with Americas destiny. resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss thenovel. But though 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 makes no qualms at implicitly comparing himself with Jesus (and other figures that follow), and uses an unimpeachable sentiment (love your enemies) to justify his ground. A just law is a man made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God. 1. It was "illegal" to aid and comfort a Jew in Hitler's Germany. King is expressing his apology for the demonstrations themselves, but he is not apologizing for the reasons and purposes behind the demonstrations. Perhaps Mr. Connor and his policemen have been rather nonviolent in public, as was Chief Pritchett in Albany, Georgia, but they have used the moral means of nonviolence to maintain the immoral end of racial injustice. About mid-way through the Letter, Dr. King declares his primary antagonist as the white moderate. Thus, the clergymen and the white moderate society that the represent should not only celebrate Dr. Kings attempt to bring about justice, but join in the crusade. Indeed, this is the very purpose of direct action. In context, he is turning the tables on those who've caused the demonstrations in the first place. Letter From Birmingham Jail study guide contains a biography of Martin Luther King, Jr., literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. One day the South will recognize its real heroes. Like Paul, I must constantly respond to the Macedonian call for aid. Its ugly record of brutality is widely known. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Letter From Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King, Jr. Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. But for what purpose? ", "But more basically, I am in Birmingham" through "live in monologue rather than dialogue. In this sense they have conducted themselves rather nonviolently in public. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.. I have beheld the impressive outlines of her massive religious education buildings. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negros great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizens Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to order than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says: I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action; who paternalistically believes he can set the timetable for another mans freedom; who lives by a mythical concept of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait for a more convenient season. Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. "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. He directly accuses moderates of disingenuousness when they preach patience, in effect calling them liars they say wait but mean never. Worse, he suggests that they lie without even realizing it. So I have not said to my people: Get rid of your discontent. Rather, I have tried to say that this normal and healthy discontent can be channeled into the creative outlet of nonviolent direct action. They have left their secure congregations and walked the streets of Albany, Georgia, with us. It will cover the parts of the SOAPSTone method, offer examples, and give a sample. I had hoped that the white moderate would understand that the present tension in the South is a necessary phase of the transition from an obnoxious negative peace, in which the Negro passively accepted his unjust plight, to a substantive and positive peace, in which all men will respect the dignity and worth of human personality. And yet as the arguments progress, Dr. Kings attacks become less passive aggressive and more direct, moving him into a sort of prophet who no longer argues that he needs the support of his audience. How does one determine whether a law is just or unjust? These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Letter From Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King, Jr. I felt that the white ministers, priests and rabbis of the South would be among our strongest allies. The movie should analyze a sample piece, identify all the SOAPS parts in the piece, and create a sample introduction with a strong thesis to answer the question \"How does Martin Luther King Jr. use effective rhetoric to persuade his audience?.\" Preview the introductory paragraph with me before filming. Rhetorical Triangle SOAPSo Speakero Occasiono Audience o Purposeo Subjecto Tone (brief overview, as group 6 will cover) Author's purpose Thesis Considering the context of its creation, the Letter from Birmingham Jail is remarkably restrained in tone. Things are different now. The "Letter, from Birmingham Jail" is a smooth reaction to ''A Call for Unity.'' 866-206-0994. This is difference made legal. Eight Birmingham clergymen had published a. The argument lays the groundwork for the Letter to pose a call to individual action, a defense of those who stand up and sacrifice themselves and their comfort in the name of freedom and justice. There have been more unsolved bombings of Negro homes and churches in Birmingham than in any other city in the nation. We began a series of workshops on nonviolence, and we repeatedly asked ourselves: Are you able to accept blows without retaliating? Are you able to endure the ordeal of jail? We decided to schedule our direct action program for the Easter season, realizing that except for Christmas, this is the main shopping period of the year. Of course, there is no shortage of passive aggressive attacks and criticism throughout the letter, but the tone remains polite, deferential, at times almost apologetic, creating a friendly and ironic tone. When we discovered that the Commissioner of Public Safety, Eugene Bull Connor, had piled up enough votes to be in the run off, we decided again to postpone action until the day after the run off so that the demonstrations could not be used to cloud the issues. His difficult arguments end up practically unimpeachable precisely because he has presented them through logos as well as through pathos. Perhaps I must turn my faith to the inner spiritual church, the church within the church, as the true ekklesia and the hope of the world. There was a time when the church was very powerfulin the time when the early Christians rejoiced at being deemed worthy to suffer for what they believed. And yet he does not carry this restraint to the point of apologizing for encouraging tension. Let me take note of my other major disappointment. The protests began with to pressure business leaders to cease discrimination for employment and end segregation in public facilities, restaurants, Why would King express his apology in this way? Any law that degrades human personality is unjust. I can assure you that it would have been much shorter if I had been writing from a comfortable desk, but what else can one do when he is alone in a narrow jail cell, other than write long letters, think long thoughts and pray long prayers? Here, Dr. King describes what happens when one relies on a law that exempts itself from moral responsibility. Some have been dismissed from their churches, have lost the support of their bishops and fellow ministers. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote the "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" on April 16, 1963. Human progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability; it comes through the tireless efforts of men willing to be co workers with God, and without this hard work, time itself becomes an ally of the forces of social stagnation. Obviously, Dr. King cannot avoid the topic, but much of his argument, especially in the letters first half, is presented in universalist terms and through abstractions like justice and the interrelatedness of man. I have heard numerous southern religious leaders admonish their worshipers to comply with a desegregation decision because it is the law, but I have longed to hear white ministers declare: Follow this decree because integration is morally right and because the Negro is your brother. In the midst of blatant injustices inflicted upon the Negro, I have watched white churchmen stand on the sideline and mouth pious irrelevancies and sanctimonious trivialities. Too long has our beloved Southland been bogged down in a tragic effort to live in monologue rather than dialogue. At first I was rather disappointed that fellow clergymen would see my nonviolent efforts as those of an extremist. Keeping with the more confrontational tone of the letters second half, Dr. King launches into an attack on the complacency of the contemporary church. Letter From Birmingham Jail essays are academic essays for citation. He establishes this by referring to the greatest indignity in black American history slavery and yet owning that period with optimism, as an indication that the black man will triumph over any adversity. You warmly commended the Birmingham police force for keeping order and preventing violence. I doubt that you would have so warmly commended the police force if you had seen its dogs sinking their teeth into unarmed, nonviolent Negroes. Larger Audience we must come to earth little, it is morally wrong and sinful apologizing..., city in the open, where it can be gained: you. A weak, ineffectual voice with an uncertain sound, find answers, and must! The demonstrations method, offer examples, and discuss thenovel moreover, I constantly. Rather nonviolently in public word Wait because he has presented them through logos as as! More basically, I must constantly respond to the Macedonian call for aid, but he is turning tables. 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