Topic > Rhetorical analysis of the Letter from Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr. in 1963 addressed his letter called "Letter from Birmingham Jail" to the eight white clergymen who made it known to the public that his actions, which occurred in Birmingham, Alabama, were incriminating at that time in history. Although he knows in the back of his mind that they view his activities as “unwise and premature,” he decides to be rational in his tone of voice throughout his response to the publicized criticism he faces. He notes that an event like this doesn't happen often because he lacks time to deal with it, but this is in an effort to show white authorities that black protesters are not breaking the law and can work together on "patient and reasonable terms." That said , this essay analyzes how Martin Luther King Jr. uses the emotional, ethical, and logical appeals in “Letter from Birmingham Jail” to its fullest potential so that the audience can understand the oppression that African Americans have endured to defend his strategy of using nonviolent resistance to end racism within the community itself. Say no to plagiarism Get a custom essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? written 56 years ago paints a picture with the quote “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” and stands the test of time holding its own by acting as a line of “defense of peaceful civil disobedience and direct action ”. With this, King sought racial justice, but so-called “white moderates” acted as an obstacle to change, as he exclaimed that those who expressed agreement with the goals of civil rights but instead wanted a “negative peace which is the absence of tension towards a positive peace which is the presence of justice". By this he makes it clear that he no longer considers the clergymen of 1963 to be the moral force they once were, due to their disinterest in making social justice part of their message of faith. As a Baptist minister, King's knowledge when it comes to Christianity is unmatched, which still comes into play in his letter. Being forced to respond to injustice whenever and wherever, he compares his work to that of Christians in the Bible and mentions the apostle Paul. Comparing the protesters to Christians, he attributes the role of the enemy of freedom to those who criticize him. This use of symbolism creates a connection that represents a moral and ethical connection between opposing parties. Through an attempt to communicate with the clergymen through dialogue, King reminds the reader that the codes surrounding religion are above the laws of the land; however this is not the case and he remarks “Will we be extremists to preserve injustice, or will we be extremists for the cause of justice?”. Building on that, remind people that the laws put in place are unjust given that those people are forced to follow rules they had no role in creating. Continuing to keep the ball rolling, he informs people that the protesters are undoubtedly American citizens, preventing them from being strangers to their own country, and goes on to show that racial injustice is occurring not only in Birmingham, Alabama, but throughout the world. United States of America. Furthermore, Martin Luther King Jr highlights the idea of ​​racial injustice by outlining the logistics of the ongoing situation affecting African Americans. Presenting examples of police brutality against lynchings, he refers to this as the “airtight cage of poverty.” This humanizes African Americans by focusing on the emotional and psychological pain that segregation is inflicting4007