Good Friday in 1963‚ 53 blacks‚ led by Reverend Martin Luther King‚ Jr.‚ marched into downtown Birmingham‚ Alabama‚ to protest the existing segregation laws. All were arrested. This caused the clergymen of this Southern town to compose a letter appealing to the black population to stop their demonstrations. In response to their letter‚ King wrote back in what would be titled "Letter From A Birmingham Jail". Especially prevalent in the letter are Aristotle’s appeals‚ which include logos‚ ethos and pathos
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In Martin Luther King Jr’s. letter‚ composed to the Clergymen from Birmingham Prison‚ he utilizes the expository interest of ethos to build up his credibility regarding the matter of racial segregation and shamefulness. He begins off the letter with "My Dear Fellow Clergymen". By him saying this‚ he is putting himself on the same "level" as the ministers‚ sending the message that he is no short of what them and they are no superior to him. He at that point goes ahead to state‚ "I am here on the
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“Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. was an American clergyman‚ activist‚ philanthropic‚ and leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He worked for racial equality and civil rights using nonviolent civil disobedience. This letter was published in King’s book “Why We Can’t Wait.” It was written in response to a public statement of concern issued by eight White clergymen of Alabama; who disagreed with his civil rights actions. King also quite
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Stephanie Ford Professor Nelson English 100 October 15‚ 2012 “Letter From Birmingham Jail” Summary Response In "Letter from Birmingham Jail" Martin Luther King strives to justify the need for nonviolent direct action in order to end all forms of segregation and helping the civil rights movement. He wrote there are unjust laws and just laws. He believes segregation laws were unjust because it damages the personality and makes African American lives below the standards given to them by the
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Civil disobedience‚ as a form of civil position and attitude‚ can be viewed as a concept that presumes an individual’s right and permissible responsibility to challenge and make own decisions against the letter and spirit of the law. It reflects on situations and contexts when these state-inflicted laws contradict the natural human laws‚ involving some impairment of existing ideals and principles. Notably to say‚ ideas of civil disobedience were present during the ancient and antique times by efforts
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Using the Rhetorical Triangle Dr. Martin Luther King‚ Jr.‚ uses the various forms of the rhetorical triangle logos‚ ethos‚ and pathos‚ in “Letter From Birmingham Jail”. “ In considering the role that ethos plays in the rhetorical analyses‚ you need to pay attention to the details‚ right down to the choice of words or‚ in a visual argument‚ the shapes and colors” (Lunsford & Ruszkiewicz 106). Logos is explained‚ “ In analyzing most arguments‚ you’ll have to decide whether an argument makes a
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“Letter from a Birmingham Jail” was written in a time of civil unrest in the United States and served as a background to the fight against segregation suffered by African Americans. King used his letter to inform the world of the plight of African American’s and utilized natural law to clarify his position. In King’s letter he affirms his belief that he has not broken the law‚ he asserts that “an unjust law is no law at all”. What I believe that King is saying is that a law that is unjust does not
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piece closely relates to Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1963 “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” considering that both works relay the authors underlying values of equality. King uses his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” to promote the efficacy of integration and address the tensions present between races in the United States. After the courts failed to appease King by restricting his ability to hold protests in Birmingham‚ Alabama‚ he was sent to jail for conducting non-violent protests. While imprisoned‚ he mentioned
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In 1891‚ Irish author Oscar Wilde observed‚ “Disobedience‚ in the eyes of anyone who has read history‚ is man’s original virtue‚ it is through disobedience that progress has been made‚ through disobedience and through rebellion.” I believe that this rings true‚ because most‚ if not all‚ social progression that has been made throughout the course of American history‚ has been a result of rebellion‚ usually against something that a group of people felt was unfair. A prime example of this is Martin
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The subject of civil disobedience is a controversial topic‚ one that sparks much debate. On one hand‚ one could argue that protesting or actively disobeying a law one sees as unjust threatens the legal system and‚ in turn‚ negatively impacts society. However‚ history has shown that‚ in cases of unjust laws‚ civil disobedience provides the pressure that pushes open the door to change. A free society is based on the ideals of equal rights and opportunities for all. People are inherently flawed‚ and
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