Introduction
“Letter from a Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King Jr. is a response to the statements of some clergy that justice should be achieved peacefully through court decisions. Although the priests recognized the existence of social injustice and racial discrimination, in their opinion, the struggle for the rights of people of color should not take place in protests and rallies. Therefore, King responded to the statements of the clergy, raising questions of justice and social inequality for black people.
Philosophical Summary of the Letter
The letter begins with King’s response to allegations that the struggle for black rights has created riots in the streets of Birmingham. He says demonstrations are a necessary measure because “the city’s white power structure left the Negro community with no alternative” (King 1). In particular, King mentions racial segregation, police brutality, and the injustice of the Birmingham courts in cases involving people of color. That is why black people are forced to take to the streets because they have no other option but to be heard by the authorities.
However, King argues that the purpose of the protests is not violence but negotiations. Referring to Socrates, the philosopher says that changing the existing social order requires creating tension (King). This tension is intended to call the “city’s white power structure” to constructive negotiations to achieve the “constitutional and God-given rights” of all American citizens (King 3). In addition, the author recalls previous failed negotiations and the fact that freedom from oppression has never come easily.
King spoke out about claims that the demonstrations were illegal, saying the injustice justifies the existing defiance. Moreover, the philosopher debunks the “misconception of time,” saying that any change requires primarily not time but “tireless efforts of men” (King 6). Arguing the injustice of the situation of the black population, the philosopher refers to Paul Tillich, Martin Buber, and Thomas Aquinas. That helps reinforce King’s position of equal rights for all people and the justification for the community’s struggle.
Conclusion
Thus, “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” is mostly a rationale for the demonstrations of black people, who are forced to fight for their rights. Under the current conditions, these actions of people of color are the only way to achieve justice and respect their rights. Moreover, King emphasizes that these community actions were non-violent, in contrast to the reaction of the white authorities in Birmingham.
Works Cited
King, Martin Luther Jr. “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” 1963. Web.