Martin Luther King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail Essay -- Martin Luthe

Martin Luther King’s â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail† is an excellent example of an effective argument; it was written in response to an editorial addressing the issue of Negro demonstrations and segregation in Alabama at the time. He writes in a way that makes his argument approachable; he is not attacking his opposition, which consists of eight Alabama clergymen who wrote the editorial. This is illustrated in his opening sentence: â€Å"My dear Fellow Clergymen† (464). King was an activist for civil rights during this time, and came to Alabama to help out his fellow brothers that were facing opposition. He was concerned with the monologue rather than dialogue that was going on during this time in Alabama; where each side would talk about the problem but never get together to negotiate and seek a solution. The clergymen’s editorial along with the unjust circumstances for Negroes at the time in Alabama was King’s driving force in writing this letter from his jail cell, and created an outline of a strong argument for many years to come. I have found through engaging in arguments with friends and in classes that a personal point comes across more clearly when you just present your point of view without condemning the other party. People are more likely to listen to a personal opinion or an opposing view of argument when there is no tension. Also, to the audience the argument becomes more credible when one is not attacking the opposing side. King knows that he is speaking to not only the white clergymen, but to the white moderates on a much larger scale. King addresses these moderates, saying that they are often times the most dangerous of his opposition, for at least the extremists know where they stand. He states: I have r... ... was diminished years ago? We read this because it is commonly said that â€Å"If we do not learn from history, then we are doomed to repeat it.† The racial issues are still not solved today; sexism and prejudices are evident in today’s society. King’s argument includes underlying truths that can be learned by all. Here is a man who was bold for his cause at a time that he could have, and was, killed for his beliefs; he stood up for what he thought was right, even if it was not popular at the time. Overall, King’s argument is still relevant to society and to times today, even if it is not exactly dealing with the same issues on the same level. Works Cited King, Martin Luther Jr. "Letter from Birmingham Jail." A World of Ideas: Essential Readings for College Writers. Ed. Lee A. Jacobus. Trans. Stephen Mitchell. 7th ed. New York: Bedford/St. Martins, 2006.