MLK paper

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Introduction

The Birmingham Campaign started on April 3, 1963. There were organized marches and meetings against racism and racial discrimination in Birmingham. This campaign was non-violent and was organized by Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) led by Martin Luther King in conjunction with Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights. On April 10, Judge W.A Jenkins issued injunction against ‘gatherings, demonstrations, boycotts, trespasses and picketing’. Martin Luther King and other like minded colleagues swore to disobey that injunction. On April 12, Martin Luther King was arrested alongside Fred Shuttlesworth and Ralph Albernathy. From Birmingham Jail, King wrote a longhand letter in response to accusation by other Christian leaders.

While in Jail, the white Alabama clergymen published a statement to incite people against King Jnr. This article heavily criticized King’s methods, terming his activities as ‘unwise and untimely’. This statement was famously referred to as ‘’call for unity’’. In response to this statement, King declared that he had to come down to Birmingham to fight the intolerable injustice in that city. He claimed that injustice in Birmingham is a threat to injustice everywhere in the World. King stated that these leaders were loud in criticizing the demonstration while ignoring the factors which propelled the demonstrations in the first place (King.296). He compared his critics to the superficial analysts who blindly look at the effects and fail to consider the underlying effects. He emphasized that the white community of Birmingham left the Negroes with no option but to rebel.

In his letter, King Jnr had to remind his critics of the four basic steps of non-violent campaign. According to King (296) these steps include: (I) collection of facts to establish if injustice exists (ii) negotiation (iii) self-purification and direct negotiation. He claimed that Birmingham has gone through all these four steps. This meant that that city was the most segregated one in the entire USA. Negro homes and churches were being bombed nearly every week. With reference to this injustice, Negro leaders made effort to negotiate with the city fathers but to no success. Their efforts were being frustrated by political leaders. These were cold, brutal facts. King claimed that the peaceful demonstrations had been postponed several times so as not to inconvenience various political, social and cultural events. Therefore, it could wait no more.

One of the key points in accusatory statement was; King’s activities were untimely. Some of his critics accused him of not giving the new administration a chance to act. In defense of his actions, King claimed that the new administration had to be prodded about just like the outgoing one before it acts. He goes ahead to state that the new administration might be tempted to maintain the status quo if not made realize the extent of injustice in Birmingham (King 297). He argues that it is impossible for the privileged group to give up their privileges voluntarily. King claims that these demonstrations were most ‘well timed’ according to the schedule of the oppressed community. The word ‘wait’ seems to mean ‘never’. He further states that there comes a time when the cup of perseverance runs over and in such time, no one can ever stop the oppressed.

The ‘call for unity’ statement expressed a significant deal of anxiety over King’s willingness to ignore laws. King termed this as a legitimate concern. However, in response to these allegations, he termed the expectations of the clergymen as ironical as the whites also did not respect the Supreme Court’s decision which outlaws segregation. Therefore, according to King, it was impossible for Negroes to respect the law while their white brothers are breaking the same law (King 299). According to King, these laws could be termed as unjust laws which also St. Augustine referred to as ‘no law’. King defined unjust law as a code imposed upon a minority which that minority does not participate in enacting because it was denied a right to vote (King 299). He said that the segregation law was an example of a law which is just at its face and unjust in its application.

This statement also accused King’s activities in Birmingham as extreme. In response to this, King expressed his innermost disappointment with his fellow clergymen who considered his nonviolent activities as those of an extremist. He counter attacks these clergymen by claiming that they are insensitive to the pleas of the masses. King considers himself as a moderator and claims that it is important to note that oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever and therefore it was best that they be given what they needed as early as possible (King 304). He mentioned his other disappointments including the leadership of the white church which supported segregation. He specifically directed his concern over the religious leaders of the South who call upon their worshippers to embrace desegregation decision as it is law.

In his ending remarks, he criticized all those who applauded the police on the claim that they maintained law and order. King claimed that the police had used excessive force against peaceful demonstrators. The police also inhumanely treat Negro brothers and sisters in jail. He praises the Negro demonstrators for their courage, and readiness to suffer, and their extraordinary discipline in the heart of the most inhuman provocation. In conclusion, he apologizes for any understatement he might have made and begs God to forgive him if he has shown impatience.

The letter from Birmingham city jail is the most emotional letter I ever come across. This letter reveals King’s strength as a rhetorician and his global approach to local issues. It makes references to several secular thinkers as well as the Bible. This letter is both passionate and controlled. It is very persuasive and King is very straight on his demands. This letter gives a singular, eloquent voice to thousands of the oppressed in Birmingham and across all states of America. This letter illustrates King’s reasoning using all appeals to ethics, logic and emotion

In this letter, King makes effort to establish his credibility. He reminds his readers that he is the President of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (King 296). He goes ahead to argue that his conscious could not allow him to comfortably stay at Atlanta, Georgia while his brothers are suffering in Birmingham. In my opinion, this is an ethical appeal. Earlier in the letter, King compares himself Apostle Paul. According to the bible, Apostle Paul was required to carry the gospel of freedom beyond his home town. This provokes the emotions of the reader and reminds them of the deeply held responsibilities.

The emotions displayed in this letter create the sense of urgency and seriousness of the situation. King emphasizes this urgency by pointing out that the patience of the Negro is worn out. The Negro can wait no more. He reminds the White community that the oppressed cannot remain oppressed forever. Therefore, it was better for the white community to start treating the Negroes in a better way because soon they have no option. In other words, King was saying the Negro community was not the problem; the problem was the White community. The white people thought that the Negro community was their main source of their problem. According to King, this was the best time to respect the Negro community and further delay will lead to complication of issues.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this letter is one of the best written argumentative pieces. It is a letter full of history but most significantly is a piece where the reader witnesses King’s approach to the most sensitive issue back then. This letter is largely an ethical piece. Regardless of the issues which brought about this piece, the cultural implication of this letter is enormous.

Work Cited

King, Martin L. Letter from Birmingham City Jail. Philadelphia: American Friends Service Committee, 1963. Print. (294-308)