First Draft (King Essay)

King's letter was written to address the clergymen. This is made firm at the letter's beginning. He wrote, my dear fellow clergymen. However, he had other audiences in mind. These audiences included religious leaders and followers, political leaders, white moderates, and African Americans. King addressed each audience in a sincere and customary fashion.

The clergymen denounced Kings efforts to fight for freedom and equality. They called his actions "unwise and untimely." King did not make it a habit of responding to such criticisms. He clearly stated, "If I sought to answer all the criticisms that crossed my desk, my secretaries would have little time for anything other than such correspondence in the course of the day, and I would have no time for constructive work." It is apparent that king had a larger audience in mind by that statement alone. He used the clergymen's adverse comments as grounds to write the letter, and get his point across.

King addressed the religious leaders as if he were delivering a sermon. Biblical examples were given throughout the letter. He spoke of the early Christians who were ready to face hungry lions and the severe pain of chopping blocks rather than accept unjust laws of the Roman Empire. His actions were also called extreme. At first, King was in disagreement. After careful consideration he accepted the label "extremist." He responded, "Was not Jesus and extremist for love: Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." Yes, King was an extremist. He was a righteous extremist.

Following the religious leaders, there were the political and intellectual leaders. He wanted them to understand that men nor women can remain oppressed. Something needed to be done. The Negro cannot remain frustrated. He stated, "The Negro has many pent up resentments and latent frustrations,and he must release them. So let him march, let him make pilgrimages to the city hall, let him go on freedom rides, and try to understand why he must do so." King's desire for peace was equivalent to his desire for freedom and equality. You cannot have one without the other. The self-purification process was put into action in order to guarantee nonviolent actions. This process included nonviolence workshops. At these workshops they would ask themselves if they could accept physical violence without returning it,and if they were able to patiently tolerate being jailed as a consequence......to be continued

Research Outline

Thesis Statement

King's letter was written to address the clergymen. This is made firm at the letter's beginning. He wrote, my dear fellow clergymen. However, he had other audiences in mind. These audiences included religious leaders and followers, political leaders, white moderates, and African Americans. King addressed each audience in a sincere and customary fashion.

MLA Citation

Berry, Edward. "Doing Time: King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail"." Rhetoric and Public Affairs 8.1 (2005): 109-132. Web. 18 Feb 2010.

King, Martin L. "Letter From Birmingham Jail." The Martin Luther King, Jr Research and Education Institute . 2010. Stanford University, Web. 25 Feb 2010.

Leff, Michael, and Ebony Utley. "Instrumental and Constitutive Rhetoric in Martin Luther King Jr.'s "A letter from Birmingham Jail"." Rhetoric and Public Affairs 7.1 (2004): 37-52. Web. 18 Feb 2010.

Patton, J.H. “A Transforming Response: Martin Luther King Jr.’s ‘Letter from Birmingham Jail’.” Rhetoric & Public Affairs 7.1 (2004): 53-66. Web. 19 Feb. 2010.

Sharman, Nick. “Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution’: The Rhetorical Strategies of Martin Luther King Jr.” Social Semiotics, 9.1 (1999): 85-105. Web. 19 Feb. 2010.

Snow, Malinda. "Martin Luther King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail" as Pauline Epistle." Quarterly Journal of Speech. 71 (1985): 318-334. Print.

Watson, Martha. "The Issue is Justice: Martin Luther King Jr.'s Response to the Birmingham Clergy." Rhetoric & Public Affairs 7.1 (2004): 1-22. Web. 16 Feb 2010.

Learning Reflection (Week Five)

Research Notes (Article)

Kings five most important accomplishments

1.) King wanted people to understand that in Birmingham there was injustice. He proved that by giving many examples of injustice and mistreatment.

-He quoted "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." King was not comfortable sitting back without worry about what was happening in Birmingham.

-Many stores posted racial signs that were offensive. Promises were made to have them removed and it never took place.

-King had seen mobs lynch parents, drown siblings, colored people were banned from amusement parks and parents had to explain this to their children. King was clearly fed up and it was obvious by the following statement. "There comes a time when the cup of endurance runs over, and men are no longer willing to be plunged into the abyss of despair. I hope, sirs, you can understand our legitimate and unavoidable impatience."

2.) King was seeking peace and equality. He did not want any misunderstanding of that. For that reason, he took certain steps to prevent violence in his movement.

-Had a self-purification process to make sure they were ready to accept violence against them without reacting in the same way. During the process they held nonviolence workshops. The workshops prepared them to accept being assaulted without defense, and prepared them for being incarcerated.

-Felt nonviolent tension was imperative for change to take place.

3.) King made others understand the reason behind his actions and gave valid reasons.

-He was asked by an affiliate in Birmingham to become involved in the nonviolent direct action program if it became necessary, and he agreed.

-"But ,more basically, I am in Birmingham because injustice is here" (ML King)....referenced prophets of the eighth century B.C. The apostle Paul left his village and carried the gospel of Jesus to the Romans. King felt it was his calling to carry the gospel of freedom beyond his hometown.

-"Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue." (ML King)....King was tired of waiting and being ignored.

4.) King was extremely grateful to the white's that supported the movement.

-" I am thankful, however, that some of our white brothers in the south have grasped the meaning of this social revolution and committed themselves to it." (ML King)

-These white supporters marched with blacks and endured the the same punishments. They were even referred to as "dirty nigger lovers."

-"Unlike so many of their moderate brothers and sisters, they have recognized the urgency of the moment and sensed the need for powerful "action" antidotes to combat the disease of segregation."

5.) King believed the black church had a major impact on nonviolence.

-" I am grateful to God that, through the influence of the Negro church, the way of nonviolence became an integral part of our struggle."

-Believed that southern streets would have been flowing with blood if there was no positive support from the black church.

Letter from Birmingham (Notes)

• Pg.1 King's letter was written to address the clergymen criticism of his actions. THe called what he did "unwise and untimely" ( I wondered why they felt that way). King addressed the clergymen respectfully and letteing them know that he still considered them to be good men.......King was asked to be a part of a noviolent direct-action program and he agreed.
• Pg.2 He advised that his reason for being in Birmingham was due to the existance of injustice. Used biblical examples.....King believed that anyone living within the US should be considered an outsider.....He regretted that fact that demonstrations had to take place. He also felt there was no choice due to the way blacks were being treated....Kings' four basic steps for any nonviolent campaign: Collection of facts to determine whether injustices exist, negotiation,self-purification, and direct action.....The African American leaders tried negotiating but their efforts were unsuccessful.
• Pg.3 Many promises were made by the leaders of Birmingham's economic leaders. They were all broken.....Ex.The removal of many racial signs from stores. Nonviolence workshops were held. In the workshops they asked the following questions:Are you able to accept blows without retaliating? Are you able to endure the ordeal of jail?
• Pg.4 King's quotes: "We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntairly given by the oppressor: it must be demanded by the oppressed." "Justice too long delayed is justice denied"
• Pg.5 Two types of laws said King....just and unjust. "One has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws" King.......King and his followers believed they had a legitimate reason to be impatient.
• Pg.6 King defines just and unjust laws: just-a man-made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God. unjust-a code that is out of harmony with the moral law.....Was arrested and charged with parading without a permit. He believes there is nothing wrong with the charge if it is not used to maintain segregation.
• Pg.7 Believed that injustice must be exposed....Still considered whites as brother/sister. Did so when referring to th eletter he recieved from a white man in Texas. The man in Texas believed that King was being impatient and quoted: "All Christians know that the colored people will recieve equal rights eventually, but it is possible that you are in too great a religious hurry."
• Pg.10 Did not believe that oppressed people would remain oppressed. Also believed that because Negro's had so many frustrations and resentments, they should be able to march, go on freedom rides, etc. These are all nonviolent actions.
• Pg.11 King was thankful that his white southern brothers understood social revolution and gave their support......Was disappointed with the white church and its leaders.
• Pg.12 Went to Birmingham hoping that the white religious leaders would understand and support the cause.....Question who their God was
• Pg.13 King never lost his faith in God.
• Pg.14 King never lost faith in the church....was disturbed tby the clergymen commended the police in Birmingham for maintaining order and nonviolence. He believed they would regret saying so if they knew the violent force used
• Pg.15 King wished they had commended the AA sit-inners and demonstrators for their courage.

Introduction

My name is Lakeisha Mitchell. I am 32 years old with two children and one on the way. My older child is a girl who is fourteen and my son is nine. My unborn child is female. I had plans to be married in March of this year. The date has been changed to August 29, 2010.

This is my fourth semester at Reynolds. I recently changed my major to Human Services. I did so because I have an interest in being of service to people. Hopefully I will find a rewarding career in this field of work.