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Post by Mr. Vitale on Jul 7, 2015 16:42:32 GMT
Write your responses to the essay "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" by responding to this thread.
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Post by Nauttikka on Jul 24, 2015 0:59:46 GMT
Letter From A Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King, Jr. was written in 1963 while he was in jail for nonviolent protests. The letter describes the trials and tribulations that the African-Americans were faced with during the time of segregation. The white society felt as though the protests would do more harm than good and that he deserved to be in jail. The intention of the letter was to show the eight white ministers who supported his arrest the reasons that the African-Americans had for protesting. Although it was thought that King had no reason to be in Birmingham because he did not reside there, he stated in the letter, “Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.” This shows that even though he was not from Birmingham the brutalities the blacks were faced with affected all others in the long term. Although not completely affecting him directly the cause that they were fighting for was the same throughout the South.
Martin Luther King, Jr. achieves his objective by showing all of the troubles that the blacks were faced with because of the police force. “I don’t believe you would have so warmly commended the police force if you had seen its angry violent dogs literally biting six unarmed, non-violent Negroes.” This is just one of the many described behaviors of the exceedingly sadistic policemen. Based on the behaviors of the police that the blacks knew too well, King was surprised when his behaviors were described as those of an extremist. He then turned to say that he was an extremist for love just like Jesus Christ. He described that there are many different types of extremists but not all of them are bad. He used examples such as Abraham Lincoln, John Bunyan, and Thomas Jefferson. These other extremists for positive causes made Martin Luther King, Jr. proud to be an extremist.
I believe that King was successful in reaching his intended audience. He declared his reasons for being incarcerated and showed why he thinks it is unfair. I truly think that if the eight white ministers who spoke out against the demonstrations would in their hearts believe that what was going on was wrong but not show it. Even though it was not necessary he stood up for his actions. He showed that there is nothing wrong with a peaceful protest and it is completely legal. He exemplified that fact that although he did not live in Birmingham the setbacks that the nonviolent protesters there were facing, hindered the cause of all others that supported the non-segregation cause. Martin Luther King, Jr. stood up for what he believed in which was not surprising but he continued to do it through all of the hardships he was faced with. I think that everyone can learn a lesson through this letter. Everyone should know that if you are punished for doing something that you truly believe in, there is nothing to be ashamed about.
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Post by kellyhenderson on Jul 30, 2015 2:35:41 GMT
Martin Luther King Jr.'s A Letter from a Birmingham Jail describes how and why the black population of the United States must protest peacefully to persecution from the white population. King writes from his jail cell in Birmingham where he was arrested for peaceful protests to encourage the unity of all races in the city.
In the fourth paragraph of the essay (located on page 51), King states "Like Paul, I must constantly respond to the Macedonian call for aid". In this statement, King relates himself to the biblical apostle, Paul. Paul preached the Gospel to the first century world via a series of letters from a jail cell, where he was imprisoned for peacefully preaching what he believed to be right. Besides the uncanny connection between the two, this states that King, while being imprisoned, has disregarded his own need for help by focusing on aiding all others who are experiencing the same racism as he. This supports his focus that he is not in jail, but that a war is being fought, and must be fought peacefully like how Paul preached with peace.
After economic leaders failed to go through with their side of negotiations by not taking down the segregation signs, the black population decided to take matters into their own hands to induce change. King states on page 53, "We started having workshops on nonviolence and repeatedly asked ourselves the question 'are you able to accept blows without retaliating?'". Here I am reminded of the movie 42, where Branch Rickey asks Jackie Robinson the same question. Robinson's career as a black ballplayer in a white ball club depended on his ability to conceal his anger and not fight back against the mocking. If Robinson were to fight back, people would be saying that "the negro lost his temper". This could cause in Jackie Robinson failing to open the door to other black ballplayers. The same applies to Martin Luther King Jr. (and other black protesters) as it does to Jackie Robinson: if you remain peaceful, your voice has the potential to be heard. If the protesters became violent, all people would be able to focus on is that "the negros lost their tempers" instead of their cause.
In A Letter form a Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King Jr., King describes both how the black population is to protests peacefully, and why they should do so. He does this by giving straight explanations and reasons to convince people who are set that violence is the right and only answer.
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Post by Libby Osman on Aug 31, 2015 21:33:46 GMT
In Letter From a Birmingham Jail Martin Luther King Jr. expresses his in depth reasoning behind fighting segregation. Not only does he do this, but he delves into the explanation of his nonviolent protesting methods. Many wondered why he chose not to fight violence with violence, or why even felt as strongly about segregation as he did. Why him? Why is he the one that chose to fight? Out of all segregated African Americans living in America, he was the one to lead.
King was an educated and intellectual man. He did not just simply see segregation as an unfair treatment of a group of people. He saw all of the strings of the issue attached including the ethical and economic effects and he could see the necessity of its destruction. Even if he was not African American, his integrity wouldn’t be able to ignore the society consuming issue of his time. In the writing he discusses how, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” King knew that if this issue of segregation wasn’t stopped, it would affect more than one race. If the moral thing continued to be made illegal and children were being raised to hate one another because of mere appearance, American society would never advance. King was aware that the society he lived in was in a constant state of “negative peace” lacking any active tension. His goal was to wake up others around him and have them recognize the need for a positive peace. He had to raise the awareness of the fact that order as the result of negative peace doesn’t generate nearly as much success as justice coupled with positive peace, even if it required more effort.
As violent as law enforcement was with carrying out segregation laws, it would be expected that violence would be used to counter act it. At first King used negotiation tactics to fight segregation but it yielded nothing. So instead of turning to violence which he knew would only affirm stereotypes, he shocked America with nonviolent protests to evoke the tension needed to get the negotiations somewhere. This was his first step towards positive peace. He knew that “freedom was never given by the oppressor but demanded by the oppressed” and he was willing to demand freedom, but in the most deliberate and effective way he knew to be possible.
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Post by sylvia on Sept 1, 2015 3:15:57 GMT
Martin Luther King, Jr's 'Letter From A Birmingham Jail' was of great endearment and integrity. They made known the cynical ways of whites who saw themselves better than the blacks. "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." Martin Luther King, Jr. was explaining how easy it was for a flame to become a wildfire. Just like how WWI began with two countries, most of Europe was later drawn in through alliances. In our world today, the ISIS movement affects us all, one way or the other. The basis of something becomes its foundation and a fundamental part to the picture as a whole. Martin Luther King, Jr. saw this and tried explaining it to his fellow white clergymen who had conformed themselves to the world.
What's the difference between permanent blindness and temporary blindness? Permanent blindness is there till one dies, and nothing can be done about it. Temporary blindness on the other hand can be worked on; this is what a majority of the Southern population had. They were born into the trend of segregation and therefore went ahead to establish themselves in it. Martin Luther King, Jr. explained it by saying, "I guess it is easy for those who have never felt the stinging darts of segregation to say 'wait',” and, “Oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever. The urge for freedom will eventually come. This is what happened to the American Negro. Something within has reminded of his birth right of freedom; something without has reminded him that he can gain it." The blacks were determined on regaining their sight as most of the whites were determined to keep things the same – walk in the darkness paved for them.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was upset to see that his fellow clergymen didn't see his stand and called him an extremist. The term "extremist" saddened him but later on was of great encouragement to himself. He stood in the midst of people who had fought for good causes and were also seen as extremists. People like Lincoln, Jefferson, Martin Luther and Jesus Christ all stood as fellow “extremists" who were persecuted but, nevertheless, accomplished their goals. Martin Luther King, Jr. concluded that if he was to be something, it'd be an extremist, an extremist for love and justice. He also questioned the church on its complacent attitude with the status quo. Consequently, the church was allowing itself to slowly lose its strength and have an ineffectual voice with an uncertain sound. He was greatly troubled by the commending of the officers. I do believe that Luther was one of a kind. In a generation where everyone could only see what concerned them, he saw beyond, looking out for others. He saw with wisdom what the future could behold and strove to obtain it.
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