The letter from Birmingham Jail is written by Martin Luther King. He has written the letter appealing to the audience’s emotions. The main theme brought out is the racial injustice against black people. King wants all people to be treated right or rather equally, irrespective of their color. Trying to advocate for the rights of his brothers is what sends him to jail. He swore not to stop and that he would use all means to ensure justice is sought in all places.
The letter by Martin is full of wrath. His aim is to fight injustice. The author’s approach to the issue is very logical and right. King says they have engaged in a non-violent campaign for decades, which has yielded no results. They came up with another strategy that involved fact collection to analyze injustices, negotiation, self-purification, and direct action. Racial injustice is all over the place; in homes, courts, churches, markets, etc., the people realized that they were only victims of empty promises. Their hopes were shuttered, and they felt disappointed. The only alternative left was to get prepared for direct action, if at all that was the only way to bring change. This was the only golden opportunity that could unlock the doors to negotiation.
The author’s approach is persuasive since they had already suffered the segregation disease. They also had awful experiences and concluded that freedom must be demanded. In my opinion, the negroes people had the right to stand up for what they believed in. They had suffered many years of frustrations and oppression, and it was time for a change. They deserved to be treated rightfully and equally. My favorite quote in this letter is, “Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise, so help me God.” I love his Godly nature.
In conclusion, just as the bible says, we are all created in his image and likeness. This means no one is superior to the other; we are all equal. Therefore, everyone should be treated equally in all aspects, irrespective of race.
Works Cited
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, LETTER FROM BIRMINGHAM JAIL April 1963,
http://abacus.bates.edu/admin/offices/dos/mlk/letter.html accessed on 22nd march, 2018
