Letter From a Birmingham Jail, Essay Example

One of the reasons Martin Luther King used to defend his nonviolent protest activities from being unwise and untimely is him claiming in the letter that the activities followed the basic steps of a nonviolent campaign. He states that for a nonviolent campaign to be valid participants have to analyze various facts to identify whether an instance of injustice exists. After identification of an existence of injustice participants have to negotiate, self-purify and then consider direct action. King states that the main causes for his nonviolent protests included; brutality in Birmingham, unjust treatment for Negroes in courts, unsolved bombing cases of Negro homes and churches. Negro leaders seeked to negotiate with the city’s fathers but they refuse to engage in good faith negotiations.

King highlights on talks between Negro leaders and Birmingham’s economic community whereby the two parties reached a consensus. Negro leaders led by reverend Fred Shuttlesworth and those from Alabama’s Christian Movement for Human Rights agreed to prohibit demonstrations after the consensus. However the economic community did not adhere to the set regulations prompting the protestants to plan for direct action. The main objective of direct action was the protestants presenting themselves as a means of presenting their grievances to the local and national community. To ensure use of nonviolent action the organizers decided to conduct self-purification as a means of preparing participants about the various issues that can arise from protests. The questions used in the purification process queried whether the participants were ready to receive blows without retreating or facing jail terms. For the action to be effective the organizers chose to wait for the Easter period which was the primary shopping period. By organizing the protests during the period they would lead to an economic-withdrawal program that would attract the economic community’s attention.

King states that nonviolent direct action creates a tension in the intended audience therefore creating higher chances for the party to accept negotiations. Direct action seeks to push for changes in issues that face various people due to bias. Tension created by nonviolent direct action is a stimulant for growth as it helps individuals to overcome myths and misconceptions. Direct action can play a great role in discouraging people from injustice and racism to promote good relations. King states that the primary purpose of direct action through nonviolent means was to create a problematic situation that would lead to negotiations.

King also states that him together with his fellow protestants did not allow the new administration to perform as Boutwell who was the elected mayor as he too was a segregationist who would ensure maintenance of the status quo. He also states that increasing the pressure advocating for segregation would play a great role in helping segregationists to change their point of view. He also states that in the case of a person facing oppression they can demand their freedom if the oppressor does not offer it voluntarily. King also claims that the response protestants received for a continuous period of time was that they had to wait which in real sense meant that their issues would never face proper addressal.

Another reason used by King to defend the various protests is that set segregation statutes were unjust as they acted as a distortion to a person’s soul and also damages personality. Segregation statues gave the segregator a false belief of superiority whereas to the other party a sense of inferiority. Segregation also refers to the receiving party to a similar status to that of animals. King states that segregation is not morally acceptable and is sinful. King states that the block to Negros attaining their freedom is the white moderate rather than white citizen’s councilor or Ku Klux Klanner. He states that the white moderate have a greater devotion to order rather than to justice. White moderates have a reference to believing that they have the ability to plan for another person’s actions. White moderate also play a great role in influencing Negro’s to wait for some period before pushing for changes in segregation.

King argues that the participants of nonviolent direct actions are not the cultivators of tension but it exists naturally in oppressed people and their only role is to reveal it for necessary action. Federal courts have come up with rulings that it is unconstitutional to urge a person to cease campaigning for their constitutional rights with a basis that the efforts can stir violence. King quotes a letter from a white Texas man stating that every Christian knew that colored people would eventually have the chance to enjoy their rights but they had to be patient enough. The man put up the defense that it took Christianity approximately two thousand years to attain their achievements. However King argues that time itself can be constructive and destructive according to a person’s efforts. He states that without hard work time contributes largely to social stagnation. Hard work has a reference to the various human efforts to become co creators to God.