I have heard numerous religious leaders of the South call upon their worshippers to comply with a desegregation decision because it is the law, but I have longed to hear white ministers say follow this decree because integration is morally right and the Negro is your brother. Instead, some have been outright opponents, refusing to understand the freedom movement and misrepresenting its leaders; all too many others have been more cautious than courageous and have remained silent behind the anesthetizing security of the stained glass windows. All rights reserved. But before closing I am impelled to mention one other point in your statement that troubled me profoundly. He claims that real civil disobedience doesnt mean succumbing to the forces of evil, but encouraging people to use the power of love to confront evil. The letter served as a tangible, reproducible account of the long road In this essay therefore, the focus will be on assessing how the King has made use of the refutation, pathos, ethos, and logos in persuading and convincing the audience to align to his school of thoughts and actions. Of course there are some notable exceptions. Martin Luther King Jr., with the Rev. The term comes from the Greek for right time, opportunity, or season. I started thinking about the fact that I stand in the middle of two opposing forces in the Negro community. In Henry David Thoreaus Civil [], Dr. Martin Luther Kings letter from Birmingham Jail came as a response to his critics, especially the clergymen who denounced all his activities citing that they tantamount to incitement and unrest in the society. I must make two honest confessions to you, my Christian and Jewish brothers. We will win our freedom because the sacred heritage of our nation and the eternal will of God are embodied in our echoing demands. If I have said anything in this letter that is an understatement of the truth and is indicative of my having a patience that makes me patient with anything less than brotherhood, I beg God to forgive me. This is what has happened to the American Negro. Where is H. pylori most commonly found in the world. So I have not said to my people, Get rid of your discontent. But I have tried to say that this normal and healthy discontent can be channeled through the creative outlet of nonviolent direct action. Rhetoric & Public Affairs is an interdisciplinary journal devoted to the history, theory, and criticism of public discourse. There are some instances when a law is just on its face but unjust in its application. Upon being arrested, eight white clergymen wrote an open letter in a newspaper that criticized King and his followers. In Melvin in the Sixth Grade by Dana Johnson, the main, Dr. King was an American Baptist minister and activist who became the most visible spokesperson and leader in the Civil Rights Movement from 1954 through 1968. Now there is nothing wrong with an ordinance which requires a permit for a parade, but when the ordinance is used to preserve segregation and to deny citizens the First Amendment privilege of peaceful assembly and peaceful protest, then it becomes unjust. His comparison would seem to indicate that he shares [], Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, Jesus, all these radical men and more are alluded to in Martin Luther King Jrs Letter from Birmingham Jail. His use of their names in the context of this paper creates a form of kinship [], The Stoic way of life described in Epictetuss Enchiridion (135 A.C.E.) I received a letter this morning from a white brother in Texas which said: All Christians know that the colored people will receive equal rights eventually, but is it possible that you are in too great of a religious hurry? Some like Ralph McGill, Lillian Smith, Harry Golden, and James Dabbs have written about our struggle in eloquent, prophetic, and understanding terms. The ongoing crisis of racism greatly existed in Birmingham, where King used ethos to persuade his peers that the white power structure left the Negro community with no alternative but to revolt (5). The Negro has many pent-up resentments and latent frustrations. The meaning behind Ethos is to appeal to ethics, which means convincing readers of the authors credibility, meanwhile Pathos is an appeal to emotion, and is used in literature to convince readers of an argument by getting their emotions involved. Never before have I written a letter this long (or should I say a book?). King says, after discussing that they are nonviolent, If this philosophy[of nonviolence] had not emerged, by now many streets of the south would, I am convinced, be flowing with blood. He is trying to convince the readers, through a vivid and emotion provoking image, that nonviolence is the best way to handle the situation. But since I feel that you are men of genuine goodwill and your criticisms are sincerely set forth, I would like to answer your statement in what I hope will be patient and reasonable terms. In the Public Domain.]. Isnt this like condemning Socrates because his unswerving commitment to truth and his philosophical delvings precipitated the misguided popular mind to make him drink the hemlock? In this statement, the author is stating the goal of nonviolent actions. Therefore, the letter is a powerful motivation. It argues that King's "Letter" was an essential response for civil rights to continue as a mass movement in Birmingham and beyond. You can order a unique, plagiarism-free paper written by a professional writer. All new items; Books; Journal articles; Manuscripts; Topics. But now I must affirm that it is just as wrong or even more so to use moral means to preserve immoral ends. Dr. King urged the clergymen that by being quiet and doing nothing is worse than outright opposal. In paragraph two MLK presents the fact that he is president of the organization, Southern Christian Leadership. Letter from a Birmingham Jail. The First Version. The king also uses another ethos by stating that Just as Socrates felt to sensitive the fact that it is not only him who is feeling the need to use non-violent means to condemn the increased discrimination of black Americans (King, 2). The other, Jesus Christ, was an extremist for love, truth, and goodness, and thereby rose above His environment. These clergymen, 8 in number, have also criticized the actions of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Something within has reminded him of his birthright of freedom; something without has reminded him that he can gain it. WebIn this section of the letter, King humanizes African Americans by focusing on the emotional and psychological pain that segregation and racial inequality have caused. So I have tried to make it clear that it is wrong to use immoral means to attain moral ends. We must never forget that all three were crucified for the same crimethe crime of extremism. I hope you can see the distinction I am trying to point out. We merely bring to the surface the hidden tension that is already alive. 324,118,787 people consider themselves to be Americans and 324,118,787 people have decided that America really is worthy enough to be called home. In the Birmingham letter, the King employs refutation throughout the letter to defend his course of action and to the larger extent that of his organization. Fair Use Policy or become aware of any violations, please do not hesitate to contact us via support@edubirdie.com. Martin Luther explains using these methods how black people are treated and why their cause needs to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was writing the letter in order to defend his organizations nonviolent strategies. In your statement you asserted that our actions, even though peaceful, must be condemned because they precipitate violence. To export a reference to this article please select a referencing style below: By clicking Send, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement. He explains that he has been arrested and imprisoned in Birmingham, Alabama, for leading nonviolent protests against racial segregation. Webfrom Birmingham Jail. " You spoke of our activity in Birmingham as extreme. Examples of ethos in Letter from Birmingham Jail are seen in the first two paragraphs of the second page. WebLetter from Birmingham Jail by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. From the Birmingham jail, where he was imprisoned as a participant in nonviolent demonstrations against I had the strange feeling when I was suddenly catapulted into the leadership of the bus protest in Montgomery several years ago that we would have the support of the white Church. For terms and use, please refer to our Terms and Conditions Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote the Letter from a Birmingham Jail on April 16, 1963. Now is the time to lift our national policy from the quicksand of racial injustice to the solid rock of human dignity. WebSoweto (/ s w t o,- w e t-,- w i t-/) is a township of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality in Gauteng, South Africa, bordering the city's mining belt in the south.Its name is an English syllabic abbreviation for South Western Townships. GradesFixer. Im afraid it is much too long to take your precious time. This movement is nourished by the contemporary frustration over the continued existence of racial discrimination. We readily consented and when the hour came we lived up to our promises. Through this statement, the king also paints a vivid mental picture on how the situation would be if actually violent methods were being used by his organization. Published quarterly, the journal explores the traditional arenas of rhetorical investigation including executive leadership, diplomacy, political campaigns, judicial and legislative deliberations, and public policy debate. You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers. We must come to see that human progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability. The letter served as a tangible, reproducible account of the long road to freedom in a movement that was largely centered around actions and spoken words. Isnt segregation an existential expression of mans tragic separation, an expression of his awful estrangement, his terrible sinfulness? Are you interested in getting a customized paper? Well, we do. For Education - "Letter from Birmingham Jail" and Kairos by John Croc The Kings reference to Biblical episodes is also an amazing way to keep the readers engaged and also persuade them to align to a certain school of thoughts. This essay wont pass a plagiarism check! Stallings, for your Christian stand on this past Sunday, in welcoming Negroes to your worship service on a non-segregated basis. King stumbled upon a statement in a newspaper while in jail and felt the need These writings also included the persuasive techniques of pathos included in I Have a Dream and logos included into Letter from Birmingham Jail.. Letter from a Birmingham Jail, abridged, [Martin Luther King, Jr. Letter from a Birmingham Jail. The First Version. I love to write and share science related Stuff Here on my Website. WebBirmingham City Jail. Web3. WebIn the opening pages of "A Letter from Birmingham Jail," Martin Luther King Jr. is discussing his situation and the kairos, or the opportune moment, for his civil rights campaign. If this philosophy had not emerged I am convinced that by now many streets of the South would be flowing with floods of blood. Gradesfixer , Pathos, Logos, Ethos in Letter From Birmingham Jail., Pathos, Logos, Ethos in Letter From Birmingham Jail [Internet]. I had hoped that the white moderate would see this. Some events that they shared was the participation in the mayoral election. This sentence, which is in the 5th paragraph of the 2nd page, uses pathos. Im grateful to God that, through the Negro church, the dimension of nonviolence entered our struggle. You express a great deal of anxiety over our willingness to break laws. Several months ago our local affiliate here in Birmingham invited us to be on call to engage in a nonviolent direct action program if such were deemed necessary. This statement further reveals that the king is defending his tactics since he is aware that violence is bad, and will usually results to pointless spilling of blood .The author also says that the nonviolence approaches seeks to dramatize the issue that it can no longer be ignored (King 2). WebKing wrote The Letter from Birmingham Jail on April 16, 1963 to defend peaceful protests or nonviolent resistance which is the reason he was arrested. Let us turn to a more concrete example of just and unjust laws. When Martin Luther King Jr. wrote his Letter from Birmingham Jail in the 1960s, racial prejudice was rampant. WebIn the opening pages of "A Letter from Birmingham Jail," Martin Luther King Jr. is discussing his situation and the kairos, or the opportune moment, for his civil rights campaign. The logical and well put together letter was written as a response to a statement in the newspaper, which was written by some clergymen. This item is part of a JSTOR Collection. He mentions things like "injustice" and "responsible people". Critical, analytical, or interpretive essays that examine particular instances of symbolic inducement in any historical period are welcome. In the first two paragraphs, the King starts by stating what he and his audience share in common. Martin Luther Kings Letter from Birmingham Jail is the most important written document of the civil rights era. Words: 1806. The urge for freedom will eventually come. T. S. Eliot has said that there is no greater treason than to do the right deed for the wrong reason. In his Letter from a Birmingham Jail, Rev. Dr. King was sent to jail many times for standing up for all equality and speaking out on segregation. While in jail, Martin Luther King Jr. expressed discontentment concerning such critiques and desired to address these concerns with an appropriate mechanism through this letter. Get your custom essay. This uses logos as it shows logical steps to prove they have done what is right. To preserve the evil system of segregation. It also says, people have In Letter from Birmingham Jail by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., he writes to the clergymen of Birmingham. Adding in logos helps get rid of doubt and uses science and logic to do. 2023 gradesfixer.com. WebKairos: Martin Luther King took advantage of the letter sent to him to respond an explain better the intention of his action. One would not want to explain the situation to their child and see them cry. His organization has ties in Birmingham. WebExplains that kairos refers to the situation, problem, or opportunity that required or made rhetoric possible. His comparison would appear to point that he shares an associate affinity with them. 1963 was a time when the southern united states were enforced by racial segregation laws known as jim crow laws. In the excerpt Letter from the Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King Jr., King utilized ethos and logos to express his belief for a country without judgment of character based solely on one's skin color and discrimination towards the Negro community. Kairos means taking advantage of or even creating a perfect moment to deliver a particular message. Before the pen of Jefferson etched across the pages of history the majestic words of the Declaration of Independence, we were here. Also, in the Letter from Birmingham Jail ethos is seen at the start of another argument: Just as Socrates felt. King is trying to expose that he, and his organization, are not the only ones that see the need for nonviolent gadflies to create the kind of tension in society that will help men rise from the dark depths of prejudice. This example of ethos helps convey his reasonability in the matter, and add to his credibility for when he talks about his matters of direct action. There is the more excellent way of love and nonviolent protest. 3.I have been arrested on a charge of parading without a permit. WebLetter to Birmingham Jail was written by Martin Luther King Jr. in 1963 in order to address several clergymen who had criticized Dr. Kings, as well as his supporters actions and Another way that King uses pathos in the letter is in the way that he talks about the way people are affected by the segregation. Get original paper written according to your instructions.