Dr. Kings Letter from Birmingham Jail

Dr. Kings Letter from Birmingham JailDaniel Cox, Amanda Hendrix, Devin Moore, Zelgai Saleh, Ben Tobin, Nathan Zelalem, Marcello Novella

Paragraph 14EvidenceTone, Commentary, Metaphors, and EffectPerhaps it is easy for those who have never felt the stinging dark of segregation to say, Wait.

...when you are harried by day and haunted by night by the fact that you are a Negro...when you have no forever fighting desegregating sense of nobodiness then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait.

Using balanced viewQualification with perhapsImplying that he is about to propose a counter-argument

Comes back in a full circle from startExpresses anger and outrage through parallel structure (when you)Mentions harsh examples of what his people have had to go through to generate pathosOutraged tone

Paragraph 15EvidenceTone, Commentary, Metaphors, and EffectOne has not only a legal but a moral responsibility to obey just laws, conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.

Common senseLogosConditional if/then statementEthosStates that people must obey just lawsDraws back anger after burst in paragraph 14Makes reference to Brown v. Board of Education to establish a connection

Paragraph 16EvidenceTone, Commentary, Metaphors, and EffectAll segregation statutes are unjust because segregation distorts the soul and damages the personality

A just law is a man-made code that squares with moral law or the law of God. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with moral law.

It is morally wrong and awful

Tone of angerAnger b/c segregation/discriminationComparison of just vs. unjust -> cites Gods authority as (explicit) evidence of the injustice of discriminationAudience: white congregation who partake in the widespread segregationEthos -> used credible sources as support for his claim

Paragraph 16 continuedEvidenceTone, Commentary, Metaphors, and Effect...the law of God

To put it in the terms of St. Thomas Aquinas

to use the terminology of the Jewish philosopher Martin Buber

I can urge men to obey the 1954 decision of the Supreme Court

Citing God and saints gives religious support to his pointCiting a Jewish philosopher broadens range of influenceReligious fervor of the time made these authorities viable evidence for his claimReferencing a Supreme Court decision gave legal background to his claimIntended for audience of officials in Washington to show their actions are unconstitutional

Paragraph 17EvidenceTone, Commentary, Metaphors, and EffectAn unjust law is a code that a numerical or power majority group compels a minority group to obey but does not make binding on itselfa just law is a code that a majority compels a minority to follow and that it is willing to follow itself.

Comparison of just vs. unjust -> metaphor regarding govt is unjust through their difference in legal opinionsAccusing toneAccusing govt of being unjust/oppressive Implies unfairness through discrimination of all groupsRights of man includes all groups, not just whitesDiscusses legality of this sameness and difference

Paragraph 18EvidenceTone, Commentary, Metaphors, and EffectA law is unjust if inflicted on a minority that...had no part...devising the law.

Can any law enacted under such circumstances [having zero negro voters registered] be considered democratically structured?

Dr. King has a very angry toneBasically challenges his audience, which is all of America: If the U.S.A. claims to be democratic, how does having a large part of the population not voting back that up?Asks two rhetorical questions-both about democracy and if anything can be considered democratic if it does not include the minority.

Paragraph 19EvidenceTone, Commentary, Metaphors, and EffectSometimes a law is just on its face and unjust in its application.

[A law] becomes unjust when it...denies citizens the first amendment privilege of peaceful assembly and protest.

Takes the supreme law of the land and shows how even that doesn't stop segregation.Points out the fine difference between two laws, needing a permit to parade and exercising First Amendment rightsWord of law vs. Spirit of law vs. individual interpretation of law

Comparisons for Unjust LawsSt. Augustine says that "an unjust law is no law at all" (paragraph 15)An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with morality, one that is not rooted in natural and eternal law (paragraph 16)An unjust law is a code that a majority compels a minority to obey but does not obey itself (paragraph 17)A law is unjust if it is inflicted on a minority that has no right to vote, enact, or devise that law (paragraph 18)Laws are unjust on application, such as using a law for the sole purpose of maintaining segregation (paragraph 19)

Paragraph 20EvidenceTone, Commentary, Metaphors, and EffectIn no sense do I advocate evading or defying the law, as would the rabid segregationist

I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tell him is unjust and who willingly accept the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for law

Martin Luther King starts paragraph in an apologetic tone. He also states that he isnt inciting rebellion or the defying of authorities.He justifies his actions, explaining why its the right thing to do.

Paragraph 21EvidenceTone, Commentary, Metaphors, and EffectOf course there is nothing new with this kind of civil disobedience. It was evidenced in the refusal of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to obey the laws of Nebuchadnezzar, on the grounds that a higher moral law was at stake.

Martin Luther King uses this paragraph as a recipient of examples for his previous paragraph.He gives a number of examples of historical characters and events where civil disobedience was key to achieving ones goals.The examples he provides are: the early Christians, Socrates and the Boston Tea PartyMentioning the Boston Tea Party was an efficient tactic, because it relates to the American People.

Paragraph 22EvidenceTone, Commentary, Metaphors, and EffectIn no sense do I advocate evading or defying the law, as would the rabid segregationist

I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tell him is unjust and who willingly accept the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for law

Kings audience that this section is geared towards is the black audience. Martin Luther King Jr. uses examples from history to argue that obeying the law might not always be the right moral decision. His tone throughout the paragraph seems calm and practical, because he knows the reader will relate to his examples.What King argued here helped the readers understand what he was advocating, leading to more disobeying of the countrys segregation laws in order to receive civil rights.

Paragraph 23EvidenceTone, Commentary, Metaphors, and Effect The white moderate, who is more devoted to order than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice

Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.

He seems annoyed with the white moderate because they are the bystanders in the situationKing uses his lukewarm acceptance line to portray to the reader the confusion that is felt when the white moderate is accepting them, but not genuinely. The main audience for this section is largely the white moderateHes holding those accountable who previously went unblamed. Paragraph 24EvidenceTone, Commentary, Metaphors, and EffectI had hoped that the white moderate would understand that low and order exist for.. I had hoped that the white moderate would understand that the present

We merely bring to the surface the hidden tension that is already aliveHis tone in this paragraph begins as a somewhat disappointed tone, as if he expected more from the white moderateThis paragraph isnt as heated as many of the other but makes the important arguments that racial tensions already exist which is a very important argument in his letter

Paragraph 25EvidenceTone, Commentary, Metaphors, and EffectIn your statement you assert that our actions, even though peaceful, must be condemned because they precipitate violence.

Isn't this like condemning a robbed man because his possession of money precipitated the evil act of robbery? Isn't this like condemning Jesus because his unique god-consciousness and never-ceasing devotion to Gods will precipitated the evil act of crucifixion?

MLK boldly justifies his peaceful protests using logic. He persuades the audience with examples of familiar events in which we would correct an injustice. His tone is inquisitorial as he waits for the audience to realize the answer. He makes allusions to major characters in history such as Jesus and Socrates. MLKs persuasive techniques demonstrate that we knew the right answer all along and, to continue to stand against him would also mean opposing logic itself.

Paragraph 26EvidenceTone, Commentary, Metaphors, and EffectSuch an attitude is a tragic misconception of time. Actually, time itself is neutral I feel people that the people of ill will have used time much more effectively

Time is always ripe to do right.

MLK conveys a remorse for the opinion some of his allies hold. His interpretation for the concept of time demonstrates to the audience how such an opinion only encourages detrimental effects upon the movement. His tone and commentary transform into those which are inspiring, using phrases as time is always ripe to do right. He then motivates the audience to think logically, answer his questions for themselves, and then act upon his inspirations.