Sarah Hall Hall 1

Mrs. Dorothea Williams-Arnold

1040 AP/IB

6/07/2019

In an attempt to persuade the clergymen in Birmingham that his protest were not “unwise

and untimely”, Martin Luther King Jr. address how the clergymen contradict themselves in

saying his protest were unnecessary. Using pathos, syntax, and juxtaposition. King Jr. persuades

the members that the demonstrations were needed in order for social change.

King begins the letter by addressing the fact that he had seen their statement of calling his

demonstrations “unwise and untimely”, then moves on to appeal to the emotions of the readers

when comparing him fighting for justice in Birmingham to when the Prophets carried on the

gospel of Jesus. “Like Paul, I must constantly respond to the Macedonian call for aid.”, this

quote King states how he was carrying on the message of non-violence protest to others such as

Paul (Apostle Paul) left his village to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. King utilizes this

comparison to appeal to the emotions of the church members by referencing a biblical story. In

using this Biblical story Kingwood life for the clergyman to see where he is coming from and to

agree that he is caring on the gospel of nonviolence much as the Apostle Paul. I'll be Gospel of

Jesus Christ being the Lord and savior.

King uses syntax to express that there is a desperate need for justice and while evoking

the feeling of inequality and interiority. In the statement “... I am cognizant of the

interrelatedness of all communities and states.”, King addresses how he is aware of how when

something happens in one state does not only affect that state, in terms of equal rights and

justice. When King writes how “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” he is

expressing how when there is an unjust act anywhere, it affects everyone not just the people
involved. In terms of the civil rights movement King was expressing how when one black person

is treated unfairly based on the color of their skin that affects every black person not just the one

being treated unjustly, when using this quote.

Moreover, King juxtaposes how they belittle him when protesting yet claim to understand

and argue with why he is protesting. King says their statements do not connect with fighting for

equal rights. He addresses how they “deplore the demonstrations taking place in Birmingham”

but are in support of civil rights. In this quote King is calling out the clergymen about how they

were trying to “pacify” him when doing his demonstrations. He calls out the white church

members who claim to support the civil rights movement yet they are saying they want to “slow

down” and halt the protest.