Pismo iz zatvora u Birminghamu od strane Martina Luthera King Jr

Transcendentalizma

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Teme

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Književni Elementi

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Ethos, Pathos, Logos

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Rječnik

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A Quick Synopsis of "Letter from Birmingham Jail"

Eight clergy leaders from the city of Birmingham, Alabama wrote an open letter to Martin Luther King, Jr. criticizing King’s role in the nonviolent protests of the Birmingham Campaign which began on April 3, 1963. King was arrested on April 12th, and while in the jail, he penned his harsh, but wisely-worded response to the clergymen’s dissent. The clergymen argued for patience for disputes and issues to be decided in the courts, and that protests were a disruption, not a means to an end. They claimed that these protests were “untimely”, and they urged the “Negro community” to practice restraint.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was understandably dismayed by the attitude of the clergymen, even though he acknowledges that their intentions came from a good place. He begins the letter by explaining why he has come to Birmingham, by simply stating, “I am in Birmingham because injustice is here.” He feels compelled, like the Apostle Paul, to carry the “gospel” of justice to all corners of the South. One of the most popular quotes from this letter is, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”, a sentiment that has been echoed throughout popular social movements since.

King lays out the four basic steps of a nonviolent campaign, and then he describes how those steps have been employed in Birmingham so far. These steps include collecting facts, negotiation, self-purification and direct action. The first three steps have failed, so the only option left is direct action. King takes issue with the clergymen’s use of the word “untimely.” He states that for so many years, all he has heard is the word, “Wait.” Unfortunately, that usually turns into, “Never.” King is tired of waiting, because injustice has perpetuated in Birmingham for too long.

Finally, King directly addresses his disappointment with the white moderates and the white church leadership. He knows that they should be the African American community’s greatest ally, yet they tend to stand on the sidelines and not assist in any of the efforts to force a change. He criticizes their commendation of the Birmingham police force for maintaining order when in reality, they had released police dogs and violence onto the African American protesters. He wishes that they had turned their praise onto the demonstrators of Birmingham instead, suggesting further that the clergymen’s priorities in this struggle to eliminate injustice are misplaced.

Essential Questions for "Letter from Birmingham Jail"

1. What responsibility does an individual have when he or she witnesses injustice?
2. Should we rebel against laws that are unjust?
3. What rhetorical strategies does King use that are particularly effective in communicating his primary points?
4. Where do the elements of Transcendental thought appear in King’s letter?

Često postavljana pitanja o pismu iz zatvora u Birminghamu

Što je potaknulo Martina Luthera Kinga Jr. da napiše 'Pismo iz Birminghamskog zatvora'?

Martin Luther King Jr. bio je prisiljen napisati "Pismo iz zatvora u Birminghamu" kao odgovor na javnu izjavu osmorice bijelih svećenika iz Alabame, kritizirajući kampanju u Birminghamu koju je King vodio. Svećenici su osudili prosvjede koje su orkestrirali King i njegovi suradnici kao "nerazborite i nepravodobne" i pozvali na oprezniji i postupniji pristup rješavanju rasnih pitanja. Zatvoren zbog sudjelovanja u ovim nenasilnim prosvjedima, King je iskoristio priliku da se osvrne na ove kritike, artikulirao načela i nužnost nenasilnog otpora i objasnio zašto pokret za građanska prava nije mogao više čekati na pravdu. Njegovo je pismo bilo obrana strategije izravne akcije i oštra molba za hitnu potrebu za moralnim djelovanjem kako bi se suočili s rasnom nepravdom.

Zašto je 'Pismo iz Birminghamskog zatvora' i danas aktualno?

"Pismo iz zatvora u Birminghamu" ostaje duboko relevantno i danas zbog svojih trajnih tema pravde, jednakosti i važnosti nenasilnog prosvjeda. Pismo istražuje moralne odgovornosti pojedinaca pred nepravednim zakonima odjekuje u suvremenim pokretima koji izazivaju sustavne nepravde i zagovaraju društvene promjene. Njegova kritika 'bijelih umjerenih' i poziv na izravnije i neposrednije suočavanje s nepravdom nastavljaju informirati rasprave o građanskim pravima i aktivizmu. Načela koja King iznosi u pismu, poput međusobne povezanosti zajednica i hitnosti borbe za pravdu, nadilaze vrijeme i kontekst, čineći pismo bezvremenskim manifestom za zagovornike socijalne pravde i aktiviste za ljudska prava.

Na koje je kritike ili protuargumente naišlo 'Pismo iz zatvora u Birminghamu'?

Iako je naširoko slavljen zbog svoje retoričke snage i moralne snage, "Pismo iz Birminghamskog zatvora" se tijekom godina suočio s nekim kritikama i protuargumentima. Neki kritičari tvrde da je Kingov poziv na izravnu akciju bio previše sukobljavajući i da je riskirao izazivanje nasilja, preferirajući postupnije, legalističke pristupe reformi građanskih prava. Drugi su kritizirali Kinga zbog pretjeranog optimizma u pogledu moralnog luka svemira koji se savija prema pravdi, što ukazuje na naivnost u pogledu duboke ukorijenjenosti rasizma. Dodatno, neki suvremeni čitatelji dovode u pitanje učinkovitost nenasilnog otpora u suočavanju s određenim oblicima ugnjetavanja, zalažući se za radikalnije pristupe. Međutim, te su kritike općenito zasjenjene širokim odobravanjem pisma i njegovom značajnom ulogom u oblikovanju pokreta za građanska prava i moralnog diskursa oko građanskih prava i socijalne pravde.