In Letter from Birmingham City Jail, the attempts to assert the direct action of a peaceful civil rights demonstration in Birmingham, Alabama was wholly necessary, justified and long overdue. This is a response to an open letter written by “eight prominent ‘liberal’ Alabama clergymen” (46). The clergymen argued that the decision was badly timed and that the participants should let the fight for integration continue only in the federal courts. Martin Luther King JR’s defense begins with his admission that he rarely ever takes the time to defend himself against his opponents. King then transitions into his argument for “direct action”. He addresses the claim that the march was rushed or badly timed by highlighting the amount of careful thought
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He explains that he has often been disappointed by his religious colleagues in the past, but hoped that this time would be different. He explains that the demonstration was a necessity, as their previous negotiations turned out to be purely superficial. By this he means that a desegregation law was past, but had failed to be successfully implemented. He then cites Socrates in order to point out that often times, creating pressure on the system can induce much needed change. King then proceeds to highlight the fact that extensive thought and planning went into the Birmingham demonstration. They had been patient and waited for the law to be enforced, but after no significant change was evident, they began to plan. They prepared by ensuring that each participant was ready to resist the need to physically retaliate, as well as be a aware that they will go to jail for their part. King and his colleagues did not immediately begin protesting, instead they postponed the event until it could no longer be delayed. King also points out that he understands that the clergymen would have a different view of how long the event could have been delayed or how long they should have waited for results from the administration. “It is easy for those who have never felt the stinging darts of segregation to say, ‘Wait.’(293)” King gives examples of the pains placed upon the African American to illustrate his point. He returns to his disappointment in the clergymen indicating that like the laws in that restricted Christianity in the past, the laws put him and his colleagues in prison are moral in theory, but immoral in reality. They support segregation but punishing those who wish to encourage desegregation. Therefore the civil rights march was justified because it was necessary, well-timed and thought out,
He explains that he has often been disappointed by his religious colleagues in the past, but hoped that this time would be different. He explains that the demonstration was a necessity, as their previous negotiations turned out to be purely superficial. By this he means that a desegregation law was past, but had failed to be successfully implemented. He then cites Socrates in order to point out that often times, creating pressure on the system can induce much needed change. King then proceeds to highlight the fact that extensive thought and planning went into the Birmingham demonstration. They had been patient and waited for the law to be enforced, but after no significant change was evident, they began to plan. They prepared by ensuring that each participant was ready to resist the need to physically retaliate, as well as be a aware that they will go to jail for their part. King and his colleagues did not immediately begin protesting, instead they postponed the event until it could no longer be delayed. King also points out that he understands that the clergymen would have a different view of how long the event could have been delayed or how long they should have waited for results from the administration. “It is easy for those who have never felt the stinging darts of segregation to say, ‘Wait.’(293)” King gives examples of the pains placed upon the African American to illustrate his point. He returns to his disappointment in the clergymen indicating that like the laws in that restricted Christianity in the past, the laws put him and his colleagues in prison are moral in theory, but immoral in reality. They support segregation but punishing those who wish to encourage desegregation. Therefore the civil rights march was justified because it was necessary, well-timed and thought out,