The clergy viewed Martin Luther King, Jr. as an outsider that has come to Birmingham instigate and lead destructive demonstrations that were taking place in the Birmingham community at that time. Whereas Martin Luther King, Jr. should be a peer or someone of equal status because of their positions in the church within the community, the clergy men have opposing views of ways to resolve issues of segregation from Martin Luther King, Jr. that steer their point of view of Martin Luther King, Jr. from a religious, like-minded leader to antagonist inciting hatred and violence. The clergy urged the black community to refrain from participating in any other demonstrations and to work peacefully with the Birmingham community, government officials, etc. The clergy also urged the public to show restraint towards further demonstrations, and encourage the law enforcement to continue to handle the demonstrations in a calm and peaceful manner. The clergy suggested the public, law enforcement, and black communities do this to enforce peace in the Birmingham community. The wanted the issues of segregation to be dealt with between local leaders and elected officials, and not among the angry people in the community, because of the threat of violence. The clergy state that the demonstrations are not the most effective way to resolve the issues of segregation. They also stated that the hatred and violence opposed their religious and political views. No matter how peaceful the demonstrations
In A Call for Unity, the eight clergyman from Birmingham published an article in the local newspapers urging blacks to withdraw support from Martin Luther King Jr. and his demonstrations. Instead of supporting MLK they believe that the local community should work together to get past their differences. The Clergymen criticize Martin Luther King’s demonstrations in their article, stating that outsiders (King) should not get involved, negotiation is better than direst action, protests were untimely, and many other premises. King responded to these criticisms in his Letter from Birmingham Jail. He justified these nonviolent measures that sent him to jail and explained why the segregation laws against blacks in the south must be changed. After analyzing both
One evening in jail, a young man by the name of Martin luther king jr, received a letter outlining the the concerns of eight clergymen in reference to the demonstrations taking place of which he was a clergyman to. Martin was always aware of the criticism and retaliation of other and learn to keep order with it. But for some reason, this letter struck him, and he decided he must write a response to this letter. MLK being one of the most influential people in the world today, wrote a response letter to the right clergymen highlighting the concerns of being an outsider, having untimely and unwise demonstrations, and having extreme ideas.
On April 12, 1963, eight clergyman wrote an open letter, “A Call for Unity”. In this published letter, the clergyman expressed their strong disapproval of the civil rights demonstrations taking place in Birmingham, Alabama. Consequently, that same day, civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested for protesting without a permit. In his short eleven day jail sentence, Dr. King directly responded to the clergymen with a letter of his own. In his letter, Dr. King informed his readers about the protests in Birmingham. He explained why the protesters were civilly infringing racist laws and city ordinances; why the protesters had truth and justice; and how he was thwarted with the clergyman and white moderates in the South who said they supported his cause. In his “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, Dr. King incorporates biblical and historical allusions to defend the strategy of nonviolent resistance to racism. Dr. King’s allusions gave him credibility with his target audience, the clergymen. Additionally, Dr. King subtly asks rhetorical questions and logical conclusions to force his audience to consider his purpose.
A statement from eight white clergymen from Alabama prompted Martin Luther King’s “Letter From Birmingham Jail”. This statement criticized Kings actions of non-violent protests against racial segregation and the injustice of unequal civil rights in America (Carpenter elt al.). The eight clergymen considered Birmingham to be “their” town and King was disrupting the “Law and Order and Common Sense” established in coping with racial issues in Alabama during this time (Carpenter elt al. par 1). These clergymen considered King an “outsider” and describe his actions as “unwise and untimely” (Carpenter elt al. par 3). This statement suggests that there is an appropriate time
In “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” Martin Luther King, Jr. refutes the condemnatory claims made by eight white Alabama clergymen. By appealing to ethos, logos, and pathos King argues that he is not an outsider and that the experience of African Americans in segregated Birmingham warrants well-intentioned demonstration and civil disobedience. In doing so, he calls attention to the clergymen’s hypocrisy and firmly garners their respect and understanding.
conclusion, while Dr king was in birmingham, he came across the priest’s statement calling mr king activities unwise and untimely, in other words he felt that the priest’s were men of genuine good. he asked the question to the priest why were they being, so unrighteous and being so racist, against him and what he stood for. he was confronting the priest , because they weren’t being true to their words, and what the bible sayings were, when the affiliate organization invited mr king To birmingham to speak in a non violent direct action program, and when it was time for him to speak, he was discriminated against, and he started to quote the bible to make the priest well aware that what they were doing was wrong unrealistic and untrue, to what they stood for, he was tired of black people being outsiders, including in the united states, for a place to be considered the land of freedom, the place others dreamed to be were hurting people, because of the color of their skin.
Martin Luther King Jr. wrote this letter to defend the actions of his organization. The letter addresses the clergymen by replying to them in that letter , he also addresses the white moderates that sympathize with King but don’t do anything to stick up for the black community. While jailed for standing up for what he believed in and moral standing, King had time to address criticism and time to clarify the purpose of the movement. Marting Luther King Jr. addressed the attemps at negations and how the movement came to the point of taking action with protests and sit-ins. King experiences first hand brutality from officrs and the bias aplication of the law, he felt the desperate need for change and the anger amongst the blacks. Negations were attempted but the agreemnts of removing the negative signs display around business were ignored, governments only wanted to silence the problem and not try to solve it. Anger and frustrations built by the disconnected white church, privileged classes and criticisms with lack of understanding. King knew the anger would eventually lash out and rather use that energy by peacefully protesting before it turned into viokence. In this letter King presented his belief with logic, history, facts and why things must and will change.
In the writing “Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King Jr. King basically criticizes the clergymen, who disapproved of King’s actions and protests. King’s tone is almost disgusted from the fact that the clergymen even dared to condescend his actions. King morally defends his protests using allusions, common grounds, and comparisons, implying how unaware the clergymen are of purposes of King’s protests.
During the 1960s, black people are terrorized, beaten, thrown in jail, and humiliated, all while religious leaders who preach “doing the right thing,” stand by and watch. Reverend and civil rights activist, Martin Luther King Jr., in his letter, Letter from Birmingham Jail, describes why he is being held in Birmingham Jail and how civil disobedience is used to bring light upon the social injustice of segregation. King’s purpose is to defend himself and his movement, address the problems of clergymen, and to call for a change. He adopts a righteous and direct tone and uses rhetorical appeals in order to express the problems that he, and other people involved in the civil rights movement, are facing to white, male, religious leaders.
In 1963 Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested and sent to jail because he and others were protesting the treatment of blacks in Birmingham, Alabama. A court had ordered that King could not hold protests in Birmingham. Birmingham in 1963 was a hard place for blacks to live in. Everything was segregated, from businesses to churches to libraries. Blacks faced constant discrimination and the constant threat of violence. In Martin Luther King’s letter to the clergymen he uses rhetorical techniques to get his point across to his audience. The intended audience of the letter is the white clergyman and white “moderates” of Birmingham Alabama. In Dr. King’s letter uses logical evidence, emotional aspects and good motives to present his beliefs to his
On April 3, 1963, blacks began a campaign against discrimination in Birmingham with the help of Martin Luther King, Jr. the court ordered King not to hold a protest in Birmingham. The reason for the protest was the segregation of the races was absurd and it became hard for blacks to reside. Segregation in Birmingham included everything from churches to libraries to restaurants, and even schools. The constant discrimination turned into a rage of violence against the minority group. Through the Letter from Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King Jr. the author appeals to the rhetorical devices such as logos, pathos, and ethos to argue his letter which addresses the contradiction in the community of the clergymen.
Martin Luther's Letter from Birmingham Jail is a response to the article written and signed by members of the clergy of Alabama. The article, A Call for Unity, communicates to the general public the fact that the government in Alabama is aware of the growing racial tension and unfairness that is present in the state and are working to address this issue in the courts. The clergymen continue to express their distaste for the demonstrations that have been led by Mr.King and his followers and explain that until the law can address the problem the laws and orders should be maintained. The authors also commend
Families of color were forced to bring up their children in a humiliating and insulting atmosphere. The state and authorities, as one of social factors, supported the racism. Promises to restore justice and equalize the rights of white and colored residents do not mean anything. Church leadership prefers to stay aside the civil problems. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” clearly shows that the church acts in a cowardly manner concerning the issue of racism, supporting the state law, but not the moral one, which claims that all men are brothers. The elements of society do not function in harmony. As a result, the social conflict arises affecting the outlook and symbolic perception of people. Modern society supports King’s ideas and considers him to be a national hero. However, he often found misunderstanding among his contemporaries: "King's nonviolence played into the hands of segregationists" (Mott 411).
During a public statement by eight Alabama Clergymen blacks were urged to withdraw their support from Martin Luther King and his demonstrations. These men state that the demonstrations taking place could be properly pursued in the courts. In the meantime, the decisions of those courts should be peacefully obeyed. Some members of the negro community have taken it upon themselves to fix the ongoing racial problems which have been proven to be unwise and untimely. A local negro leadership has called for honest and open negotiation of racial issues in the area. It is believed that facing this issue could be accomplished if the citizens of the area meet with the knowledge and experience of the situation. “Hatred and violence have no sanction in our religious and political traditions. (Clergymen)
A Discussion and Analysis Of some of his Contributions As Well as their Social, Political and Economic Impacts Since the Thirteen Colonies first united, the United States has had one of the strongest economies in the world. Over the years, many theorists have had varying opinions concerning the reason for this nation's strong economic standing. One reason that has often been overlooked is that a great many of this nation's workers have been influenced by the Protestant work ethic. The philosophy behind this work ethic has driven many workers to attain as much as possible at their jobs during their lifetimes. If one man were to be given credit for the development of the Protestant work ethic it would have to be Martin Luther. In the