MLK's Letter From Birmingham Jail

King says that "Wait" has almost always meant...

"Never"

How does King answer these questions: "What is the difference between the two?" "How does one determine whether a law is just or unjust?"

- A just law is a man made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God - An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law

What were some of the problems the clergymen from the white churches in Birmingham had with King and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference?

- Ending inequality should be done in the courts - Responsible citizens are working on constructive and realistic approach to racial problems - These demonstrations are by "outsiders. Be patient." (not local blacks), be patient it (solution) will eventually come - "Hatred and violence have no sanction in our religious and political traditions. We also point out that such actions as incite to hatred and violence, however, technically peaceful those actions may be, have not contributed to the resolution of our local problems?" (hatred and violence are coming from civil rights protesters according to them, blaming victims instead of perpetrators)

How does King wrap up his "Letter from Birmingham Jail"

- Expresses his disappointment with the white churches (they haven't really done nothing, part of the problem, they're on the sidelines with the White Moderates, he's encouraging them to take action to stand with them. - Also encouraging the white churches to commend the black demonstrators for their courage, whether they were in sit-ins in white only establishments, where they were getting beat up, risking their own lives - He writes that if any part of his letter is found to be offensive, he apologizes he means to be respectful

King, said that he stands in the middle of which two opposing forces in the black community?

- One is a force of complacency, made up in part of Negroes who, as a result of long years of oppression, are so drained of self respect and a sense of "somebodiness" that they have adjusted to segregation; and in part of a few middle-class Negroes who, because of a degree of academic and economic security and because in some ways they profit by segregation, have become insensitive to the problems of the masses - The other force is one of bitterness and hatred, and it comes perilously close to advocating violence

What are some other notions in King's "Letter to Birmingham Jail?"

- Slaves waited 345 years for freedom... isn't that long enough? (amidst Jim Crow Laws, police brutality against civil rights protesters who are being denied civil rights, dogs biting them) - "Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor ; it must be demanded by the oppressed" (whites in power won't give them their rights, thus why King advocates to confront these injustices head on through non-violence) - Discuses the impact on his own 6-year old daughter ( references how she wants to go to Funtown, however, it is only for white children, and he talks about how disappointed she is, the emotional toll, applies to all blacks on how segregation can make them feel a false sense of inferiority")

What are some of the key ideas in King's response?

- The idea that "injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere", was a response to this notion that you guys are a bunch of outsiders, this is a local problem, King says no, what's happening in the small pocket of the country (Birmingham) is a threat to justice everywhere - Direct action through sit-ins and marches needed as opposed to negotiation. (negotiation isn't going anywhere, they're not negotiating in good faith, King thinks it's better to directly confront it, as it makes it inconvenient for whites in Birmingham so that they don't avoid the issue) - Force everyone to confront racial issues head on

What does King mention about misdirected blame?

- There's misdirected blame as "society must protect the robbed and punish the robber", because there's a lot of victim blaming, the civil rights protesters haven't done anything wrong they were only demanding their rights

What reasoning does King use to explain that Birmingham is probably the most thoroughly segregated city in the US?

1. Blacks have experienced grossly unjust treatment in the courts 2. There have been more unsolved bombings of Negro homes and churches in Birmingham than in any other city in the nation

What are the four basic steps of the nonviolent campaign?

1. Collection of the facts to determine whether injustices exist 2. Negotiation 3. Self Purification 4. Direct Action

How was the promise made by the merchants to the Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth and the leaders of the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights broken?

A few signs briefly removed, returned; the others remained

What concrete example of just laws does King give?

A just law is a code that a majority compels a minority to follow and that it is willing to follow itself. This is sameness made legal

What is another explanation for an unjust law?

A law is unjust if it is inflicted on a minority that, as a result of being denied the right to vote, had no part in enacting or devising the law

Letter from Birmingham Jail is a response to...

A response directed toward 8 Alabama clergymen who released a statement toward King and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference had begun to flood into Birmingham to protest the awful civil rights violations being inflicted upon Blacks

What concrete example of unjust laws does King give?

An unjust law is a code that a numerical or power majority group compels a minority group to obey but does not make binding on itself. This difference is made legal

What does King say about the "outside agitator" idea?

Anyone who lives inside the US can never be considered an outsider anywhere within its bounds

Why was Martin Luther King arrested in Birmingham for?

Arrested for "parading" without a permit

Why did King and the others postpone their direct action program in the Easter Season the first time?

Because Birmingham's mayoral election was coming up in March, and they decided to delay it until after election day

Why did King say that fellow blacks frustrations should be released through nonviolent methods?

Because if they aren't, they'll express them through violence

Why does King urge men to obey the 1954 decision of the Supreme Court?

Because it is morally right

Why does King urge men to disobey segregation ordinances?

Because they are morally wrong

Why does King have problems with the "White Moderates" who claim to be Christian and moral people?

Because they are on the sidelines, and they're the ones who are saying that these protesters are "agitators", "outsiders", that they don't belong here (Birmingham), they say they should give it time (to get civil rights)

Why did King and the others postpone their direct action in the Easter Season the second time and time after time?

Because they discovered that Eugene "Bull" Connor had piled up enough votes to be in the run off, and decided to delay until the day after the run off so that the demonstrations wouldn't cloud the issues

The other force which is one of bitterness and hatred, and it comes perilously close to advocating violence, is described by King as being expressed in...

Black Nationalist Groups

King says that Elijah Muhammad's Muslim Movement is nourished by?

Black's frustration over the continued existence of racial discrimination

King says that him and others who engage in nonviolent direct action are not the creators of tension, but, that rather, they...

Bring to the surface the hidden tension that is already alive

Because of the conditions in Birmingham, King said that, black leaders sought to negotiate with whom, but the other party refused to engage in negotiation?

City Fathers

King says that it is unfortunate that demonstrations are taking place in Birmingham, but that it is even more unfortunate that the...

City's white power structure left the Negro community with no alternative

King talks about practicing which method?

Civil Disobedience

King says that they have not made a single gain in civil rights without...

Determined legal and nonviolent pressure

King said that there are 2 kinds of extremists...

Extremists for hate and extremists for love

King says that had the philosophy of nonviolence not emerged, by now many streets of the South, would have been...

Flowing with blood

King, and the leaders of the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights, and other civil rights protesters because of the broken promise made by the merchants...

Had no alternative except to prepare for direct action

Why was King disappointed with the white ministers, priests and rabbis of the south?

He thought they would be their strongest allies, instead some were opponents, refused to understand the freedom movement and were misrepresenting its leaders, and others were silent

What did King think about him and protesters being called extremists?

He was disappointed that fellow clergymen would see his nonviolent efforts as those of an extremist. But, later embraces this term as Jefferson and Lincoln and Jesus Christ were considered extremists too (says Jesus Christ was an extremist in love)

What are King's reasons as to why he is in Birmingham, Alabama?

He's the president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and one of its affiliated organizations, the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights, asked them to be on call to engage in a nonviolent direct action program is such were deemed necessary, and when the hour came they lived up to their promise. He's in Birmingham because he was invited and has organizational ties there

But more basically, King is in Birmingham because...

Injustice is there, he says he cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham, whatever affects them, affects all indirectly

According to King, any law that uplifts human personality is...

Just

King says that there are 2 types of laws, which are...

Just and unjust laws

King says that "justice too long delayed is...

Justice denied"

King's response establishes what?

King's response established the foundation for non-violent direct action

King says that it is wrong to use...

Moral means to preserve immoral ends

King says that in regard to unjust laws one has a...

One has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws

King, said that one who breaks an unjust law must do so...

Openly, lovingly, and with a willingness to accept the penalty

King said that he was convinced that if their white brothers dismissed as "rabble rousers" and "outside agitators" those of them who employed nonviolent direct action, and would refuse to support their nonviolent efforts, millions of blacks would...

Out of their frustration seek solace and security in black nationalist ideologies

According to King, all segregation statutes are unjust because...

Segregation distorts the soul and damages the personality. It gives the segregator a false sense of superiority and the segregated a false sense of inferiority

King says that privileged groups...

Seldom give up their privileges voluntarily

What does King say is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will?

Shallow understanding from people of good will

The purpose of the direct action program is to create a...

Situation so crisis packed that it will inevitably open the door to negotiation

What is King's response to the 8 Alabama clergymen statement that their actions, even though peaceful, must be condemned because they precipitate violence?

Society must protect the robbed and punish the robber

What does King say about tension?

That he opposes violent tension, but, that there is a type of constructive, nonviolent tension which is necessary for growth

How does King respond to others saying that they (Blacks) should just let these unjust and immoral laws just be and wait them out in the court system, sitting back and not taking any action?

That it's a problem, he references how Hitler and his actions were deemed "legal" in Germany "an unjust law is no law at all" hence, why this needs to be confronted head on

What is King's response to the 8 Alabama Clergymen saying that their action has been untimely, and them asking "Why didn't you give the new city administration time to act?"

That the new Birmingham administration must be prodded about as much as the outgoing one, before it will act, and that even with the election of Boutwell as new mayor he won't be reasonable enough to see the futility of massive resistance to desegregation without pressure from devotees of civil rights

What does King believe about nonviolent direct action and tension?

That there is a need for nonviolent direct action to create the kind of tension in society that will help men rise from the dark depths of prejudice and racism to the majestic heights of understanding and brotherhood

After the broken promise made by the merchants, King and the civil rights protesters decided to schedule their direct action program for...

The Easter Season

King and others have urged people to obey...

The Supreme Court's decision of 1954 outlawing segregation in the public schools

What precipitates King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail?"

The joint clergymen statement from the white churches in Birmingham

How does King respond to the 8 Alabama clergymen who may ask "Why direct action?" "Why sit ins, marches and so forth?" "Isn't negotiation a better path?"

The purpose of nonviolent direct action is that it 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. It seeks so to dramatize the issue that it can no longer be ignored and can lead to negotiation

King said that human progress never rolls in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through...

The tireless efforts of men

According to King, the 8 Alabama clergymen have been influenced by...

The view which argues against "outsiders coming in"

After the broken promise, how did King and the other civil rights protesters undertake a process of self purification?

They began a series of workshops on nonviolence, and they repeatedly asked themselves: "Are we able to accept blows without retaliating?" "Are we able to endure the ordeal of jail?"

What was agreed between the leaders of the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights and the merchants of Birmingham?

They would remove the stores' humiliating racial signs in exchange for the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights to postpone all demonstrations

Why did King and the other civil rights protesters decide to schedule their direct action program for the Easter Season?

This was the main shopping period of the year, except for Christmas, and they knew that a strong economic-withdrawal program would be the byproduct of direct action, and that that would be the best time to bring pressure to bear on the merchants for the needed change

King said that there is a misconception concerning...

Time in relation to the struggle for freedom

King said that he had hoped that the white moderate would?

Understand that the present tension in the South is a necessary phase of the transition from negative peace to a positive peace

According to King, any law that degrades human personality is...

Unjust

King, said that sometimes a law is just on its face and...

Unjust in its application

King reached the conclusion that Black people's stumbling block in his stride toward freedom isn't the White Citizens Counciler or the KKK, but the...

White moderate, who is more devoted to "order" than to justice