http://faculty.millikin.edu/~moconner/writing/king1a.html Martin Luther King's Letter from Birmingham ail!!

a rhetorical analysis "n the following te#t$ here is the color key: %urple: the opposition's arguments &ed: use of an emotional appeal or pathos 'reen: use of appeal to authority or reputation or ethos Blue: use of an appeal to logic or logos ()*+,&'- .,*/: *his response to a pu0lished statement 0y eight fellow clergymen from (la0ama 1Bishop 2. 2. . 2arpenter$ Bishop oseph (. 3urick$ &a00i +ilton L. 'rafman$ Bishop %aul +ardin$ Bishop +olan B. +armon$ the &e4erend 'eorge M. Murray. the &e4erend /dward 5. &amage and the &e4erend /arl -tallings6 was composed under somewhat constricting circumstance. Begun on the margins of the newspaper in which the statement appeared while " was in 7ail$ the letter was continued on scraps of writing paper supplied 0y a friendly .egro trusty$ and concluded on a pad my attorneys were e4entually permitted to lea4e me. (lthough the te#t remains in su0stance unaltered$ " ha4e indulged in the author's prerogati4e of polishing it for pu0lication. (pril 18$ 198: M; 3/(& </LL,= 2L/&';M/.: =hile confined here in the Birmingham city 7ail$ " came across your recent statement calling my present acti4ities >unwise and untimely.> -eldom do " pause to answer criticism of my work and ideas. "f " sought to answer all the criticisms that cross my desk$ my secretaries would ha4e little time for anything other than such correspondence in the course of the day$ and " would ha4e no time for constructi4e work. But since " feel that you are men of genuine good will and that your criticisms are sincerely set forth$ " want to try to answer your statements in what " hope will 0e patient and reasona0le terms. " think " should indicate why " am here in Birmingham$ since you ha4e 0een influenced 0y the 4iew which argues against >outsiders coming in.> " ha4e the honor of ser4ing as president of the -outhern 2hristian Leadership 2onference$ an organi?ation operating in e4ery southern state$ with head@uarters in (tlanta$ 'eorgia. =e ha4e some eighty!fi4e affiliated organi?ations across the -outh$ and one of them is the (la0ama 2hristian Mo4ement for +uman &ights. <re@uently we share staff$ educational and financial resources with our affiliates. -e4eral months ago the affiliate here in Birmingham asked us to 0e on call to engage in a non4iolent direct!action program if such were deemed necessary. =e readily consented$ and when the hour came we li4ed up to our promise. -o "$ along with se4eral mem0ers of my staff$ am here 0ecause " was in4ited here " am here 0ecause " ha4e organi?ational ties here. But more 0asically$ " am in Birmingham 0ecause in7ustice is here. ust as the prophets of the eighth century B.2. left their 4illages and carried their >thus saith the Lord> far 0eyond the 0oundaries of their home towns$ and 7ust as the (postle %aul left his 4illage of *arsus and carried the gospel of esus 2hrist to the far corners of the 'reco!&oman world$ so am " compelled to carry the gospel of freedom 0eyond my own home town. Like %aul$ " must constantly respond to the Macedonian call for aid. Moreo4er$ " am cogni?ant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states. " cannot sit idly 0y in (tlanta and not 0e concerned a0out what happens in Birmingham. "n7ustice anywhere is a threat to 7ustice e4erywhere. =e are caught in an inescapa0le network of mutuality$ tied in a single garment of destiny. =hate4er affects one directly$ affects all indirectly. .e4er again can we afford to li4e with the narrow$ pro4incial >outside agitator> idea. (nyone who li4es inside the )nited -tates can ne4er 0e considered an outsider anywhere within its 0ounds. ;ou deplore the demonstrations taking place in Birmingham. But your statement$ " am sorry to say$ fails to e#press a similar concern for the conditions that 0rought a0out the demonstrations. " am sure that none of you would want to rest content with the superficial kind of social analysis that deals merely with effects and does not grapple with underlying causes. "t is unfortunate that demonstrations are taking place in Birmingham$ 0ut it is e4en more unfortunate that the city's white power structure left the .egro community with no alternati4e.

http://faculty.millikin.edu/~moconner/writing/king1a.html "n any non4iolent campaign there are four 0asic steps: collection of the facts to determine whether in7ustices e#istA negotiationA self!purificationA and direct action. =e ha4e gone through all these steps in Birmingham. *here can 0e no gainsaying the fact that racial in7ustice engulfs this community. Birmingham is pro0a0ly the most thoroughly segregated city in the )nited -tates. "ts ugly record of 0rutality is widely known. .egroes ha4e e#perienced grossly un7ust treatment in the courts. *here ha4e 0een more unsol4ed 0om0ings of .egro homes and churches in Birmingham than in any other city in the nation. *hese are the hard$ 0rutal facts of the case. ,n the 0asis of these conditions$ .egro leaders sought to negotiate with the city fathers. But the latter consistently refused to engage in good!faith negotiation. *hen$ last -eptem0er$ came the opportunity to talk with leaders of Birmingham's economic community. "n the course of the negotiations$ certain promises were made 0y the merchants !!! for e#ample$ to remo4e the storesB humiliating racial signs. ,n the 0asis of these promises$ the &e4erend <red -huttlesworth and the leaders of the (la0ama 2hristian Mo4ement for +uman &ights agreed to a moratorium on all demonstrations. (s the weeks and months went 0y$ we reali?ed that we were the 4ictims of a 0roken promise. ( few signs$ 0riefly remo4ed$ returnedA the others remained. (s in so many past e#periences$ our hopes had 0een 0lasted$ and the shadow of deep disappointment settled upon us. =e had no alternati4e e#cept to prepare for direct action$ where0y we would present our 4ery 0odies as a means of laying our case 0efore the conscience of the local and the national community. Mindful of the difficulties in4ol4ed$ we decided to undertake a process of self!purification. =e 0egan a series of workshops on non4iolence$ and we repeatedly asked oursel4es: >(re you a0le to accept 0lows without retaliatingC> >(re you a0le to endure the ordeal of 7ailC> =e decided to schedule our direct!action program for the /aster season$ reali?ing that$ e#cept for 2hristmas$ this is the main shopping period of the year. Knowing that a strong economic withdrawal program would 0e the 0y!product of direct action$ we felt that this would 0e the 0est time to 0ring pressure to 0ear on the merchants for the needed change. *hen it occurred to us that Birmingham's mayoralty election was coming up in March$ and we speedily decided to postpone action until after election day. =hen we disco4ered that the 2ommissioner of %u0lic -afety$ /ugene >Bull> 2onnor$ had piled up enough 4otes to 0e in the run!off we decided again to postpone action until the day after the run!off so that the demonstrations could not 0e used to cloud the issues. Like many others$ we waited to see Mr. 2onnor defeated$ and to this end we endured postponement after postponement. +a4ing aided in this community need$ we felt that our direct!action program could 0e delayed no longer. ;ou may well ask: >=hy direct actionC =hy sit!ins$ marches and so forthC "sn't negotiation a 0etter pathC> ;ou are @uite right in calling for negotiation. "ndeed$ this is the 4ery purpose of direct action. .on4iolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue. "t seeks so to dramati?e the issue that it can no longer 0e ignored. My citing the creation of tension as part of the work of the non4iolent!resister may sound rather shocking. But " must confess that " am not afraid of the word >tension.> " ha4e earnestly opposed 4iolent tension$ 0ut there is a type of constructi4e$ non4iolent tension which is necessary for growth. ust as -ocrates felt that it was necessary to create a tension in the mind so that indi4iduals could rise from the 0ondage of myths and half!truths to the unfettered realm of creati4e analysis and o07ecti4e appraisal$ we must see the need for non4iolent gadflies to create the kind of tension in society that will help men rise from the dark depths of pre7udice and racism to the ma7estic heights of understanding and 0rotherhood. *he purpose of our direct!action program is to create a situation so crisis!packed that it will ine4ita0ly open the door to negotiation. " therefore concur with you in your call for negotiation. *oo long has our 0elo4ed -outhland 0een 0ogged down in a tragic effort to li4e in monologue rather than dialogue. ,ne of the 0asic points in your statement is that the action that " and my associates ha4e taken in Birmingham is untimely. -ome ha4e asked: >=hy didn't you gi4e the new city administration time to actC> *he only answer that " can gi4e to this @uery is that the new Birmingham administration must 0e prodded a0out as much as the outgoing one$ 0efore it will act. =e are sadly mistaken if we feel that the election of (l0ert Boutwell as mayor will 0ring the millennium to Birmingham. =hile Mr. Boutwell is a much more gentle person than Mr. 2onnor$ they are 0oth

http://faculty.millikin.edu/~moconner/writing/king1a.html segregationists$ dedicated to maintenance of the status @uo. " ha4e hope that Mr. Boutwell will 0e reasona0le enough to see the futility of massi4e resistance to desegregation. But he will not see this without pressure from de4otees of ci4il rights. My friends$ " must say to you that we ha4e not made a single gain ci4il rights without determined legal and non4iolent pressure. Lamenta0ly$ it is an historical fact that pri4ileged groups seldom gi4e up their pri4ileges 4oluntarily. "ndi4iduals may see the moral light and 4oluntarily gi4e up their un7ust postureA 0ut$ as &einhold .ie0uhr has reminded us$ groups tend to 0e more immoral than indi4iduals. =e know through painful e#perience that freedom is ne4er 4oluntarily gi4en 0y the oppressorA it must 0e demanded 0y the oppressed. <rankly$ " ha4e yet to engage in a direct!action campaign that was >well timed> in the 4iew of those who ha4e not suffered unduly from the disease of segregation. <or years now " ha4e heard the word >=aitD> "t rings in the ear of e4ery .egro with piercing familiarity. *his >=ait> has almost always meant >.e4er.> =e must come to see$ with one of our distinguished 7urists$ that >7ustice too long delayed is 7ustice denied.> =e ha4e waited for more than :EF years for our constitutional and 'od!gi4en rights. *he nations of (sia and (frica are mo4ing with 7etlike speed toward gaining political independence$ 0ut we stiff creep at horse!and!0uggy pace toward gaining a cup of coffee at a lunch counter. %erhaps it is easy for those who ha4e ne4er felt the stinging dart of segregation to say$ >=ait.> But when you ha4e seen 4icious mo0s lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and 0rothers at whimA when you ha4e seen hate!filled policemen curse$ kick and e4en kill your 0lack 0rothers and sistersA when you see the 4ast ma7ority of your twenty million .egro 0rothers smothering in an airtight cage of po4erty in the midst of an affluent societyA when you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to e#plain to your si#!year!old daughter why she can't go to the pu0lic amusement park that has 7ust 0een ad4ertised on tele4ision$ and see tears welling up in her eyes when she is told that <untown is closed to colored children$ and see ominous clouds of inferiority 0eginning to form in her little mental sky$ and see her 0eginning to distort her personality 0y de4eloping an unconscious 0itterness toward white peopleA when you ha4e to concoct an answer for a fi4e!year!old son who is asking: >3addy$ why do white people treat colored people so meanC>A when you take a cross!county dri4e and find it necessary to sleep night after night in the uncomforta0le corners of your automo0ile 0ecause no motel will accept youA when you are humiliated day in and day out 0y nagging signs reading >white> and >colored>A when your first name 0ecomes >nigger$> your middle name 0ecomes >0oy> 1howe4er old you are6 and your last name 0ecomes > ohn$> and your wife and mother are ne4er gi4en the respected title >Mrs.>A when you are harried 0y day and haunted 0y night 0y the fact that you are a .egro$ li4ing constantly at tiptoe stance$ ne4er @uite knowing what to e#pect ne#t$ and are plagued with inner fears and outer resentmentsA when you are fore4er fighting a degenerating sense of >no0odiness> then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait. *here comes a time when the cup of endurance runs o4er$ and men are no longer willing to 0e plunged into the a0yss of despair. " hope$ sirs$ you can understand our legitimate and una4oida0le impatience. ;ou e#press a great deal of an#iety o4er our willingness to 0reak laws. *his is certainly a legitimate concern. -ince we so diligently urge people to o0ey the -upreme 2ourt's decision of 19GE outlawing segregation in the pu0lic schools$ at first glance it may seem rather parado#ical for us consciously to 0reak laws. ,ne may well ask: >+ow can you ad4ocate 0reaking some laws and o0eying othersC> *he answer lies in the fact that there are two types of laws: 7ust and un7ust. " would 0e the last to ad4ocate diso0eying 7ust laws. ,ne has not only a legal 0ut a moral responsi0ility to o0ey 7ust laws. 2on4ersely$ one has a moral responsi0ility to diso0ey un7ust laws. " would agree with -t. (ugustine that >an un7ust law is no law at all> .ow$ what is the difference 0etween the twoC +ow does one determine whether a law is 7ust or un7ustC ( 7ust law is a man!made code that s@uares with the moral law or the law of 'od. (n un7ust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law. *o put it in the terms of -t. *homas (@uinas: (n un7ust law is a human law that is not rooted in eternal law and natural law. (ny law that uplifts human personality is 7ust. (ny law that degrades human personality is un7ust. (ll segregation statutes are un7ust 0ecause segregation distorts the soul and damages the personality. "t gi4es the segregator a false sense of superiority and the segregated a false sense of inferiority. -egregation$ to use the terminology of the ewish philosopher Martin Bu0er$ su0stitutes an >"!it> relationship for an >"!thou> relationship and ends up relegating persons to the status of things. +ence segregation is not only politically$ economically and sociologically unsound$ it is morally wrong and awful. %aul *illich said that sin is separation. "s not segregation an e#istential e#pression of man's tragic separation$ his awful estrangement$ his terri0le sinfulnessC *hus it is that " can urge men to o0ey the 19GE decision of the -upreme 2ourt$ for it is morally rightA and " can urge them to diso0ey segregation ordinances$ for they are morally wrong.

http://faculty.millikin.edu/~moconner/writing/king1a.html Let us consider a more concrete e#ample of 7ust and un7ust laws. (n un7ust law is a code that a numerical or power ma7ority group compels a minority group to o0ey 0ut does not make 0inding on itself. *his is difference made legal. By the same token$ a 7ust law is a code that a ma7ority compels a minority to follow and that it is willing to follow itself. *his is sameness made legal. Let me gi4e another e#planation. ( law is un7ust if it is inflicted on a minority that$ as a result of 0eing denied the right to 4ote$ had no part in enacting or de4ising the law. =ho can say that the legislature of (la0ama which set up that state's segregation laws was democratically electedC *hroughout (la0ama all sorts of de4ious methods are used to pre4ent .egroes from 0ecoming registered 4oters$ and there are some counties in which$ e4en though .egroes constitute a ma7ority of the population$ not a single .egro is registered. 2an any law enacted under such circumstances 0e considered democratically structuredC -ometimes a law is 7ust on its face and un7ust in its application. <or instance$ " ha4e 0een arrested on a charge of parading without a permit. .ow$ there is nothing wrong in ha4ing an ordinance which re@uires a permit for a parade. But such an ordinance 0ecomes un7ust when it is used to maintain segregation and to deny citi?ens the <irst (mendment pri4ilege of peaceful assem0ly and protest. " hope you are a0le to make the distinction " am trying to point out. "n no sense do " ad4ocate e4ading or defying the law$ as would the ra0id segregationist. *hat would lead to anarchy. ,ne who 0reaks an un7ust law must do so openly$ lo4ingly$ and with a willingness to accept the penalty. " su0mit that an indi4idual who 0reaks a law that conscience tells him is un7ust and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community o4er its in7ustice$ is in reality e#pressing the highest respect for law. ,f course$ there is nothing new a0out this kind of ci4il diso0edience. "t was e4idenced su0limely in the refusal of -hadrach$ Meshach and (0ednego to o0ey the laws of .e0uchadne??ar$ on the ground that a higher moral law was at stake. "t was practiced super0ly 0y the early 2hristians$ who were willing to face hungry lions and the e#cruciating pain of chopping 0locks rather than su0mit to certain un7ust laws of the &oman /mpire. *o a degree$ academic freedom is a reality today 0ecause -ocrates practiced ci4il diso0edience. "n our own nation$ the Boston *ea %arty represented a massi4e act of ci4il diso0edience. =e should ne4er forget that e4erything (dolf +itler did in 'ermany was >legal> and e4erything the +ungarian freedom fighters did in +ungary was >illegal.> "t was >illegal> to aid and comfort a ew in +itler's 'ermany. /4en so$ " am sure that$ had " li4ed in 'ermany at the time$ " would ha4e aided and comforted my ewish 0rothers. "f today " li4ed in a 2ommunist country where certain principles dear to the 2hristian faith are suppressed$ " would openly ad4ocate diso0eying that country's antireligious laws. " must make two honest confessions to you$ my 2hristian and ewish 0rothers. <irst$ " must confess that o4er the past few years " ha4e 0een gra4ely disappointed with the white moderate. " ha4e almost reached the regretta0le conclusion that the .egro's great stum0ling 0lock in his stride toward freedom is not the =hite 2iti?en's 2ounciler or the Ku Klu# Klanner$ 0ut the white moderate$ who is more de4oted to >order> than to 7usticeA who prefers a negati4e peace which is the a0sence of tension to a positi4e peace which is the presence of 7usticeA who constantly says: >" agree with you in the goal you seek$ 0ut " cannot agree with your methods of direct action>A who paternalistically 0elie4es he can set the timeta0le for another man's freedomA who li4es 0y a mythical concept of time and who constantly ad4ises the .egro to wait for a >more con4enient season.> -hallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than a0solute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more 0ewildering than outright re7ection. " had hoped that the white moderate would understand that law and order e#ist for the purpose of esta0lishing 7ustice and that when they fail in this purpose they 0ecome the dangerously structured dams that 0lock the flow of social progress. " had hoped that the white moderate would understand that the present tension in the -outh is a necessary phase of the transition from an o0no#ious negati4e peace$ in which the .egro passi4ely accepted his un7ust plight$ to a su0stanti4e and positi4e peace$ in which all men will respect the dignity and worth of human personality. (ctually$ we who engage in non4iolent direct action are not the creators of tension. =e merely 0ring to the surface the hidden tension that is already ali4e. =e 0ring it out in the open$ where it can 0e seen and dealt with. Like a 0oil that can

http://faculty.millikin.edu/~moconner/writing/king1a.html ne4er 0e cured so long as it is co4ered up 0ut must 0e opened with all its ugliness to the natural medicines of air and light$ in7ustice must 0e e#posed$ with all the tension its e#posure creates$ to the light of human conscience and the air of national opinion 0efore it can 0e cured. "n your statement you assert that our actions$ e4en though peaceful$ must 0e condemned 0ecause they precipitate 4iolence. But is this a logical assertionC "sn't this like condemning a ro00ed man 0ecause his possession of money precipitated the e4il act of ro00eryC "sn't this like condemning -ocrates 0ecause his unswer4ing commitment to truth and his philosophical in@uiries precipitated the act 0y the misguided populace in which they made him drink hemlockC "sn't this like condemning esus 0ecause his uni@ue 'od!consciousness and ne4er!ceasing de4otion to 'od's will precipitated the e4il act of crucifi#ionC =e must come to see that$ as the federal courts ha4e consistently affirmed$ it is wrong to urge an indi4idual to cease his efforts to gain his 0asic constitutional rights 0ecause the @uest may precipitate 4iolence. -ociety must protect the ro00ed and punish the ro00er. " had also hoped that the white moderate would re7ect the myth concerning time in relation to the struggle for freedom. " ha4e 7ust recei4ed a letter from a white 0rother in *e#as. +e writes: >(ll 2hristians know that the colored people will recei4e e@ual rights e4entually$ 0ut it is possi0le that you are in too great a religious hurry. "t has taken 2hristianity almost two thousand years to accomplish what it has. *he teachings of 2hrist take time to come to earth.> -uch an attitude stems from a tragic misconception of time$ from the strangely rational notion that there is something in the 4ery flow of time that will ine4ita0ly cure all ills. (ctually$ time itself is neutralA it can 0e used either destructi4ely or constructi4ely. More and more " feel that the people of ill will ha4e used time much more effecti4ely than ha4e the people of good will. =e will ha4e to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the 0ad people 0ut for the appalling silence of the good people. +uman progress ne4er rolls in on wheels of ine4ita0ilityA it comes through the tireless efforts of men willing to 0e co!workers with 'od$ and without this hard work$ time itself 0ecomes an ally of the forces of social stagnation. =e must use time creati4ely$ in the knowledge that the time is always ripe to do right. .ow is the time to make real the promise of democracy and transform our pending national elegy into a creati4e psalm of 0rotherhood. .ow is the time to lift our national policy from the @uicksand of racial in7ustice to the solid rock of human dignity. ;ou speak of our acti4ity in Birmingham as e#treme. (t first " was rather disappointed that fellow clergymen would see my non4iolent efforts as those of an e#tremist. " 0egan thinking a0out the fact that " stand in the middle of two opposing forces in the .egro community. ,ne is a force of complacency$ made up in part of .egroes who$ as a result of long years of oppression$ are so drained of self!respect and a sense of >some0odiness> that they ha4e ad7usted to segregationA and in part of a few middle class .egroes who$ 0ecause of a degree of academic and economic security and 0ecause in some ways they profit 0y segregation$ ha4e 0ecome insensiti4e to the pro0lems of the masses. *he other force is one of 0itterness and hatred$ and it comes perilously close to ad4ocating 4iolence. "t is e#pressed in the 4arious 0lack nationalist groups that are springing up across the nation$ the largest and 0est!known 0eing /li7ah Muhammad's Muslim mo4ement. .ourished 0y the .egro's frustration o4er the continued e#istence of racial discrimination$ this mo4ement is made up of people who ha4e lost faith in (merica$ who ha4e a0solutely repudiated 2hristianity$ and who ha4e concluded that the white man is an incorrigi0le >de4il.> " ha4e tried to stand 0etween these two forces$ saying that we need emulate neither the >do!nothingism> of the complacent nor the hatred and despair of the 0lack nationalist. <or there is the more e#cellent way of lo4e and non4iolent protest. " am grateful to 'od that$ through the influence of the .egro church$ the way of non4iolence 0ecame an integral part of our struggle. "f this philosophy had not emerged$ 0y now many streets of the -outh would$ " am con4inced$ 0e flowing with 0lood. (nd " am further con4inced that if our white 0rothers dismiss as >ra00le!rousers> and >outside agitators> those of us who employ non4iolent direct action$ and if they refuse to support our non4iolent efforts$ millions of .egroes will$ out of frustration and despair$ seek solace and security in 0lack!nationalist ideologies a de4elopment that would ine4ita0ly lead to a frightening racial nightmare. ,ppressed people cannot remain oppressed fore4er. *he yearning for freedom e4entually manifests itself$ and that is what has happened to the (merican .egro. -omething within has reminded him of his 0irthright of freedom$ and something without has reminded him that it can 0e gained. 2onsciously or unconsciously$ he has 0een caught up 0y

http://faculty.millikin.edu/~moconner/writing/king1a.html the Heitgeist$ and with his 0lack 0rothers of (frica and his 0rown and yellow 0rothers of (sia$ -outh (merica and the 2ari00ean$ the )nited -tates .egro is mo4ing with a sense of great urgency toward the promised land of racial 7ustice. "f one recogni?es this 4ital urge that has engulfed the .egro community$ one should readily understand why pu0lic demonstrations are taking place. *he .egro has many pent!up resentments and latent frustrations$ and he must release them. -o let him marchA let him make prayer pilgrimages to the city hallA let him go on freedom rides I and try to understand why he must do so. "f his repressed emotions are not released in non4iolent ways$ they will seek e#pression through 4iolenceA this is not a threat 0ut a fact of history. -o " ha4e not said to my people: >'et rid of your discontent.> &ather$ " ha4e tried to say that this normal and healthy discontent can 0e channeled into the creati4e outlet of non4iolent direct action. (nd now this approach is 0eing termed e#tremist. But though " was initially disappointed at 0eing categori?ed as an e#tremist$ as " continued to think a0out the matter " gradually gained a measure of satisfaction from the la0el. =as not esus an e#tremist for lo4e: >Lo4e your enemies$ 0less them that curse you$ do good to them that hate you$ and pray for them which despitefully use you$ and persecute you.> =as not (mos an e#tremist for 7ustice: >Let 7ustice roll down like waters and righteousness like an e4er!flowing stream.> =as not %aul an e#tremist for the 2hristian gospel: >" 0ear in my 0ody the marks of the Lord esus.> =as not Martin Luther an e#tremist: >+ere " standA " cannot do otherwise$ so help me 'od.> (nd ohn Bunyan: >" will stay in 7ail to the end of my days 0efore " make a 0utchery of my conscience.> (nd (0raham Lincoln: >*his nation cannot sur4i4e half sla4e and half free.> (nd *homas efferson: >=e hold these truths to 0e self!e4ident$ that all men are created e@ual ...> -o the @uestion is not whether we will 0e e#tremists$ 0ut what kind of e#tremists we will 0e. =ill we 0e e#tremists for hate or for lo4eC =ill we 0e e#tremists for the preser4ation of in7ustice or for the e#tension of 7usticeC "n that dramatic scene on 2al4ary's hill three men were crucified. =e must ne4er forget that all three were crucified for the same crime!!!the crime of e#tremism. *wo were e#tremists for immorality$ and thus fell 0elow their en4ironment. *he other$ esus 2hrist$ was an e#tremist for lo4e$ truth and goodness$ and there0y rose a0o4e his en4ironment. %erhaps the -outh$ the nation and the world are in dire need of creati4e e#tremists. " had hoped that the white moderate would see this need. %erhaps " was too optimisticA perhaps " e#pected too much. " suppose " should ha4e reali?ed that few mem0ers of the oppressor race can understand the deep groans and passionate yearnings of the oppressed race$ and still fewer ha4e the 4ision to see that in7ustice must 0e rooted out 0y strong$ persistent and determined action. " am thankful$ howe4er$ that some of our white 0rothers in the -outh ha4e grasped the meaning of this social re4olution and committed themsel4es to it. *hey are still too few in @uantity$ 0ut they are 0ig in @uality. -ome I such as &alph Mc'ill$ Lillian -mith$ +arry 'olden$ ames McBride 3a00s$ (nn Braden and -arah %atton Boyle I ha4e written a0out our struggle in elo@uent and prophetic terms. ,thers ha4e marched with us down nameless streets of the -outh. *hey ha4e languished in filthy$ roach!infested 7ails$ suffering the a0use and 0rutality of policemen who 4iew them as >dirty nigger lo4ers.> )nlike so many of their moderate 0rothers and sisters$ they ha4e recogni?ed the urgency of the moment and sensed the need for powerful >action> antidotes to com0at the disease of segregation. Let me take note of my other ma7or disappointment. " ha4e 0een so greatly disappointed with the white church and its leadership. ,f course$ there are some nota0le e#ceptions. " am not unmindful of the fact that each of you has taken some significant stands on this issue. " commend you$ &e4erend -tallings$ for your 2hristian stand on this past -unday$ in welcoming .egroes to your worship ser4ice on a non!segregated 0asis. " commend the 2atholic leaders of this state for integrating -pring +ill 2ollege se4eral years ago. But despite these nota0le e#ceptions$ " must honestly reiterate that " ha4e 0een disappointed with the church. " do not say this as one of those negati4e critics who can always find something wrong with the church. " say this as a minister of the gospel$ who lo4es the churchA who was nurtured in its 0osomA who has 0een sustained 0y its spiritual 0lessings and who will remain true to it as long as the cord of &io shall lengthen. =hen " was suddenly catapulted into the leadership of the 0us protest in Montgomery$ (la0ama$ a few years ago$ " felt we would 0e supported 0y the white church$ felt that the white ministers$ priests and ra00is of the -outh would 0e among our strongest allies. "nstead$ some ha4e 0een outright opponents$ refusing to understand the freedom mo4ement and misrepresenting its leadersA all too many others ha4e 0een more cautious than courageous and ha4e remained silent 0ehind the anestheti?ing security of stained!glass windows.

http://faculty.millikin.edu/~moconner/writing/king1a.html "n spite of my shattered dreams$ " came to Birmingham with the hope that the white religious leadership of this community would see the 7ustice of our cause and$ with deep moral concern$ would ser4e as the channel through which our 7ust grie4ances could reach the power structure. " had hoped that each of you would understand. But again " ha4e 0een disappointed. " ha4e heard numerous southern religious leaders admonish their worshipers to comply with a desegregation decision 0ecause it is the law$ 0ut " ha4e longed to hear white ministers declare: ><ollow this decree 0ecause integration is morally right and 0ecause the .egro is your 0rother.> "n the midst of 0latant in7ustices inflicted upon the .egro$ " ha4e watched white churchmen stand on the sideline and mouth pious irrele4ancies and sanctimonious tri4ialities. "n the midst of a mighty struggle to rid our nation of racial and economic in7ustice$ " ha4e heard many ministers say: >*hose are social issues$ with which the gospel has no real concern.> (nd " ha4e watched many churches commit themsel4es to a completely other worldly religion which makes a strange$ on Bi0lical distinction 0etween 0ody and soul$ 0etween the sacred and the secular. " ha4e tra4eled the length and 0readth of (la0ama$ Mississippi and all the other southern states. ,n sweltering summer days and crisp autumn mornings " ha4e looked at the -outh's 0eautiful churches with their lofty spires pointing hea4enward. " ha4e 0eheld the impressi4e outlines of her massi4e religious!education 0uildings. ,4er and o4er " ha4e found myself asking: >=hat kind of people worship hereC =ho is their 'odC =here were their 4oices when the lips of 'o4ernor Barnett dripped with words of interposition and nullificationC =here were they when 'o4ernor =allace ga4e a clarion call for defiance and hatredC =here were their 4oices of support when 0ruised and weary .egro men and women decided to rise from the dark dungeons of complacency to the 0right hills of creati4e protestC> ;es$ these @uestions are still in my mind. "n deep disappointment " ha4e wept o4er the la#ity of the church. But 0e assured that my tears ha4e 0een tears of lo4e. *here can 0e no deep disappointment where there is not deep lo4e. ;es$ " lo4e the church. +ow could " do otherwiseC " am in the rather uni@ue position of 0eing the son$ the grandson and the great!grandson of preachers. ;es$ " see the church as the 0ody of 2hrist. But$ ohD +ow we ha4e 0lemished and scarred that 0ody through social neglect and through fear of 0eing nonconformists. *here was a time when the church was 4ery powerful in the time when the early 2hristians re7oiced at 0eing deemed worthy to suffer for what they 0elie4ed. "n those days the church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinionA it was a thermostat that transformed the mores of society. =hene4er the early 2hristians entered a town$ the people in power 0ecame distur0ed and immediately sought to con4ict the 2hristians for 0eing >distur0ers of the peace> and >outside agitators>' But the 2hristians pressed on$ in the con4iction that they were >a colony of hea4en$> called to o0ey 'od rather than man. -mall in num0er$ they were 0ig in commitment. *hey were too 'od into#icated to 0e >astronomically intimidated.> By their effort and e#ample they 0rought an end to such ancient e4ils as infanticide and gladiatorial contests. *hings are different now. -o often the contemporary church is a weak$ ineffectual 4oice with an uncertain sound. -o often it is an archdefender of the status @uo. <ar from 0eing distur0ed 0y the presence of the church$ the power structure of the a4erage community is consoled 0y the church's silent and often e4en 4ocal sanction of things as they are. But the 7udgment of 'od is upon the church as ne4er 0efore. "f today's church does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church$ it will lose its authenticity$ forfeit the loyalty of millions$ and 0e dismissed as an irrele4ant social clu0 with no meaning for the twentieth century. /4ery day " meet young people whose disappointment with the church has turned into outright disgust. %erhaps " ha4e once again 0een too optimistic. "s organi?ed religion too ine#trica0ly 0ound to the status @uo to sa4e our nation and the worldC %erhaps " must turn my faith to the inner spiritual church$ the church within the church$ as the true ekklesia and the hope of the world. But again " am thankful to 'od that some no0le souls from the ranks of organi?ed religion ha4e 0roken loose from the paraly?ing chains of conformity and 7oined us as acti4e partners in the struggle for freedom. *hey ha4e left their secure congregations and walked the streets of (l0any$ 'eorgia$ with us. *hey ha4e gone down the highways of the -outh on tortuous rides for freedom. ;es$ they ha4e gone to 7ail with

http://faculty.millikin.edu/~moconner/writing/king1a.html us. -ome ha4e 0een dismissed from their churches$ ha4e lost the support of their 0ishops and fellow ministers. But they ha4e acted in the faith that right defeated is stronger than e4il triumphant. *heir witness has 0een the spiritual salt that has preser4ed the true meaning of the gospel in these trou0led times. *hey ha4e car4ed a tunnel of hope through the dark mountain of disappointment. " hope the church as a whole will meet the challenge of this decisi4e hour. But e4en if the church does not come to the aid of 7ustice$ " ha4e no despair a0out the future. " ha4e no fear a0out the outcome of our struggle in Birmingham$ e4en if our moti4es are at present misunderstood. =e will reach the goal of freedom in Birmingham$ here and all o4er the nation$ 0ecause the goal of (merica is freedom. (0used and scorned though we may 0e$ our destiny is tied up with (merica's destiny. Before the pilgrims landed at %lymouth$ we were here. Before the pen of efferson etched the ma7estic words of the 3eclaration of "ndependence across the pages of history$ we were here. <or more than two centuries our fore0ears la0ored in this country without wagesA they made cotton kingA they 0uilt the homes of their masters while suffering gross in7ustice and shameful humiliation I and yet out of a 0ottomless 4itality they continued to thri4e and de4elop. "f the ine#pressi0le cruelties of sla4ery could not stop us$ the opposition we now face will surely fail. =e will win our freedom 0ecause the sacred heritage of our nation and the eternal will of 'od are em0odied in our echoing demands. Before closing " feel impelled to mention one other point in your statement that has trou0led me profoundly. ;ou warmly commended the Birmingham police force for keeping >order> and >pre4enting 4iolence.> " dou0t that you would ha4e so warmly commended the police force if you had seen its dogs sinking their teeth into unarmed$ non4iolent .egroes. " dou0t that you would so @uickly commend the policemen if you were to o0ser4e their ugly and inhumane treatment of .egroes here in the city 7ailA if you were to watch them push and curse old .egro women and young .egro girlsA if you were to see them slap and kick old .egro men and young 0oysA if you were to o0ser4e them$ as they did on two occasions$ refuse to gi4e us food 0ecause we wanted to sing our grace together. " cannot 7oin you in your praise of the Birmingham police department. "t is true that the police ha4e e#ercised a degree of discipline in handing the demonstrators. "n this sense they ha4e conducted themsel4es rather >non4iolently> in pu0lic. But for what purposeC *o preser4e the e4il system of segregation. ,4er the past few years " ha4e consistently preached that non4iolence demands that the means we use must 0e as pure as the ends we seek. " ha4e tried to make clear that it is wrong to use immoral means to attain moral ends. But now " must affirm that it is 7ust as wrong$ or perhaps e4en more so$ to use moral means to preser4e immoral ends. %erhaps Mr. 2onnor and his policemen ha4e 0een rather non4iolent in pu0lic$ as was 2hief %ritchett in (l0any$ 'eorgia$ 0ut they ha4e used the moral means of non4iolence to maintain the immoral end of racial in7ustice. (s *. -. /liot has said: >*he last temptation is the greatest treason: *o do the right deed for the wrong reason.> " wish you had commended the .egro sit!inners and demonstrators of Birmingham for their su0lime courage$ their willingness to suffer and their ama?ing discipline in the midst of great pro4ocation. ,ne day the -outh will recogni?e its real heroes. *hey will 0e the ames Merediths$ with the no0le sense of purpose that ena0les them to face 7eering$ and hostile mo0s$ and with the agoni?ing loneliness that characteri?es the life of the pioneer. *hey will 0e old$ oppressed$ 0attered .egro women$ sym0oli?ed in a se4enty!two!year!old woman in Montgomery$ (la0ama$ who rose up with a sense of dignity and with her people decided not to ride segregated 0uses$ and who responded with ungrammatical profundity to one who in@uired a0out her weariness: >My feets is tired$ 0ut my soul is at rest.> *hey will 0e the young high school and college students$ the young ministers of the gospel and a host of their elders$ courageously and non4iolently sitting in at lunch counters and willingly going to 7ail for conscience' sake. ,ne day the -outh will know that when these disinherited children of 'od sat down at lunch counters$ they were in reality standing up for what is 0est in the (merican dream and for the most sacred 4alues in our udaeo!2hristian heritage$ there0y 0ringing our nation 0ack to those great wells of democracy which were dug deep 0y the founding fathers in their formulation of the 2onstitution and the 3eclaration of "ndependence. .e4er 0efore ha4e " written so long a letter. "'m afraid it is much too long to take your precious time. " can assure you that it would ha4e 0een much shorter if " had 0een writing from a comforta0le desk$ 0ut what else can one do when he is alone in a narrow 7ail cell$ other than write long letters$ think long thoughts and pray long prayersC

http://faculty.millikin.edu/~moconner/writing/king1a.html "f " ha4e said anything in this letter that o4erstates the truth and indicates an unreasona0le impatience$ " 0eg you to forgi4e me. "f " ha4e said anything that understates the truth and indicates my ha4ing a patience that allows me to settle for anything less than 0rotherhood$ " 0eg 'od to forgi4e me. " hope this letter finds you strong in the faith. " also hope that circumstances will soon make it possi0le for me to meet each of you$ not as an integrationist or a ci4il rights leader 0ut as a fellow clergyman and a 2hristian 0rother. Let us all hope that the dark clouds of racial pre7udice will soon pass away and the deep fog of misunderstanding will 0e lifted from our fear!drenched communities$ and in some not too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of lo4e and 0rotherhood will shine o4er our great nation with all their scintillating 0eauty. ;ours for the cause of %eace and Brotherhood$ M(&*". L)*+/& K".'$ &.

*he te#t of this letter originally appeared at: *he .o0el %ri?e "nternet (rchi4e *e#t re4ised and corrected 0y Laurel Lacroi#$ %h.3. 3epartment of /nglish +ouston 2ommunity 2ollege -ystem !! -outhwest