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Summary Of Letter From Birmingham Jail

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Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” is a powerful message to explain King’s journey through defeating racial injustice for equality. King’s letter can be broken down into the model of the toulmin approach. He uses strong claims to develop his reasons. He then strengthens it with providing concrete grounds. Then the warrant can be understood by the backing King offers. Continuing with the rebuttal the clergymen questions King with that King then refutes. Nonetheless King provides no qualifier because he has such a strong stance on defeating racial injustice. As “Letter from Birmingham Jail” is thoroughly analyzed the claim can be concluded to be that racism does not only affect one person but it also affects the entire race, …show more content…

The first claim King presents is broad but is narrowed to a specific location in where he is being detained. His grounds are the reasons why he was in Birmingham to begin with. King explains, “Several months ago the affiliate here in Birmingham asked us to be on call to engage in a nonviolent direct-action program if such were deemed necessary.” King continues to further explain the horrid acts of racial injustice that occurred that did deem it essential for direct-action. He expresses, “There have been more unsolved bombings of Negro homes and churches in Birmingham than any other city in the …show more content…

King backs this warrant by explaining the just and unjust laws that Negros are facing. Without justice racial equality will never be accomplished. King continues on by stating, “A just law is a manmade code that squares with the moral law or the low of God. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law.” King explains what an unjust law in further by expressing, “Any law that degrades human personality is unjust. All segregation statutes are unjust because segregation distorts the soul and damages the personality.” As a consequence without justice, the persons affected by unjust laws will never feel racial

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726 Words | 3 Pages

He insisted that, instead of sitting back and watching as black people suffered, they should stand up against inequality. Martin Luther King Jr. uses rhetorical questions, metaphors, and formal structure to influence the clergymen to fight against racial inequality in “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” King uses rhetorical questions throughout his letter to influence the clergymen to think about how African Americans were not treated equally. In paragraph 9, King wonders about the Church by asking, “Who worships here? Who is their God?

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According to “Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King Jr., he wrote a letter to respond to white clergymen on explaining why he is taking such actions. In the year 1963, during Martin Luther King Jr’s imprisonment in Birmingham, Alabama, he wrote a transcendent letter to white clergymen who stated that they disagreed with his obnoxious protests for racial inequality. They also urged him to seize his illogical riots. Martin’s response towards those men was that he and his fellow advocates would continue to protest and riot to make sure that they get the justice that they deserve. The clergymen also claim that he is an outsider and that he is only in Birmingham to create problems.

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863 Words | 4 Pages

He points out is due to the fact that there’s injustice in the city of Birmingham that he is there. “Birmingham is probably the most thoroughly segregated city in the United States. Its ugly record of brutality is widely known. Negroes have experienced grossly unjust treatment in the courts. There have been more unsolved bombings of Negro homes and churches in Birmingham than in any other city in the nation” (king, 1963, p.1, para.3).

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Letter from Birmingham Jail “I am in Birmingham because injustice is here” Martin Luther King, Jr states. He admits that he feels forced to support and maintain freedom in Birmingham (prg. 4). Martin Luther King, Jr. holds that he is aware of the corruption occurring in communities and states. He cannot avoid worrying about the situation in Birmingham, King explains. The author claims, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” (par. 5).

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756 Words | 4 Pages

In April 1963 Martin Luther King was arrested and jailed in Birmingham, Alabama, for organizing demonstrations against unjust segregation laws. While in jail, he read a letter written by eight clergymen who denounced his demonstrations. King answered the clergymen in a letter now known as "Letters from Birmingham Jail." A study of American history reveals that King was justified in leading demonstrations against unjust segregation (Jim Crow) laws. To begin, in April 12, 1966 several Alabama Clergymen wrote an open letter to Martin Luther King criticizing his actions during his demonstration in Birmingham, Alabama.

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1143 Words | 5 Pages

King impresses his readers with his historical knowledge in terms of the origin of laws to point out whether they are coined just or unjust. Quotes from St Augustine, “an unjust law is not law at all” and Thomas Aquinas, “an unjust law is a human law that is not rooted in eternal law and natural law”(King 804) clearly define the premise of God given rights. King relates to his readers by stating that segregation is against the natural law or in other terms the human rights given by our creator. He then goes on to provide more present examples of immoral rights being sequestered by those who do not have the authority to do so. The concrete example of the Supreme Courts decision to outlaw segregation in 1954 yet holding Dr. King in jail for not having a permit to parade in public adequately calls into question his statement, “how can you advocate breaking some laws and obeying others.”

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After establishing creditability, King shifts to explaining the grievances of African American through pathos. He gives examples of personal experience to bring forth the real truth of racism in Birmingham. He pushes for acceptance, oppression, and change for African Americans. If he did not push for those things, racism will still be an unsolved problem today. King stated, “Negroes have experienced grossly unjust treatment in the courts”.(IN TEXT CITATION)

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1114 Words | 5 Pages

Dr King wrote a direct response to the eight clergymen from Alabama in a confinement cell in Birmingham, Alabama which is now known as “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” It addresses the wrong-doings and injustices going on in Birmingham. King was arrested for being part of a peaceful protest against segregation that had not been approved to be marched in that area. King argues that publicly showing that people including him are against segregation is better than just negotiating and having the “Negro community” patiently wait around for society to move toward civil rights and that demanding social justice provokes individuals and groups to act out, regardless of how peaceful the method may be. Dr King explains why it is okay for him to be a part

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When using these examples and comparing it to the usage of the words legal and illegal during the rise of the civil rights movement, he is able to validify and persuade the readers to see the true meaning and usage of these words. As King defines the meaning of an unjust law to be, “any law that degrades human personality… all segregation statutes… because segregation distorts the soul and damages the personality,” (King 3) it legitimizes the argument of how the laws that lead to segregation cannot be deemed a law due to the fact that they push

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1546 Words | 7 Pages

When responding to the eight white clergymen, he states, “Seldom do I pause to answer criticism of my work and ideas,” giving the reader the notion that a plethora of criticism must come across his desk. But, he has chosen to write a response and explain himself simply because King feels they are “men of genuine good will” and their criticism is “sincerely set forth.” After the introduction of his letter, he feels he must next explain his location at the time: Birmingham Jail. “I am in Birmingham because injustice is here,” says King. This quote lets the reader know there is a reason behind King’s arrest, a very good reason, too.

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251 Words | 2 Pages

We live in a world with currently many conflicts from the racial disparity in high incarceration rates to gun violence and the war over gun rights. In his letter, King describes that Black Americans have no identity and that the oppressed cannot remain oppressed forever. King implies that they cannot be told to “wait for justice” because if they simply

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959 Words | 4 Pages

King backs this up stating, “We should never forget that everything Adolf Hitler did in Germany was "legal" and everything the Hungarian freedom fighters did in Hungary was "illegal." ” This statement shows that something being legal or illegal doesn’t make it right or wrong. This can be applied to present day, in the news recently Gay marriage has been a huge debate, and due to a Supreme Court Decision gay marriage is now legal. According to King’s definition of just and unjust laws Gay Marriage would be a unjust law because it isn’t morally right, or follow the law of God.

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655 Words | 3 Pages

King also mention that he came to Birmingham, because there was injustice in Birmingham. Unjust in my mind is when something isn’t agreed upon or isn’t peaceful. In the world of today somethings are injustice the killings of whites and blacks there’s peace, but no peace. When i say that black people have their freedom, but are we safe think about the Charleston murder where nine innocent people died in church or the demanding and physical act of a police man when they pull a white man over versus a black man. As Dr. King stated individuals may see the moral light and voluntarily give up their unjust posture; but as, rein hold Niebuhr has reminded us, group tend to be more immoral then individuals.

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1013 Words | 5 Pages

He places the strong authority of the declaration on his side to show how the American people are in contradiction to their own “sacred obligation” and the Negros have gotten a “bad check.” A metaphor representing the unfulfilled promise of human rights for the African Americans. King skillfully evokes an emotional response from all races with the use of religion: “Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children.” By doing this he finds a common ground that brings black and whites closer with a common belief in God they share, as well as the mention of

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1572 Words | 7 Pages

All segregation statutes are unjust because segregation distorts the soul and damages the personality" ("Letter"). The first sentence is an appeal to 'higher law'; King claims if a law devalues someone, it is contrary to natural and eternal law, so the law cannot be just. Then, Martin Luther King Jr. argues that because

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