Just And Unjust Law Analysis

The prompt for King’s letter goal is to compare and contrast Letter from a Birmingham Jail and Handbook of Epictetus. One section of King’s letter dealt with the issue of just and unjust laws and how direct action would effect the outcome. King and Epictetus had two different ways of dealing with unjust laws and the effect of them on an individual person. Their thoughts are similar but not similar enough that one could come to the conclusion that they would both agree. Even though they would not be able to agree, both of their solutions can be used together to form a peaceful solution. King’s views is ultimately the correct and appropriate way of dealing with the problem of just and unjust laws, also King’s way is the most moral. In the argument King is expressing his thoughts about the just and unjust laws, also he goes into detail on how one should handle breaking an unjust law. He begins by explaining how the just laws follows …show more content…
In order for a community to prosper as a whole the laws must be just and moral. Epictetus is saying the people should change their mindset and outlook on the law, but if they keep changing themselves then the person is being unfair to themselves. King states “Any law that uplifts human personality is just. Any law that degrades human personality is unjust” (Letter from Birmingham Jail). That statement alone creates an objection to Epictetus saying that a person should change their outlook on a law. Why should one change who they are to fit the image of what someone else wants them to be? The reason for King’s movement was for the minority group to be respect for the people they are not for what everyone else wanted them to be. Therefore, King’s way is the correct way to go because his way provides equality to for the community. Epictetus is only keeping things the same and forcing the people who a treated unfairly to deal with the unjust