Briefly describe the situation preceding Dr. King’s arrest and what prompted him to write the letter. -Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested for demonstrating without a permit; his activities were described as “unwise and untimely”. He wrote the letter to show readers why he did what he did; he intended for his reasons to be known. 2. For whom does Dr. King initially write the letter? Who do you think eventually becomes his audience after being released from prison? -I believe the original audience of his letter was to his fellow people of his church.
After he was released from prison, society as a whole became his audience. 3. According to the letter, why did Dr. King go to Birmingham? -He was invited to engage in a nonviolent direct-action program, but he was there because in Birmingham, there was injustice. 4. Discuss the four steps in nonviolent campaign. -The first step is the collecting of facts to determine whether or not injustice exists. Birmingham is one of the most thoroughly segregated states in America and its status in widely known. The Negros there have experienced tough discrimination there. The second step is negotiation. The merchants in the community would remove hateful signs in return for the leaders of the Alabama Christian Movement for Human rights to stop all demonstrations. The negotiation was broken when the signs remained. -The third step is self-purification. Determined for the movement to be non-violent, the people of the group underwent self-purification. It allowed them to clear their minds of all the ugliness and remind themselves of what was important and whether or not they were willing to pay the consequences. -The fourth step is direct-action.
This step allows the people in the group to present their problem in such a dramatized way that it cannot be ignored. It forces the people who chose to ignore it before to confront the issue and open the door for negotiation. 5. Why is there a need to create nonviolent tension? -“Nonviolent tension is necessary for growth. ” He sought to create tension in the minds of the individuals so it will help men rise from the prejudice and racism to understand the issue better. 6. According to Dr. King, why can the Negro community no longer wait for action? “There comes a time when the cup of endurance runs over, and the men are no longer willing to be plunged in the abyss of despair. ” They have been mistreated and humiliated; there is only so much of each one can take. 7. What is the difference between a just law and an unjust law? -“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. ” 8. What does Dr. King say about Adolph Hitler? -All the terrible things Hitler did were “legal” but everything the Hungarian freedom fighters did to comfort and aid the Jews were illegal. . What is an extremist and whom does Dr. King label as extremists for love or justice? -An extremist is a person who holds an extreme religious or political view and advocates it in an extreme way. Dr. King labeled Jesus as an extremist for love and Amos as an extremist of justice. 10. Why does Dr. King refuse to praise the Birmingham police department? -Dr. King refuses to praise the Birmingham police department because he has seen their true colors: the mistreatment of Negros of all age and gender.
