Martin Luther King made it clear that he was not in the habit of answering to criticisms regarding his work (Martin Luther King, 1963). Nevertheless, he took the time to respond to this specific letter because the people that gave their opinion on his work did so in good faith. It showed logos and ethos on his part because he valued quality communication and the opinion of his well-meaning colleagues. It also showed that he could distinguish between constructive criticism and unhelpful condemnation.
His audience was concerned about the relevance of his undertakings in Birmingham. He expelled doubt by explaining why he was in Birmingham (Martin Luther King, 1963). He had been called upon by the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights and had made a promise to keep his word in fulfilling their request. Fulfilling a duty and a promise is ethos. If he said he would do something, he did it. Not only did he go to Birmingham to answer a call of duty, but also because it was the right thing to do, to restore justice where there was injustice (ethos). His actions were without incentive, as he did not stand to benefit from financial or material gain. He showed pathos and logos in that respect.
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He preferred a non-violent expression of the grievances faced by the black community, a sign that he was ethical. However, the white moderates left Mr. King and his supporters no choice as they had been dealing superficially with the problem of racial injustice that had numerous underlying causes which were ineffective and frustrating.
Before embarking on his mission of non-violent demonstration, he made sure he got his facts right (Logos). The facts were that injustices did exist in Birmingham and were widely prevalent. Any attempt for dialog had been thwarted (Martin Luther King, 1963). The only option available in this case was a demonstration. He clearly explained why he took a course of action before taking it.
Where he stated that after all options to reverse racial discrimination failed, and the offering of their bodies remained as a last resort, he appealed to the conscience and emotional aspect of the reader through pathos. He was cognizant of the fact that sometimes, difficult but necessary decisions must be made which was a demonstration of logos. The difficult decision to demonstrate would be potent enough to force the white community that was adamant about negotiations to take action. The entitled would never readily give up their privilege, and if the oppressed wanted justice they had to take it (Martin Luther King, 1963).
Martin Luther King made it clear that while he did not agree with everything that his critics had to say about his work, he understood their point of view (Martin Luther King, 1963). Throughout his letter, he picked out each and every concern that they had, and responded respectfully, even in disagreement. It showed logos and pathos on his part, where, disagreement was not an incentive to be disrespectful. He was careful not to disrespect his audience although it was apparent that he was angry and frustrated.
He identified, through pathos and logos, with the white moderates’ hesitance to grant the black community their plea of racial equality. If one had never experienced an unpleasant circumstance, they could not empathize with another person going through it. White supremacists constantly delayed executing their promises to stop their oppression against the black people. They had never experienced oppression.
Using pathos and logos, Martin Luther King went on to give very specific details of the oppression and injustices that a black man had to endure on a daily basis. He touched on the social, economic and psychological struggles of the black person. Children could not go to parks, people could not check in at motels during long travels and signs were put up in establishments where the Negros was not allowed (Martin Luther King, 1963). The patience of even the most patient of men could not endure this kind of oppressed life a day longer.
Their oppressor told them to wait. That one day it would all be over. The audience was made to understand the need for urgency in pursuing justice. However, through ethos and logos, he agreed with his critics’ concerns that mass action would break laws. But, he expressed what a just law and what an unjust law is using logos. While the former promoted a sense of well-being and fairness, the other served to promote delusional superiority and dehumanize particular individuals of a particular creed (Martin Luther King, 1963).
Through logos, Martin Luther King wrote of his frustration in the pursuit of justice. The white moderates seemed to concur with his need to employ direct action as a means to seek justice. On the other hand, they moderately accepted his ideas all the while rejecting him. Rejection is an unpleasant experience that all human beings can identify with; that evoked pathos.
In order for authentic peace to prevail, justice had to be accorded to the victim and the perpetrator even though it would result in violence. He used logos and pathos to make this point understood. Martin Luther King gave examples in history where individuals such as Socrates and Jesus, who carried out just missions, got persecuted unjustly (Martin Luther King, 1963).
He emphasized the value of time through logos. He reiterated that it was not about the amount of time available to accomplish a goal, but the way in which that time was utilized to accomplish the said goals. He registered his displeasure through pathos and ethos that people of good will seemed lax in the quality of action put in their time (Martin Luther King, 1963).
He understood why the African American community was hesitant in taking action against racial segregation. He argued that the segregation that the black community had faced in their lifetime made them adaptable to their oppressed lives. Another part made up of the elitist middle-class African Americans was reluctant to take action because segregation was of profit to them. On the other hand, there was an active, albeit murderous, faction of dissatisfied groups that were willing to go to violent extremes to put a stop to the oppression. While he did not agree with the laxity and extremity on both ends, he empathized with their predicament; this showed logos and pathos in action (Martin Luther King, 1963).
Even after pointing out where the church fell short in the struggle for racial equality in order to conform to popular opinion, he applauded the few that stood firm and fearless in the cause. It was an act of logos and pathos. The most logical reaction to betrayal is bitterness and an abandonment of the entity that exerted the betrayal. Through pathos, he demonstrated that the spirit of the black man was relentless. According to him, despite the black man’s soul having been ostracized in the yokes of slavery and contempt, his soul survived. He was, therefore, sure that his cause for racial equality would be accomplished because the spirit of the oppressed would not continually yield to oppression (Martin Luther King, 1963).
- Edlund, J., & Pomona, C. (n.d). Ethos, Logos, Pathos: Three Ways to Persuade. Retrieved from http://web.calstatela.edu
- Martin Luther King. (1963). Martin Luther King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail. Retrieved from http://www.bu.edu
