Martin Luther King Jr. and Civil Rights
by Pepetua Havea
1. Martin Luther King addresses eight white clergymen through this letter while in Birmingham. He states the reasons why he is in Birmingham, and concluded that injustice is there that is why he is there. He put forth four basic steps for a nonviolent campaign to end this matter. He continues to narrate the events of days, even months, which followed, and what occurred there and how they were going to go about with their campaign. In this letter King makes sure these clergymen are aware of the wait the Negroes have endured for their own constitutional and God given rights. That everywhere else they are advancing, progressing towards the future of independence and yet [we] are still witnessing the lynching of mothers, daughters, fathers, and sons along with brutality and social injustice. Injustice in this letter is much more than what it really means for King brings to light a many other set laws that inflict what is unjust, yet is carried out by law enforcements. He continues on to the Christian and the Jew, and confesses his disappointment. That if he had lived in the time of Hitler and Germany and the Hungarian free fighters of Hungary he would have gladly free-willingly aided any who was in need. He takes Jesus as an example of the love we should all have for each other and how we should all look pass the doings of our enemies. He hoped for the white religious leaders to see the justice in their actions yet was again disappointed. He hopes the church will survive the challenges of that day, and wraps the letter with a wish he could meet them all, “neither as an integrationist nor a civil-rights leader but as a fellow clergyman and Christian Brother” (King 9).
2. S. Jonathan Bass gives his take on the Martin Luther King, Jr. “Letter from Birmingham Jail” in his enlightening “Blessed are the Peacemakers”. He gives a rather strong voice to the issue and a rather opinionated one to that as well. The above summary could count forward as to an in-depth analysis of the letter itself; the link to Bass’ article is intriguing for Bass does a job well done to link all matters to reach a successfully understanding point where King would have preferred his letter to reach. Bass is convinced that with King’s letter, the time it was out and his words were heard by all people, it was influential on King’s part for it was “[a] letter [that] served as a tangible account of the long road to freedom” (Bass 145). Segregation slowly wans away with the death of King, he becomes a public figure who was praised because of his words. Bass quoted from a civil rights activist that King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail”: “‘condemned you like the Bible condemns you’ and compelled people to change their ways and ‘do the right thing’” (Bass 148). To compare the letter King wrote to the Bible itself, speaks strongly to the words of this great leader and how his words greatly impacted peoples’ lives in that day. His Biblical references begin in his “Letter from Birmingham Jail” itself as he refers to the reasons why he is in Birmingham “just as the Apostle Paul… carried the gospel of Jesus Christ to the far corners of Greco Roman world, so am I compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my own hometown” (King 1). He takes on as a preacher carrying the good news to deliver freedom where there is none, to deliver justice to where there is injustice. Martin Luther King Jr. advances the civil rights movement with his powerful words and insight to what this is to him and why he is greatly persuaded that all will fall in to place of the just and of the free for the segregation to come to stop and the freedom to become everyone’s. A figure that holds such power, that all peoples find good in his teachings and words, just like Jesus Christ Himself and the Bible.
Works Cited
S. Jonathan Bass, Blessed are the Peacemakers: Martin Luther King Jr., Eight White Religious Leaders, and the “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State university Press, 2001) 111-152.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Papers Project: “Letter from Birmingham Jail”
2. S. Jonathan Bass gives his take on the Martin Luther King, Jr. “Letter from Birmingham Jail” in his enlightening “Blessed are the Peacemakers”. He gives a rather strong voice to the issue and a rather opinionated one to that as well. The above summary could count forward as to an in-depth analysis of the letter itself; the link to Bass’ article is intriguing for Bass does a job well done to link all matters to reach a successfully understanding point where King would have preferred his letter to reach. Bass is convinced that with King’s letter, the time it was out and his words were heard by all people, it was influential on King’s part for it was “[a] letter [that] served as a tangible account of the long road to freedom” (Bass 145). Segregation slowly wans away with the death of King, he becomes a public figure who was praised because of his words. Bass quoted from a civil rights activist that King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail”: “‘condemned you like the Bible condemns you’ and compelled people to change their ways and ‘do the right thing’” (Bass 148). To compare the letter King wrote to the Bible itself, speaks strongly to the words of this great leader and how his words greatly impacted peoples’ lives in that day. His Biblical references begin in his “Letter from Birmingham Jail” itself as he refers to the reasons why he is in Birmingham “just as the Apostle Paul… carried the gospel of Jesus Christ to the far corners of Greco Roman world, so am I compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my own hometown” (King 1). He takes on as a preacher carrying the good news to deliver freedom where there is none, to deliver justice to where there is injustice. Martin Luther King Jr. advances the civil rights movement with his powerful words and insight to what this is to him and why he is greatly persuaded that all will fall in to place of the just and of the free for the segregation to come to stop and the freedom to become everyone’s. A figure that holds such power, that all peoples find good in his teachings and words, just like Jesus Christ Himself and the Bible.
Works Cited
S. Jonathan Bass, Blessed are the Peacemakers: Martin Luther King Jr., Eight White Religious Leaders, and the “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State university Press, 2001) 111-152.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Papers Project: “Letter from Birmingham Jail”
Civil Rights
Kelsi T.
Civil Rights
On 1963 at the Sixth Avenue Zion Hill Baptist Church, Martin Luther King Jr. started a march for social justice with members of his church and college students on the day of Good Friday. It was a day of marching that symbolized the suffering of Jesus as he dragged his cross through the streets of Jerusalem, and the goal was racial justice by means of nonviolent direct action. Their protesting went through a few streets of the city when the police decided to put a stop to the march by arresting most of the protesters, including King. While in jail, he had time to contemplate about the issues going on in his society and began to jot down notes of what would be later become the Letter from a Birmingham Jail. With the help of his fellow civil rights activists and a young female secretary, MLK was able to compose his letter from jail and “the letter evolved into a grand statement of protest literature” (Bass 145).
The Letter addresses issues of injustice going on in Birmingham and focuses on the “central theme of justification” (Bass 120). King mentions which kinds of injustice are found in Birmingham including social and racial injustices, and how justice can be fought for through nonviolent strategies. According to Bass, King addresses “six major issues: negotiation, timing, breaking laws, triggering violence, the myth of time, and extremism” as well as “two significant sub-issues: rebuking white moderates and disillusionment with the white church in general” (120). In order to prove these points in his letter, King uses biblical references as well as quoting well known historical figures as his rhetorical strategies.
Bass explains how King also uses a specific rhetorical strategy of takes the voice of the apostle Paul by creating “stylistically exploited parallels between Paul’s life and his own” (120). Not only did King write his letter from jail as Paul often did, he also spoke with apostolic authority. For example, he explicitly compares his situation to Paul and writes “just as the Apostle Paul left his village of Tarsus and carried the gospel of Jesus Christ to the far corners of the Greco Roman world, so am I compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my own town” (Letter 1). Just like Paul, King claims to have apostolic authority to take the gospel to his own town. Additionally, just like Paul’s letters King formulates his letter to be more like a sermon instead of a correspondence and both letters were “meant for a larger audience than those addressed” (Bass 120). Both Paul and King stay separated from their audience as they write their letters from jail. King overtly assumes the voice of Paul in order to give his letter more authority.
The Birmingham movement and the Letter “was a culmination of all of King’s ideas, theology, experiences, and civil rights tactics,” which can be seen in the rhetorical strategies he uses to support his claims. As part of his argument, King defends the use of nonviolent direct action as a means to bring social and racial justice to Birmingham. He wanted this protest to lead to negotiation where he could then continue to fight for civil rights. One way in which he argues this point is by drawing on well known important historical figures. These particular historical figures have used nonviolent strategies in order to bring justice to their own societies. For example, “he compared these methods to Socrates’ creation of intellectual tension for individuals to rise above myths and experience the ‘unfettered realm of creative analysis and objective appraisal” (Boss 122). Ultimately, King argues that this is God’s will to bring justice to the world through nonviolent means of direct action as he clearly shows in figure from the Bible and throughout history.
King not only uses classical philosophers such as Socrates but he also draws on classical theologians like the Church Fathers. In arguing that there are two types of laws, just and unjust, he cites Augustine and Thomas Aquinas and their beliefs about unjust laws. He argues that laws sometimes seem just on the surface but are then unjust in application. In addition to quoting the Church Fathers, he roots his argument in biblical text referring to characters and stories surrounding justice. He uses Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as Old Testament characters that practiced the manner of civil disobedience. King suggests that this story is the perfect example of a situation where it is acceptable to disobey unjust laws; therefore the Bible itself defends his claims. King uses other historical figures such as Jewish philosopher Martin Buber to make the claim that an unjust law “distorts the soul and damages the personality” (3). He uses the terminology of Buber to support his argument and strengthen his statement that “segregation is not only politically, economically and socially unsound, it is morally wrong and sinful” (3).
King was considered an “extremist” by the white ministers who criticized him for his protesting, and in response to these claims he pointed to the actions of beloved biblical figures such as Jesus, the apostle Paul as well as historical and church figures such as Socrates and the Church Fathers. He uses these historical figures, both Christian and non-Christian, to make the point that the social and racial injustice in Birmingham is part of a larger human struggle for justice. Furthermore, they are used to portray that real authentic Christian love and nonviolent protesting are the moral ways to bring justice to an injustice society, and these figures are used to show that this is true in his own contemporary context as well as throughout all of history.
The Letter from a Birmingham Jail is a powerful and memorable letter addressing social injustices supported by biblical imagery and historical figures. According to Bass, “King’s composition set forth the philosophical justification for the civil rights movement” and the Letter was the beginning of many more civil rights movement campaigns to follow (146). King defended the civil rights movement and the fight for social and racial justice through the use of nonviolent direct action. His main rhetorical strategies to prove these points were based on biblical references and by the use of classical and modern philosophers, theologians and historical figures. In the Letter, King symbolically takes on the voice of the apostle Paul and compares their lives, which focus on the bringing the gospel to the world.
Civil Rights
On 1963 at the Sixth Avenue Zion Hill Baptist Church, Martin Luther King Jr. started a march for social justice with members of his church and college students on the day of Good Friday. It was a day of marching that symbolized the suffering of Jesus as he dragged his cross through the streets of Jerusalem, and the goal was racial justice by means of nonviolent direct action. Their protesting went through a few streets of the city when the police decided to put a stop to the march by arresting most of the protesters, including King. While in jail, he had time to contemplate about the issues going on in his society and began to jot down notes of what would be later become the Letter from a Birmingham Jail. With the help of his fellow civil rights activists and a young female secretary, MLK was able to compose his letter from jail and “the letter evolved into a grand statement of protest literature” (Bass 145).
The Letter addresses issues of injustice going on in Birmingham and focuses on the “central theme of justification” (Bass 120). King mentions which kinds of injustice are found in Birmingham including social and racial injustices, and how justice can be fought for through nonviolent strategies. According to Bass, King addresses “six major issues: negotiation, timing, breaking laws, triggering violence, the myth of time, and extremism” as well as “two significant sub-issues: rebuking white moderates and disillusionment with the white church in general” (120). In order to prove these points in his letter, King uses biblical references as well as quoting well known historical figures as his rhetorical strategies.
Bass explains how King also uses a specific rhetorical strategy of takes the voice of the apostle Paul by creating “stylistically exploited parallels between Paul’s life and his own” (120). Not only did King write his letter from jail as Paul often did, he also spoke with apostolic authority. For example, he explicitly compares his situation to Paul and writes “just as the Apostle Paul left his village of Tarsus and carried the gospel of Jesus Christ to the far corners of the Greco Roman world, so am I compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my own town” (Letter 1). Just like Paul, King claims to have apostolic authority to take the gospel to his own town. Additionally, just like Paul’s letters King formulates his letter to be more like a sermon instead of a correspondence and both letters were “meant for a larger audience than those addressed” (Bass 120). Both Paul and King stay separated from their audience as they write their letters from jail. King overtly assumes the voice of Paul in order to give his letter more authority.
The Birmingham movement and the Letter “was a culmination of all of King’s ideas, theology, experiences, and civil rights tactics,” which can be seen in the rhetorical strategies he uses to support his claims. As part of his argument, King defends the use of nonviolent direct action as a means to bring social and racial justice to Birmingham. He wanted this protest to lead to negotiation where he could then continue to fight for civil rights. One way in which he argues this point is by drawing on well known important historical figures. These particular historical figures have used nonviolent strategies in order to bring justice to their own societies. For example, “he compared these methods to Socrates’ creation of intellectual tension for individuals to rise above myths and experience the ‘unfettered realm of creative analysis and objective appraisal” (Boss 122). Ultimately, King argues that this is God’s will to bring justice to the world through nonviolent means of direct action as he clearly shows in figure from the Bible and throughout history.
King not only uses classical philosophers such as Socrates but he also draws on classical theologians like the Church Fathers. In arguing that there are two types of laws, just and unjust, he cites Augustine and Thomas Aquinas and their beliefs about unjust laws. He argues that laws sometimes seem just on the surface but are then unjust in application. In addition to quoting the Church Fathers, he roots his argument in biblical text referring to characters and stories surrounding justice. He uses Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as Old Testament characters that practiced the manner of civil disobedience. King suggests that this story is the perfect example of a situation where it is acceptable to disobey unjust laws; therefore the Bible itself defends his claims. King uses other historical figures such as Jewish philosopher Martin Buber to make the claim that an unjust law “distorts the soul and damages the personality” (3). He uses the terminology of Buber to support his argument and strengthen his statement that “segregation is not only politically, economically and socially unsound, it is morally wrong and sinful” (3).
King was considered an “extremist” by the white ministers who criticized him for his protesting, and in response to these claims he pointed to the actions of beloved biblical figures such as Jesus, the apostle Paul as well as historical and church figures such as Socrates and the Church Fathers. He uses these historical figures, both Christian and non-Christian, to make the point that the social and racial injustice in Birmingham is part of a larger human struggle for justice. Furthermore, they are used to portray that real authentic Christian love and nonviolent protesting are the moral ways to bring justice to an injustice society, and these figures are used to show that this is true in his own contemporary context as well as throughout all of history.
The Letter from a Birmingham Jail is a powerful and memorable letter addressing social injustices supported by biblical imagery and historical figures. According to Bass, “King’s composition set forth the philosophical justification for the civil rights movement” and the Letter was the beginning of many more civil rights movement campaigns to follow (146). King defended the civil rights movement and the fight for social and racial justice through the use of nonviolent direct action. His main rhetorical strategies to prove these points were based on biblical references and by the use of classical and modern philosophers, theologians and historical figures. In the Letter, King symbolically takes on the voice of the apostle Paul and compares their lives, which focus on the bringing the gospel to the world.
Civil Rights Reflection Paper
Darby Smith
Summary:
In “A Letter from Birmingham Jail,” Martin Luther King writes from his jail cell after being imprisoned for peacefully protesting. He writes about the need for nonviolent action in the face of injustice, stating that the African-Americans have waited much too long for justice to come to them. As humans with fundamental, basic rights, the centuries of waiting they have been forced to endure before seeing equality have been much too long. In order to work for equality and human rights, King argues that ultimately, some laws may have to be broken. However, in his opinion, the moral person has an obligation to break unjust laws, in the same way he has an obligation to obey just laws. Essentially, in King’s opinion, there are certain inherent human laws that are dictated not by the government but by one’s moral compass, and that sometimes, when the governmental law and the moral law do not agree, the moral law must win out. King goes on further to explain how to differentiate between just and unjust laws. If a law is used to further segregation or to degrade a human in any way, it is inherently unjust. King’s belief is not to defy the law in order to create anarchy. Rather, he calls for a peaceful, sensible refusal to submit to unjust laws, and the willingness to comply with the penalties that may come along with that. King makes the comparison to Hitler’s unspeakable acts against the Jewish people in Germany; although his actions were “legal” and everything done to help the Jews was “illegal,” there is no uncertainty as to what was considered right and moral. King argues that laws were originally created in order to promulgate justice and foster social progress and stability. If the law fails to this, it is not doing what it was originally intended to do.
In King’s opinion, there are other ways of approaching the matters of segregation and oppression that are wrong and yield poor results as compared to nonviolent protest. There are those who do nothing and are contented to continue waiting until equality naturally happens; there are also the Black nationalists that advocate for hatred and use violence. Both of these viewpoints are undesirable, because they focus on the wrong aspects of the larger problem. King explains that “oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever,” and that “the United States Negro is moving with a sense of great urgency toward the promised land of racial justice”(6). King argues that waiting is impossible at this stage; it is only natural at this point for the African-Americans to make greater strides toward freedom and equality until it is finally achieved. Although at first call King was disturbed that some called his approach extremist, he writes that he instead learned to embrace this title.
Ultimately King states his dissatisfaction with the role of all white people in the cause for equality. Although some do agree with the standpoint of the African-Americans and hope for their eventual equality, King argues that there is no possible way for them to truly and completely sympathize because they are not the ones being oppressed. King points out several notable exceptions, but overall he expresses his great disappointment in the white church and the church leaders. He expected support for the cause of justice and equality, but many white church leaders instead made him their enemy. While King has serious problems with the way white church leaders have handled themselves, he stresses that he has great love for the church, and that “there can be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love”(7). Ultimately, King ends with a proclamation that he is not worried about the future, because the freedom of the African-American is inherently intertwined with the purpose and future of America as a whole.
Analysis:
The Pauline epistles account for a generous portion of the New Testament. Anyone who is familiar with Paul generally knows his story; his letters that are included in the Bible were written from jail, where he was imprisoned for his faith. King clearly aims to reflect Paul’s martyr attitude in his letter, as he proudly announces that he is writing from prison. The entire process of King’s arrest and ultimately imprisonment seems constructed to make him appear, similar to Paul, as though his Faith was stronger and serving a greater cause then those of his oppressors. As Jonathan Bass writes in Blessed Are the Peacemakers, when police approached King during the initial protest, he and the others “immediately dropped to their knees on the sidewalk and bowed their heads in prayer”(113). King and his followers made their position very clear; instead of protesting their oppression using violence, they would use prayer. Bass goes on to say that the entire protest could be seen as “an entire media crusade centered on the biblical image of a lone apostolic leader, confined to a jail cell, writing a letter of admonishment and love to his accusers and fellow churchmen”(116). Clearly, this sounds very similar to the life of Paul and the reason his letters were written. Besides the letter being formed to parallel that of Paul’s, it has obvious Christian aspects as well. King and his followers were Christian and his words in the letter certainly address that fact. The peaceful protest followed by prayer, arrest and imprisonment, and ultimately the letter addressing the qualms of oppression but instigating hope for the future strongly and clearly intentionally parallel the Pauline Epistles. Clearly, this was not a coincidence; Bass writes that it was, in fact, a planned event to make a comparison between King and Paul and ultimately appeal to Christian heartstrings. Bass writes that although the “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” appeared to have been written spontaneously, it was a well-orchestrated and seriously thought out event that was planned in order to best emphasize the most significant parts of the Civil Rights movement. The entire Birmingham event was actually intended to attract substantial media coverage, and to act as a catalyst for the letter, as a way to attack white Church leaders and ultimately outline the major tenets of the Civil Rights cause.
In his letter, King explains that he has been called an extremist. by many. King states that Jesus, too, was an extremist, as well as Amos, Paul, Martin Luther, and even Thomas Jefferson. In King’s opinion, being an extremist is not the issue at hand, but rather the position that one is an extremist for. For example, Jesus was an extremist for love, and because of this he was able to rise above his oppressors, and, in the Christian tradition, rise from the dead and ultimately take his seat next to God himself in Heaven. Not only does King compare himself to Paul, but Jesus as well. He, like Jesus, is a “good extremist,” and is being persecuted as such by his imprisonment. As Bass writes in paraphrasing King, “The South, the nation, and the world desperately needed more creative extremists for love and justice”(127). By comparing himself to these famous historical figures who left a strong impact and had significant power, King sets himself up to be both sympathized for and feared. The term “extremist” generally has negative connotations, which King acknowledges, but he also works to point out that extremists, while sometimes controversial, can do incredible things for the good of people. King uses this commonly negative label to further compare himself to Jesus, who was often criticized and written off as magician or false prophet. This section makes certain Biblical allusions as well, like to 1 John 4:13, which says, “Don’t be surprised, dear brothers and sisters, if the world hates you”(NLT). King writes that he was “initially disappointed at being categorized as an extremist”—In other words, he was disappointed that he was hated. However, as he “continued to think about the matter, I gradually gained a measure of satisfaction from the label”(NLT). Or, in other words, he accepted that to serve Christ and fight injustice, he knew that receiving the hatred of some was unavoidable and even necessary. Ultimately, King's letter successfully makes allusions to the entire plight of the Christian faith by strong comparisons to both Paul and Jesus.
References
S. Jonathan Bass, Blessed are the Peacemakers: Martin Luther King Jr., Eight White Religious Leaders, and the “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State university Press, 2001) 111-152.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Papers Project: “Letter from Birmingham Jail” (www.kingpapers.org). The Estate of Martin Luther King, Jr.
The New Living Translation Bible: Life Application Study Bible. Italy: Tyndale, 2007. Print.
Darby Smith
Summary:
In “A Letter from Birmingham Jail,” Martin Luther King writes from his jail cell after being imprisoned for peacefully protesting. He writes about the need for nonviolent action in the face of injustice, stating that the African-Americans have waited much too long for justice to come to them. As humans with fundamental, basic rights, the centuries of waiting they have been forced to endure before seeing equality have been much too long. In order to work for equality and human rights, King argues that ultimately, some laws may have to be broken. However, in his opinion, the moral person has an obligation to break unjust laws, in the same way he has an obligation to obey just laws. Essentially, in King’s opinion, there are certain inherent human laws that are dictated not by the government but by one’s moral compass, and that sometimes, when the governmental law and the moral law do not agree, the moral law must win out. King goes on further to explain how to differentiate between just and unjust laws. If a law is used to further segregation or to degrade a human in any way, it is inherently unjust. King’s belief is not to defy the law in order to create anarchy. Rather, he calls for a peaceful, sensible refusal to submit to unjust laws, and the willingness to comply with the penalties that may come along with that. King makes the comparison to Hitler’s unspeakable acts against the Jewish people in Germany; although his actions were “legal” and everything done to help the Jews was “illegal,” there is no uncertainty as to what was considered right and moral. King argues that laws were originally created in order to promulgate justice and foster social progress and stability. If the law fails to this, it is not doing what it was originally intended to do.
In King’s opinion, there are other ways of approaching the matters of segregation and oppression that are wrong and yield poor results as compared to nonviolent protest. There are those who do nothing and are contented to continue waiting until equality naturally happens; there are also the Black nationalists that advocate for hatred and use violence. Both of these viewpoints are undesirable, because they focus on the wrong aspects of the larger problem. King explains that “oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever,” and that “the United States Negro is moving with a sense of great urgency toward the promised land of racial justice”(6). King argues that waiting is impossible at this stage; it is only natural at this point for the African-Americans to make greater strides toward freedom and equality until it is finally achieved. Although at first call King was disturbed that some called his approach extremist, he writes that he instead learned to embrace this title.
Ultimately King states his dissatisfaction with the role of all white people in the cause for equality. Although some do agree with the standpoint of the African-Americans and hope for their eventual equality, King argues that there is no possible way for them to truly and completely sympathize because they are not the ones being oppressed. King points out several notable exceptions, but overall he expresses his great disappointment in the white church and the church leaders. He expected support for the cause of justice and equality, but many white church leaders instead made him their enemy. While King has serious problems with the way white church leaders have handled themselves, he stresses that he has great love for the church, and that “there can be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love”(7). Ultimately, King ends with a proclamation that he is not worried about the future, because the freedom of the African-American is inherently intertwined with the purpose and future of America as a whole.
Analysis:
The Pauline epistles account for a generous portion of the New Testament. Anyone who is familiar with Paul generally knows his story; his letters that are included in the Bible were written from jail, where he was imprisoned for his faith. King clearly aims to reflect Paul’s martyr attitude in his letter, as he proudly announces that he is writing from prison. The entire process of King’s arrest and ultimately imprisonment seems constructed to make him appear, similar to Paul, as though his Faith was stronger and serving a greater cause then those of his oppressors. As Jonathan Bass writes in Blessed Are the Peacemakers, when police approached King during the initial protest, he and the others “immediately dropped to their knees on the sidewalk and bowed their heads in prayer”(113). King and his followers made their position very clear; instead of protesting their oppression using violence, they would use prayer. Bass goes on to say that the entire protest could be seen as “an entire media crusade centered on the biblical image of a lone apostolic leader, confined to a jail cell, writing a letter of admonishment and love to his accusers and fellow churchmen”(116). Clearly, this sounds very similar to the life of Paul and the reason his letters were written. Besides the letter being formed to parallel that of Paul’s, it has obvious Christian aspects as well. King and his followers were Christian and his words in the letter certainly address that fact. The peaceful protest followed by prayer, arrest and imprisonment, and ultimately the letter addressing the qualms of oppression but instigating hope for the future strongly and clearly intentionally parallel the Pauline Epistles. Clearly, this was not a coincidence; Bass writes that it was, in fact, a planned event to make a comparison between King and Paul and ultimately appeal to Christian heartstrings. Bass writes that although the “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” appeared to have been written spontaneously, it was a well-orchestrated and seriously thought out event that was planned in order to best emphasize the most significant parts of the Civil Rights movement. The entire Birmingham event was actually intended to attract substantial media coverage, and to act as a catalyst for the letter, as a way to attack white Church leaders and ultimately outline the major tenets of the Civil Rights cause.
In his letter, King explains that he has been called an extremist. by many. King states that Jesus, too, was an extremist, as well as Amos, Paul, Martin Luther, and even Thomas Jefferson. In King’s opinion, being an extremist is not the issue at hand, but rather the position that one is an extremist for. For example, Jesus was an extremist for love, and because of this he was able to rise above his oppressors, and, in the Christian tradition, rise from the dead and ultimately take his seat next to God himself in Heaven. Not only does King compare himself to Paul, but Jesus as well. He, like Jesus, is a “good extremist,” and is being persecuted as such by his imprisonment. As Bass writes in paraphrasing King, “The South, the nation, and the world desperately needed more creative extremists for love and justice”(127). By comparing himself to these famous historical figures who left a strong impact and had significant power, King sets himself up to be both sympathized for and feared. The term “extremist” generally has negative connotations, which King acknowledges, but he also works to point out that extremists, while sometimes controversial, can do incredible things for the good of people. King uses this commonly negative label to further compare himself to Jesus, who was often criticized and written off as magician or false prophet. This section makes certain Biblical allusions as well, like to 1 John 4:13, which says, “Don’t be surprised, dear brothers and sisters, if the world hates you”(NLT). King writes that he was “initially disappointed at being categorized as an extremist”—In other words, he was disappointed that he was hated. However, as he “continued to think about the matter, I gradually gained a measure of satisfaction from the label”(NLT). Or, in other words, he accepted that to serve Christ and fight injustice, he knew that receiving the hatred of some was unavoidable and even necessary. Ultimately, King's letter successfully makes allusions to the entire plight of the Christian faith by strong comparisons to both Paul and Jesus.
References
S. Jonathan Bass, Blessed are the Peacemakers: Martin Luther King Jr., Eight White Religious Leaders, and the “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State university Press, 2001) 111-152.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Papers Project: “Letter from Birmingham Jail” (www.kingpapers.org). The Estate of Martin Luther King, Jr.
The New Living Translation Bible: Life Application Study Bible. Italy: Tyndale, 2007. Print.
Civil Rights - Reflection Paper
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Martin Luther King, Jr. in his Letter from Birmingham Jail, expresses his calling to defend the cause of human rights in America. He uses a methodical, intellectual and emotional approach to thoroughly explain the issues and restrictions that prevent equality from moving forward. In the letter he addresses the urgency of taking action now, as well as demonstrating what justice and injustice looks like to set a foundation to build his argument.
Throughout the letter biblical themes are emphasized to heighten the moral importance of desegregation from God's perspective. King draws parallels between his life and the life of the Apostle Paul, who also persisted through trial and suffering. Additionally King uses the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to connect principals from a biblical historical narrative to a comparable modern issue in society.
Throughout the letter King addresses the issue presented by the clergymen who stated the action taken was "untimely." Retorting with the experienced fact that "freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed." (King, 3) Therefore he argues that the time has past whereby segregation is accepted and passively hoped for. Rather now is the time to take direct action and to apply pressure, forcing people to confront and eradicate the issue.
In addition King validates the reasoning behind breaking law by stating that there are two types of laws; "just and unjust." (King, 3) That the just laws are to be followed and the unjust laws must be challenged. Furthermore he builds this argument in relation to the moral law of God, stating that any decree "that degrades human personality is unjust." (King, 3) It is therefore not only unconstitutional, but sinful against God to continue desegregation of whites from blacks. King in his letter states, "If today I lived in a Communist country where certain principles dear to the Christian faith are suppressed, I would openly advocate disobeying that countries antireligious laws." (King, 4) This statement is alluring to the fact that Christians submit to a higher law than human ruling, that in times when the two contradict God’s law must be followed.
It can also be argued that King subtly utilizes the biblical theme of building your house on a solid foundation. "Now is the time to lift our national policy from the quicksand of racial injustice to the solid rock of human dignity." (King, 4) In the context of Matthew 7:24-27 God’s teaching is the solid rock foundation which good values must be built on. In this case he is imploring the nation to build its values on justice, peace and equality, all factors Christ was an advocate for. He reiterates that America which is known for Christian values is not aligning their actions and laws to Gods will, implying a necessary self-check of all Christians to revaluate their stance on the issue of segregation. King’s writing transfers the issue from black or white to that of Christian by name or Christian by virtue. Appealing to all genuine Christians to rise up and embrace the same actions of revolt against the world’s attempt to devalue Negroes as human beings.
King consistently draws connections between his cause and biblical themes, to highlight that human rights is inextricably linked to Gods ideal way of living. As he proceeded in non-violent protest he found himself in jail similarly like the Apostle Paul. This scenario was a perfect platform for the writings of the Letter from Birmingham Jail. King at the beginning of his letter states that he feels compelled to carry the message of human rights in the same way the Apostle Paul left his hometown to carry the gospel of Jesus to neighboring cities. (King, 1) King took on this idea and left his hometown Atlanta in pursuit of equality and justice in Birmingham. The link to the Paul in his writings was not coincidental, in fact according Blessed are the Peacemakers the author Jonathan Bass states that "the idea of producing a document like the letter had been in place for some time." That it was in Kings plans to write a "prison epistle" to demonstrate and dramatize the likeness of suffering as Paul experienced in jail. (Bass,116) This was used as a strategic public relations move to maximize the coverage of the civil rights movement in Birmingham.
Additionally King discusses an example of civil disobedience in the Old Testament found in Daniel 3. This passage describes three men's refusal to submit to the will of an earthly authority on the grounds that King Nebuchadnezzar's requests stood against a higher law of God. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego placed their own life and safety at risk for the sake of rejecting an unjust law to pursue what was right. In the same way King is willing to suffer physical abuse and imprisonment to fight against the immoral law of unequal rights.
King also draws positive links to the label "extremist" by also highlighting historical figures including; Jesus, the Apostle Paul, Martin Luther and Thomas Jefferson, all people who were admired for their radical beliefs and actions. (King, 6) King questions the condition of the modern church compared to the early church who radically pursued God’s ideals to bring heaven on earth. In his letter he states that today “the contemporary church is a weak, ineffectual voice with an uncertain sound. So often it is a defender of the status quo.” (King, 8) Silence is considered the same as acceptance, therefore merely taking a lukewarm stance on the issue of segregation actually echoes promotion of the issue. This remark is supposed to shock and offend readers, challenging them to reassess the churches role in modern society and encourage believers to emerge from the silence.
By applying biblical themes in his letter King uses Christianity as a common denominator between blacks and whites, which warrants unity irrespective of skin color. It is out of this shared faith in Christ he establishes a standard that aligns a white persons Christian beliefs with the need to also pursue equality as apart of Gods will. In the letter it implies that those that side with King are also siding with God, and in contrast those that reject Kings viewpoint also rejects the fundamental Christian beliefs.
References
S. Jonathan Bass, Blessed are the Peacemakers: Martin Luther King Jr., Eight White Religious Leaders, and the “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State university Press, 2001) 111-152.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Papers Project: “Letter from Birmingham Jail” (www.kingpapers.org). The Estate of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Throughout the letter biblical themes are emphasized to heighten the moral importance of desegregation from God's perspective. King draws parallels between his life and the life of the Apostle Paul, who also persisted through trial and suffering. Additionally King uses the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to connect principals from a biblical historical narrative to a comparable modern issue in society.
Throughout the letter King addresses the issue presented by the clergymen who stated the action taken was "untimely." Retorting with the experienced fact that "freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed." (King, 3) Therefore he argues that the time has past whereby segregation is accepted and passively hoped for. Rather now is the time to take direct action and to apply pressure, forcing people to confront and eradicate the issue.
In addition King validates the reasoning behind breaking law by stating that there are two types of laws; "just and unjust." (King, 3) That the just laws are to be followed and the unjust laws must be challenged. Furthermore he builds this argument in relation to the moral law of God, stating that any decree "that degrades human personality is unjust." (King, 3) It is therefore not only unconstitutional, but sinful against God to continue desegregation of whites from blacks. King in his letter states, "If today I lived in a Communist country where certain principles dear to the Christian faith are suppressed, I would openly advocate disobeying that countries antireligious laws." (King, 4) This statement is alluring to the fact that Christians submit to a higher law than human ruling, that in times when the two contradict God’s law must be followed.
It can also be argued that King subtly utilizes the biblical theme of building your house on a solid foundation. "Now is the time to lift our national policy from the quicksand of racial injustice to the solid rock of human dignity." (King, 4) In the context of Matthew 7:24-27 God’s teaching is the solid rock foundation which good values must be built on. In this case he is imploring the nation to build its values on justice, peace and equality, all factors Christ was an advocate for. He reiterates that America which is known for Christian values is not aligning their actions and laws to Gods will, implying a necessary self-check of all Christians to revaluate their stance on the issue of segregation. King’s writing transfers the issue from black or white to that of Christian by name or Christian by virtue. Appealing to all genuine Christians to rise up and embrace the same actions of revolt against the world’s attempt to devalue Negroes as human beings.
King consistently draws connections between his cause and biblical themes, to highlight that human rights is inextricably linked to Gods ideal way of living. As he proceeded in non-violent protest he found himself in jail similarly like the Apostle Paul. This scenario was a perfect platform for the writings of the Letter from Birmingham Jail. King at the beginning of his letter states that he feels compelled to carry the message of human rights in the same way the Apostle Paul left his hometown to carry the gospel of Jesus to neighboring cities. (King, 1) King took on this idea and left his hometown Atlanta in pursuit of equality and justice in Birmingham. The link to the Paul in his writings was not coincidental, in fact according Blessed are the Peacemakers the author Jonathan Bass states that "the idea of producing a document like the letter had been in place for some time." That it was in Kings plans to write a "prison epistle" to demonstrate and dramatize the likeness of suffering as Paul experienced in jail. (Bass,116) This was used as a strategic public relations move to maximize the coverage of the civil rights movement in Birmingham.
Additionally King discusses an example of civil disobedience in the Old Testament found in Daniel 3. This passage describes three men's refusal to submit to the will of an earthly authority on the grounds that King Nebuchadnezzar's requests stood against a higher law of God. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego placed their own life and safety at risk for the sake of rejecting an unjust law to pursue what was right. In the same way King is willing to suffer physical abuse and imprisonment to fight against the immoral law of unequal rights.
King also draws positive links to the label "extremist" by also highlighting historical figures including; Jesus, the Apostle Paul, Martin Luther and Thomas Jefferson, all people who were admired for their radical beliefs and actions. (King, 6) King questions the condition of the modern church compared to the early church who radically pursued God’s ideals to bring heaven on earth. In his letter he states that today “the contemporary church is a weak, ineffectual voice with an uncertain sound. So often it is a defender of the status quo.” (King, 8) Silence is considered the same as acceptance, therefore merely taking a lukewarm stance on the issue of segregation actually echoes promotion of the issue. This remark is supposed to shock and offend readers, challenging them to reassess the churches role in modern society and encourage believers to emerge from the silence.
By applying biblical themes in his letter King uses Christianity as a common denominator between blacks and whites, which warrants unity irrespective of skin color. It is out of this shared faith in Christ he establishes a standard that aligns a white persons Christian beliefs with the need to also pursue equality as apart of Gods will. In the letter it implies that those that side with King are also siding with God, and in contrast those that reject Kings viewpoint also rejects the fundamental Christian beliefs.
References
S. Jonathan Bass, Blessed are the Peacemakers: Martin Luther King Jr., Eight White Religious Leaders, and the “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State university Press, 2001) 111-152.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Papers Project: “Letter from Birmingham Jail” (www.kingpapers.org). The Estate of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Civil Rights
A. Fajardo
Summary
Martin Luther King Jr. was a Baptist Minister and Civil Rights Activist who believed in equality for all American’s. He believed that everyone is a child of God and therefore, we are all brothers and sisters in Christ and should be treated as such. He also believed in peace and treating people with love and compassion. He believed in these things so strongly that he joined others in leading the nation in one of the most historical civil rights movements. His efforts would end up bringing justice to people who had been robbed of their rights and dignity for decades. His trip to Birmingham, Alabama was yet another attempt throughout his journey to stop segregation and bring equality to the citizens who resided there.
In 1963 Birmingham, Alabama was one of the few cities in the U.S. that continued to believe in segregation and despite efforts from the Black community, the city refused to negotiate and made promised that continued to be broken. This led the people to request Dr. King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to organize a campaign. The campaign would consist of a non-violent march from Sixth Avenue Baptist Church through the streets of Birmingham, disrupting any potential merchant sells because it was during one of the main season’s that merchants relied on for revenue, Easter. In the Letter from Birmingham Jail, King states, “Knowing that a strong economic-withdrawal program would be the byproduct of direct action, we felt that this would be the best time to bring pressure to bear on the merchants for the needed change” (2). This campaign would be the cause of his incarceration in the Birmingham jail and the start of King’s historical letter.
His letter is said to be in response to eight white clergymen from Birmingham who criticized King’s tactics. The “Letter from Birmingham Jail” could have been addressed to any one of the chorus of critics from throughout the country. Yet for the accomplished public relations strategists in the SCLC, this seemed a golden opportunity for publicity; an entire media crusade centered on the biblical image of a lone apostolic leader, confined to a jail cell, writing a letter of admonishment and love to his accusers and fellow churchmen (Bass, 116).
Analysis
Sitting in a jail cell in 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. wrote one of history’s most influential documents, the “Letter from Birmingham Jail”. In this document he is addressing his fellow clergymen and followers of God in light of criticism and the lack of support he had been receiving from what he would call “white moderates”. King states, “I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro’s great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen’s Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to “order” than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says: “I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action”; who paternalistically believes he can constantly advises the Negro to wait for a “more convenient season”. He states, “Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will” (King, 3). He was not only responding to the criticism of the clergymen, in essence his response was an expression of “his deep disappointment in the white church” (Bass, 116).
King loved the Church and loved God even more. He was not only a minister but the son and grandson of minister’s as well. He was a theologian and scholar which is why he took great heart into his letter. It was his intention to not only respond to his critics but to relate himself to the Apostle Paul in an effort to give a biblical perspective and justification to his quest for justice and freedom. King writes, “Just as the prophets of the eighth century B.C. left their villages and carried their “thus saith the Lord” far beyond the boundaries of their home towns, and just as the Apostle Paul left his village of Tarsus and carried the gospel of Jesus Christ to the far corners of the Greco Roman world, so am I compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my own home town” (king, 1). King knew that his message had to be carried beyond his hometowns just as the message of Jesus Christ had to be carried from nation to nation.
One of the main issues King addresses in his letter is that of disobedience to the law. He felt there were both just and unjust laws and the latter was of moral concern to King. An unjust law is one that suppresses certain people and not other's whereas a just law is one that everybody is willing to follow. An unjust law in king’s opinion can be broken in extenuating circumstances and in the event an unjust law needs to be broken, it should be done “openly, lovingly, and with a willingness to accept the penalty” (King, 3). He felt that the discrimination in the United States was unjust and ungodly which is why he was willing to break the law and March down the streets of Birmingham, Alabama without a permit. He also points out many instances in history that caused for unjust law’s to be broken and King made it a point to ensure his fellow Christian’s could see from a biblical perspective that what he was doing, was not only morally right, but has been done by some of the most influential people in history . For instance, he mentions how Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to obey the laws of Nebuchadnezzar on the ground that a higher moral law was at stake. He also points out that “if I lived in a communist country where certial principles dear to the Christian faith are suppressed, I would openly advocate disobeying that country’s anti-religious laws (King, 3).
King was a man of passion and strong faith who knew that the only way to ensure the freedom of many was to sacrifice himself and the safety of his family for what he felt was right. He was an influential leader and his letter was a source of influence to not only policymakers, but to the Church as well. It was published and handed out in many different formats to Church’s all around the nation. King went to make a statement and demand change and ended up making history.
Works Cited
S. Jonathan Bass, Blessed are the Peacemakers: Martin Luther King Jr., Eight White Religious Leaders, and the “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State university Press, 2001) 111-152.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Papers Project: “Letter from Birmingham Jail” (www.kingpapers.org). The Estate of Martin Luther King, Jr.
A. Fajardo
Summary
Martin Luther King Jr. was a Baptist Minister and Civil Rights Activist who believed in equality for all American’s. He believed that everyone is a child of God and therefore, we are all brothers and sisters in Christ and should be treated as such. He also believed in peace and treating people with love and compassion. He believed in these things so strongly that he joined others in leading the nation in one of the most historical civil rights movements. His efforts would end up bringing justice to people who had been robbed of their rights and dignity for decades. His trip to Birmingham, Alabama was yet another attempt throughout his journey to stop segregation and bring equality to the citizens who resided there.
In 1963 Birmingham, Alabama was one of the few cities in the U.S. that continued to believe in segregation and despite efforts from the Black community, the city refused to negotiate and made promised that continued to be broken. This led the people to request Dr. King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to organize a campaign. The campaign would consist of a non-violent march from Sixth Avenue Baptist Church through the streets of Birmingham, disrupting any potential merchant sells because it was during one of the main season’s that merchants relied on for revenue, Easter. In the Letter from Birmingham Jail, King states, “Knowing that a strong economic-withdrawal program would be the byproduct of direct action, we felt that this would be the best time to bring pressure to bear on the merchants for the needed change” (2). This campaign would be the cause of his incarceration in the Birmingham jail and the start of King’s historical letter.
His letter is said to be in response to eight white clergymen from Birmingham who criticized King’s tactics. The “Letter from Birmingham Jail” could have been addressed to any one of the chorus of critics from throughout the country. Yet for the accomplished public relations strategists in the SCLC, this seemed a golden opportunity for publicity; an entire media crusade centered on the biblical image of a lone apostolic leader, confined to a jail cell, writing a letter of admonishment and love to his accusers and fellow churchmen (Bass, 116).
Analysis
Sitting in a jail cell in 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. wrote one of history’s most influential documents, the “Letter from Birmingham Jail”. In this document he is addressing his fellow clergymen and followers of God in light of criticism and the lack of support he had been receiving from what he would call “white moderates”. King states, “I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro’s great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen’s Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to “order” than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says: “I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action”; who paternalistically believes he can constantly advises the Negro to wait for a “more convenient season”. He states, “Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will” (King, 3). He was not only responding to the criticism of the clergymen, in essence his response was an expression of “his deep disappointment in the white church” (Bass, 116).
King loved the Church and loved God even more. He was not only a minister but the son and grandson of minister’s as well. He was a theologian and scholar which is why he took great heart into his letter. It was his intention to not only respond to his critics but to relate himself to the Apostle Paul in an effort to give a biblical perspective and justification to his quest for justice and freedom. King writes, “Just as the prophets of the eighth century B.C. left their villages and carried their “thus saith the Lord” far beyond the boundaries of their home towns, and just as the Apostle Paul left his village of Tarsus and carried the gospel of Jesus Christ to the far corners of the Greco Roman world, so am I compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my own home town” (king, 1). King knew that his message had to be carried beyond his hometowns just as the message of Jesus Christ had to be carried from nation to nation.
One of the main issues King addresses in his letter is that of disobedience to the law. He felt there were both just and unjust laws and the latter was of moral concern to King. An unjust law is one that suppresses certain people and not other's whereas a just law is one that everybody is willing to follow. An unjust law in king’s opinion can be broken in extenuating circumstances and in the event an unjust law needs to be broken, it should be done “openly, lovingly, and with a willingness to accept the penalty” (King, 3). He felt that the discrimination in the United States was unjust and ungodly which is why he was willing to break the law and March down the streets of Birmingham, Alabama without a permit. He also points out many instances in history that caused for unjust law’s to be broken and King made it a point to ensure his fellow Christian’s could see from a biblical perspective that what he was doing, was not only morally right, but has been done by some of the most influential people in history . For instance, he mentions how Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to obey the laws of Nebuchadnezzar on the ground that a higher moral law was at stake. He also points out that “if I lived in a communist country where certial principles dear to the Christian faith are suppressed, I would openly advocate disobeying that country’s anti-religious laws (King, 3).
King was a man of passion and strong faith who knew that the only way to ensure the freedom of many was to sacrifice himself and the safety of his family for what he felt was right. He was an influential leader and his letter was a source of influence to not only policymakers, but to the Church as well. It was published and handed out in many different formats to Church’s all around the nation. King went to make a statement and demand change and ended up making history.
Works Cited
S. Jonathan Bass, Blessed are the Peacemakers: Martin Luther King Jr., Eight White Religious Leaders, and the “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State university Press, 2001) 111-152.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Papers Project: “Letter from Birmingham Jail” (www.kingpapers.org). The Estate of Martin Luther King, Jr.