Alicia Posts, Martin Luther King Birmingham Letter Response

Martin Luther King Juniors letter from the Birmingham Jail was written beautifully. He used the argumentive style to address the clergymen’s comments about his presence in Birmingham. He was writing explicitly but was able to paint a picture of what segregation was doing to families all over the world with his words (implicitly). He very affectively states the opposing side’s position and then he begins to destroy their side. He also conceded to the clergymen calling for negotiation, but also gave logical explanation for why they cannot do that until the government is ready to do so. “You are quite right in calling for negotiation. Indeed, this is the very purpose of direct action. Nonviolent 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.” Martin Luther King Junior was not only an amazing person and speaker; he was a beautiful writer and great arguer.