Essay On Martin Luther King Letter From Birmingham Jail
Martin Luther King was a well-known American Baptist minister and activist of the 20th century. In 1963, King was captured and imprisoned for demonstrating without permit in Birmingham. In the jail cell, he wrote the “Letter from Birmingham”, which would later become one of the most influential pieces of writing, to send a message not only to the eight clergymen but also the Americans about the cruel reality of segregation. In the letter, King used many biblical references, historical references, and his own logic to make a persuasive argument against the criticisms from the clergymen as well as the society favoring segregation.
Firstly, King related himself to figures in the Bible throughout his letter to convince people and put forth his …show more content…
For instance, King compared the difference between the just laws and the unjust laws to explain for his willingness to break laws: “An unjust law is a code … be considered democratically structured?” Here, King pointed out that the act of segregation was considered unjust because it was not democratically structured. Also, he believed that the laws could only be just when everyone was willing to follow it and it should be considered by all not just by the white society. In other words, by using the facts, King made a strong and convincing argument against the government, which supported the segregation law as a just law. Furthermore, King continued with his logic in saying that such unjust laws should not be preserved by using moral means: “So I have tried to make … right deed for the wrong reason.” Although King agreed that Mr. Connor and the policemen were doing the right thing in ending the protest in a nonviolent way, he pointed out it was ironic that they were in fact protecting an immoral end or injustice. In fact, King asked the clergymen to look outside for the true cause of his protest, which was to end the injustice in Birmingham, rather than commend the police for their good actions in preserving a wrongdoing.
In conclusion, King used many techniques in the “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, including biblical references, historical references, and logic to clarify his action and convince people to fight against the segregated
Firstly, King related himself to figures in the Bible throughout his letter to convince people and put forth his …show more content…
For instance, King compared the difference between the just laws and the unjust laws to explain for his willingness to break laws: “An unjust law is a code … be considered democratically structured?” Here, King pointed out that the act of segregation was considered unjust because it was not democratically structured. Also, he believed that the laws could only be just when everyone was willing to follow it and it should be considered by all not just by the white society. In other words, by using the facts, King made a strong and convincing argument against the government, which supported the segregation law as a just law. Furthermore, King continued with his logic in saying that such unjust laws should not be preserved by using moral means: “So I have tried to make … right deed for the wrong reason.” Although King agreed that Mr. Connor and the policemen were doing the right thing in ending the protest in a nonviolent way, he pointed out it was ironic that they were in fact protecting an immoral end or injustice. In fact, King asked the clergymen to look outside for the true cause of his protest, which was to end the injustice in Birmingham, rather than commend the police for their good actions in preserving a wrongdoing.
In conclusion, King used many techniques in the “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, including biblical references, historical references, and logic to clarify his action and convince people to fight against the segregated