Adv. Writing 201
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Paper

     With his constant pursuit for civil rights, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. helped bridge the gap between races during the 1960Õs. (It was) His unique approach of using nonviolent protests (to) helped create an awareness of the inequalities the African Americans had to endure during this time period. In 1963, King went to Birmingham, Alabama to engage in a nonviolent protest (there), yet before he could perform the (protest Ð use synonym such as rally or something) he was arrested. While King was in the prison he wrote Letter from a Birmingham Prison. By reading this letter one can easily see that aside from being ahehe civil rights crusader, King was also an incredibly intelligent and articulate man. In the letter he brought up each issue he felt needed to be addressed and used solid evidence to defend his case on every issue. Even though the letter contains many different strong points, his two strongest arguments he makes are explaining why he was in Birmingham and the defending of his ÒuntimelyÓ actions.
     (change sentence doesnÕt flow)The first issue King addresses is the claim he was nothing more than an Òoutside agitatorÓ. He says that he can not be considered an outsider anywhere within the boundaries of the America. Moreover, He explains that he had a business tie in Alabama and had promised them he would
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engage in a nonviolent protest. He feels that a injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. King then furthers his argument, explaining that anywhere there is inequality, he will be there. He then brings up two very important facts to defend his case. The first is that there have been more unsolved bombings of African American homes and churches in Birmingham than any other place in the United States. Furthermore, on the basis of those conditions African American leaders in the community had attempted to negotiate with the cityÕs leaders, but the city leaders had refused to. King then cites Socrates on the notion that in order to make any level of accomplishment, one must raise public awareness by using nonviolent protests. These protests would create a tension in the mind of the individual and society because racism is illogical.
     King( then tried to) explained that even though the white moderates, though good intentioned, donÕt understand the situation in full. Moreover, to not understand the importance of the issue, then results in a lack of involvement. King felt that with the white moderates involvement was crucial to any steps forward, yet their lack of involvement would only make thier pursuit for civil liberties even more difficult. He makes a powerful argument, ÒIt is a historical fact that privileged groups sedom give up thier privileges voluntarily.Ó The significane of this quote is the theme of this letter. King (is- was) saying that African American can no longer remain idle in the hopes to been seen as equals with the whites, they must
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now take action to achieve a mutual respect.
     King then discredits the claim that his actions are ÒuntimelyÓ by addressing their statement Òjust waitÓ. He makes the reader realize that the term ÒwaitÓ his people really means ÒneverÓ. He proves this by citing that African Americans have waited for more than 340 years for thier consititutional and God-given rights. He presses the issue further by then comparing the third world governments and his people. he cites ÒAsia and Africa are moving with jet-like speed toward gaining political independanceÓ, and then makes his readers face the grim reality that African Americans in the United States have to wait a ridiculous amout of time to get the normal things in life like a cup of coffee.
     Racisim is illogical and there is nothing that can ever justify the degrading that was going on in America. After reading this letter, one canÕt help but recognize Martin Luther King Jr. as a wise man and that his skin color like everyone elseÕs really is not important.