Martin Luther King uses many different types of appeal to prove his credibility to the clergyman. One of the types of appeals he uses to convince his audience is ethos. Ethos appeals a person through credibility. So in this letter, Martin Luther King Jr. has to establish his credibility in order for the argument to be convinced by his argument. In the “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, Martin Luther King Jr. uses allusions and first person plural pronouns in order to convince the clergyman of his credibility.
In Martin Luther King JR. “ Letter From Birmingham Jail” he responds to the criticism given to his activities. He addresses the criticism with a strong and powerful tone as well as using logos to explain why what he is doing is for the better of people while he also implements pathos to give the reader an inside view of the feelings of the people that were segregated. Martin Luther King JR. ’s saw his actions as just and not unwise.
In April 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested in Birmingham, Alabama for peacefully protesting. While incarcerated, King responded to a statement from eight clergymen which called his actions “unwise and untimely.” While imprisoned, Kind decided to acknowledge their critiques with his famous piece, “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” On the surface, this letter is directed towards these clergymen’s criticisms. This is seen in the opening of the letter when King greets his fellow clergymen and uses the phrase “you” throughout the letter.
In his “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” Martin Luther King expresses his point of view on the points made by several clergymen about his non-violence demonstration in Birmingham, more specifically, his disagreement with the points the clergymen made. By presenting the ideas the white majority supports and responding to it, King effectively identifies the flaws in the arguments the white majority supports. An example of this would be when King explains that the white majority believes that the non-violent demonstrations are forms of extremist. After he points out the argument the white majority makes about non-violent demonstrations, King mentions the flaw behind this idea. He goes on and explains that if the white majority believes that his non-violent
In Martin Luther King’s “Letter From Birmingham Jail”, King, responds to a complaint that he had received from his fellow Clergymen. The purpose of king’s writing is to clear up any confusion there was on King’s involvement, and how the situation was being handled. Dr. King explains through his writing that the city of Birmingham, Alabama has committed numerous unjust acts against the black community. King Also explains the reason for his involvement is simply because he was invited to help an affiliate of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, of witch King was president. King also makes it a point to clear up a few areas of confusion, one of which being how the Birmingham police handled the situation.
Martin Luther King wrote "Letter from Birmingham Jail" not only to reply to criticism from clergymen, but to expose the racism in this city and promote his mission. King starts off his letter by writing about how he does not usually reply to all the criticism he receives, but he feels that this topic is too important to let pass by (King 331). King appeals to all aspects of citizens. By mentioning that he is president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, King ethically appeals to his audience by strengthening his character with experience and leadership skills (King 332). Another way King ethically appeals to his audience is by writing about the many occasions that African Americans have been treated unfairly.
During Martin Luther King Jr.’s fight for civil rights, he received criticism and was accused of using “violent” protests that were viewed as harmful and disrespectful. In the “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” written by Martin Luther King Jr., he expresses his purpose for writing the letter: to show his disappointment with the white moderate. In the letter, Dr. King directs his use of words toward his “Jewish and Christian brothers”. p. 23) to help progress the civil rights movement. In the letter, Dr. King also responds to the criticism that was directed at him during the civil rights movement for their methods of nonviolent protest and marches.
The Letter From Birmingham Jail was written on April 16,1963 by Martin Luther King Jr. in response to being sent to jail after a protest. The letter addresses to the clergyman and explains his reasoning for the protest as well as why he is in jail. Him and his people protested in order to gain attetion which would lead to fair negotiations. He claimed to have gone to jail to fight injustice. He also speaks of his thoughts in segragation and what a just and unjust law is.
When Dr. King composed his "Letter from Birmingham Jail," he was attempting to clarify the circumstances of black citizens to the white clergymen. Rather than showing what isolates King from them, he calls them "fellow clergymen," which expresses a feeling of brotherhood. "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere ()" legitimizes King's and the SCLC's (Southern Christian Leadership Conference) presence in Birmingham. King recognizes that SCLC activity is "untimely," and insisted that Albert Boutwell was not different enough for change (). King asserts that "privileged groups" will constantly challenge activity that threatens the status quo ().
As Martin Luther King, Jr argues in Letter From a Birmingham City Jail, “Let us all hope that the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away, that the deep fog of misunderstanding will be lifted from our fear-drenched communities, and that in some not too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation with all of their scintillating beauty” (p. 576). In his letter he argues that African-Americans should have equal rights to whites. He writes to the clergymen that his protesters are practicing a non-violent protest to gain the rights they are born with. This is done in a four step process. He adds that his followers shouldn't follow all laws, that there is a difference between just and unjust laws.
Key Idea(s) from the Readings. In the reading “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” by activist Martin Luther King Jr, he challenges the idea of his protest occurring at an inappropriate time. King begins by stating that Birmingham had injustice, and it was up to him to help fight against it. He explains that fighting the discrimination in Birmingham would bring justice to other cities that were facing the same circumstances.
Respected Martin Luther King Jr, After reading your “Letter From Birmingham Jail”, which us a deeper look into the reality of the racial equality that existed in the 1960’s. I see that you wrote this letter to your fellow clergymen since you too are a church man, and aimed it towards addressing their concerns regarding the timing of the nonviolent actions in Birmingham, Alabama that you along with other leaders orchestrated and carried out in 1963. My first reaction to this reading was a sense of insecurity acknowledging the fact that people in the 1960’s were what you, Mr. King, described as the “oppressor race” (par 31). But after giving myself time to analyze my reaction and to take into to consideration the time era, I‘ve come to accept
Within the obscured twilight of April 16th, 1963, Martin Luther King began to compose the Letter from a Birmingham Jail in which he procured that all human beings are “caught in an inescapable network of mutuality” and injustice committed within any miniscule community upon Earth “is a threat to justice everywhere” as all people are “tied in a single garment of destiny”; hence, any infringement that “effects one directly” will affect “all indirectly.” Following the Northern Union victory against the Southern Confederacy in the American Civil within the United States. Nevertheless, indignant after defeat, the Southern states began to enact Jim Crow laws that were rulings that carried the intent to enforce racial segregation in aspects such as
In his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” Martin Luther King Jr. uses politics, attempts to define unjust law, and imagery of violent treatment of protesters in order to argue that standards and non-violence are the most effective strategies in overcoming segregation. He also argues that those who truly want change need to be ready for action and protest now rather than forever holding their peace and living in a world of segregation. Martin Luther King compares international civil rights campaigns in order to shame the clergy into realizing how far behind American civil rights are. When Martin Luther King says, “we have waited for more than 340 years for our constitutional and God-given rights.
Civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr, in his Letter from Birmingham City Jail, argues against criticism from eight Alabama clergymen, and addresses their concerns. He defends his position, and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), against accusations of disturbing the peace in Birmingham, as well as explaining his values and opinions. Throughout the letter, King adopts a strong logical and credible tone, and reinforces his position through the use of strong emotional justifications, in order to appeal to the clergymen and defend his public image. Martin Luther King opens up his Letter from Birmingham City Jail by appealing to the clergymen's emotions, and assuring his peaceful response, which he describes in "patient and
