Kevin Badon Essays (1255 words) - Politics, Activism, United States

Kevin Badon Ms. Wallig English 102 March 28, 2017 "The Letter from Birmingham Jail" (Inside the cell Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.) Martin Luther King Jr. was a spiritual and persistent individual of the cause to promote justice of all injustice shown to African Americans, being that he was raised in a Christian home he used those lessons and values of his father and grandfather. In these different points that King has presented he stated his case on the injustice, broken promise, cruel and harsh treatment that the African American has suffered at the hands of many whites. Overall, King is very persuasive with his use of ethos, logos and pathos. King's strong use of ethos is consistently seen throughout the letter for example, he recognizes that he was called and outsider, his present activities were "unwise and untimely". He continues to say that he feels that the Clergymen are men of genuine good will even though they are the reason for him being in this jail cell. But again, he makes his point clear upon his arrival to Birmingham, his reason for being there and to express why he isn't an outsider. He says he has several ties with his affiliates there in Birmingham, he lets them know that he was invited there. He also names his presidential seat he holds with one of the organizations there, he has staff that stationed there and he recognizes that injustice is there. He brings to attention that there are many concerns about the injustices, like unsolved bombings of homes and churches. He continues by stating a "injustice anyw here is a threat to justice everywhere". He even uses being and outsider as example of if I'm an American what makes me an outside? King says that even with having a peaceful nonviolent campaign there are four basic steps: collection of the facts to determine whether injustice exist; negotiation, self-purification; and direct action. A nd even going through they consistently to engage in good faith negotiation. With these refusals to negotiate this didn't discourage them, they even were promises made to them by merchants for signs to be removed in return they agreed to moratorium on all demonstrations. Realizing that they were the victims of broken promises, where a few signs were briefly removed, returned ; and the others remained. Where the shadow of disappointment settled upon them, at this point they felt that they had no other choice but to move to direct action. King also goes on to talk about the purpose of the direct action is to create a situation so crisi -packed that it will inevitabl y open the door to negotiations. For too long has their beloved Southland been bogged down in a tragic effort to live in monologue rather than dialogue. King is asked why didn't he give the new city administration to act, he replied; the new Birmingham administration must be prodded about as much as the outgoing one, before it will act. And even in this King never had always informed and prepared his counsel, staff and followers on possibilities of consequences that they would face during this nonviolent campaigning. So, he also tells the clergymen that, in time that African Americans have waited for 340 years for their constitutional and God given rights and refuse to wait any longer. Also, compared how depressingly behind they were on political independence while other nations such as Asia and Africa were moving with jet li ke speed and they were compared to a horse and buggy, this analogy was just a few that King have given these men of the cloth. He touched on other facts, like when the oppress have seen vicious mobs lynch your mother and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at whim; when you've seen, hate filled policemen curse, kick, and even kill your black brothers and sisters, these are some things that can cause for direct action "why wait". They're also things to consider like a 5 year old child asking their parent "why do white people treat black people so mean", how are you to answer, when you teach them humility every day. This is a very challenging thing