Letter from a Birmingham Jail - Essay Example

 “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” is the most important statement in the Civil Rights movement back in the 60’s written by Martin Luther King, Jr. from the jail. Moreover, King is a clergyman and activist in the African American Civil Right movement. In his letter, King responds to the “Call for Unity” speech that criticized his direct actions as unwise and untimely.” In addition, He believes that the non-violent movement is the only peaceful option to express African American anger when white people refused the negotiation about human rights.

King, supports his ideas in his letter by arguing that there are two types of laws; just and unjust laws. He also supports his argument morally and politically. Morally, he believes that just laws are God’s laws while unjust laws ruin God’s law. Politically, he believes that just laws are not applied to everyone while unjust laws are applied which is unfair. In both arguments, King defined segregation as unjust law. “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny.

Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” (King, Jr.). This is how King expresses his anger and disappointment. He wanted the Black Americans to stand up for their rights, to speak for their rights, equality, and harsh treatment. He criticizes the perception White people have about his thoughts and actions, how his peaceful non-violent movement becomes a violent movement according to them.King seems to throw light on the fact that most of the times the silence of good people leads to one’s repenting in future because if one might not speak for his/her own rights then no one is going to notice their grief and their emotions, He says ‘We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people” (King, Jr)This quote also seem to highlight the present conditions of King’s times when he got arrested for his parade without permit during his non- violent protests against ‘unjust’ laws.

He seems to be in favor of standing up for oneself and speaking for one’s rights. The quote also highlights the fact that if a person is silent and bears every ‘unjust’ act then it is the fault of the silence of those people that they allow such people to do injustice to them.Thus, to conclude it can be said that “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” is considered the most important statement in the African American Civil Right Movement. Moreover, King supported his argument with all the sequence events that led him not just to speak out for African Americans rights in Southern parts of the United States, but to make the dream come true!

Also he brought up historical events to support his argument such as the Old Testament and Boston Tea Party. It can be concluded in King, Jr’s statement “Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.” (King, Jr).