Martin Luther King Research Paper

Martin Luther King, Jr. defines “civil disobedience” as a way to show others what to do when a law is unjust and unreasonable. As King stated in the letter from Birmingham, “Any law that uplifts human personality is just. Any law that degrades human personality is unjust.” When Negros were being treated unfairly, Martin Luther King, Jr. stepped in to show people how to peacefully protest and not be violent. The dictionary definition of civil disobedience is the refusal to comply with certain laws or to pay taxes and fines, as a peaceful form of political protest (Webster Dictionary). That is what Martin Luther King, Jr. did when nothing was changing in the town after the law for public school to be non-segregated. In

In Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, King emphasizes the need for civil disobedience when faced with unjust laws. This refutes Socrates’ claim made in the “Crito” that one must follow the law under all circumstances. In this paper, I will argue that Socrates is a proponent of civil disobedience. This will be described based on King’s definition of civil disobedience, Socrates’ supporting claims based on his charges, and how both Socrates and King’s actions both resonate with one another.

Civil disobedience comes in every package under the sun. Whether it be Henry David Thoreau refusing to pay his taxes to protest the Mexican-American War or Mohammed Ali refusing the draft because he believed that they were sending him to fight for rights in another country that he didn’t have in his own. The importance of civil disobedience, particularly in those with influence over the people, is often overshadowed by opposition leaders and naysayers on the other side of the argument. But civil disobedience has kept America moving forward for over 240 years and it won’t be stopping any time soon.

To begin with, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. educates the reader on why his nonviolent protesting or otherwise publicly speculated as ‘civil disobedience’ is justifiable and that what he and his followers do is not bad and should be supported by them. [“Them” being the readers/ clergymen etc.] What the majority of the public and the media speculated at the time on acts such as these were that the people who partook in these ‘civilly disobedient’ protests were not only criminals, but defined as insensible people due to their ‘willingness to break laws’. Dr. King argues these unjustifiable and untrue speculations to persuade the reader that his cause of performing these nonviolent protests are not only morally and ethically justifiable, but also logically righteous by formulating a logical argument. Dr. King conducted the logical argument that there are two types of laws: ‘just’ and ‘unjust laws’, -and these two types of laws are totally different from each other, and the ‘unjust laws’ are considered to not be followed. Dr. King explains using logical arguments why his arrest for parading without a permit to nonviolently protest is justifiable, and that is because the law was used in an unjust manner, making it an unjust law. In paragraph 19

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We must be careful not to mistake for civil disobedience what is actually all too often these days, rather uncivil disobedience, in the forms of riots and looting and other forms of criminal conduct that sometimes takes place in the course of large-scale protests and demonstrations that get out of hand. The modern fathers of civil disobedience as a method of political expression and change are, of course, Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King, in the 1950s and 1960s, convinced hundreds and thousands of black Americans to peacefully agitate towards full legal and political equality in the United States. Both men -- and their followers -- faced police and military might and ruthlessness, and both suffered imprisonment, and worse, for their efforts. His followers and supporters, endured tremendous brutality and degradation, but instead of responding in the way they were being treated, they reacted peacefully, offering themselves as living sacrifices for the causes in which they believed.

Civil disobedience as identified by Martin Luther King is a form of direct action, and an outright refusal to conform to laws as a form of protest. Martin Luther King addresses this method of resistance in his text, “Letter from Birmingham Jail”. Martin Luther King Jr personally drafted the text as a response to criticisms made in a statement by clergymen whom apposed King’s nonviolent methods of resistance to continuous issues of racism occurring in Birmingham, Alabama. As expressed by King and described in his text, civil disobedience should meet certain criteria to be considered so. One of these criteria is that the law being disobeyed should be unjust. Also, according to King, this direct action should be non-violent, as this was the basis of his teachings. Furthermore, the individual should be aware of consequences, and willingly accept them as he/she performs this act of civil disobedience. Finally, there must be no alternative to this act, meaning that some form of protest must have been attempted in the past, to no avail. Consequently, the only alternative would be to break the unjust law at hand. Martin Luther King executed this form of action in his efforts to challenge racism in Birmingham Alabama. Similarly, famous fighter Muhammad Ali used the same tactic in order to achieve justice decades later. Muhammad Ali bravely refused to be drafted during the Vietnam war because of his religious beliefs and was therefore convicted of violating the selective service laws.

Michael King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia with mom, Alberta Williams, and dad, Michael King Sr. “Young Martin had an older sister, Willie Christine, and a younger brother, Alfred Daniel Williams King.” (Martin Luther King Jr. Biography)Martin’s grandfather was also a minister who took over the Ebenezer baptist church. It was then passed down to Martin’s father after his grandfather died and also became a very successful minister. This might have played into Martin himself becoming a minister in his later life. His father also fought for equal rights for blacks which also played into how he ended up. “In May, 1941, Martin was 12 years old when his grandmother, Jennie, died of a heart attack.” Martin was at a parade against

Over the course of history, there has been numerous cases where people have carried out non-violent methods such as protests and direct action to fight for their rights, seeking for people of authority to take action upon their wish to make alterations. In many instances, this act of civil disobedience has been efficacious. In “Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., he addressed his view on civil disobedience and stated “One has not only a legal, but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.” Because many leaders and average people in history have successfully used King’s belief to

Brilliantly put by what many deem to be America’s greatest president of all time, Abraham Lincoln, “Let every man remember that to violate the law is to trample on the blood of his father, and to tear the charter of his own and his children’s liberty.” Civil disobedience is defined as the refusal to comply with certain laws as a form of political protest. Although many may argue that this is the sole way to keep the government in check and to make minorities heard, rational people will realize that it is not this disrespect of the law that proves the democracy of our nation.

Martin Luther King a man who was a civil rights activist that was tired of America’s antics during the Vietnam War, so he decided to speak against their involvement. The U.S’s involvement to ending communism has led to negative impacts on the lives of the Vietnamese people. Martin Luther King Jr. has many reasons to why he wants the United States to resolve its problem with Vietnam through peaceful acts such as ending all bombing and removing all troops from Vietnam.

In Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” he discusses the duty of citizens to enact civil disobedience when there are immoral actions or laws put into place. In accordance with Martin Luther King, Jr. this concept applies to our society today with the recent presidential election of the United States of America. As Donald Trump has been elected the President of the United States, there have been various acts of civil disobedience because millions of individuals do not support him in his presidency. Along with this topic, there are two distinct questions that need to be answered. First, what is civil disobedience in the eyes of Martin Luther King, Jr.? Second, are Donald Trump protests

I was born on January 15, 1929. When I was born I was actually named Michael Luther King Jr. I started out in church ever since I was a baby. Church was everything growing up, if there was anything going on at the church I would be there. My grandfather was a preacher at Ebenezer Baptist Church; he served for forty-six years in that church as head pastor, it was funny cause if you asked anybody I was the co-pastor even though I was only like nine years old. Growing up it was all about segregation I went to segregated public schools all through high school. Growing up in Georgia didn’t help with the black population and the racial society. I was so tired of high school I graduated high school at the age fifteen. I wanted to get out I wanted to get away from what the public school was giving me cause I knew there was more for me out in the world I just needed to go out and achieve it.

Civil disobedience can be justified in certain circumstances because laws do not always apply equally to every individual. When someone¡¯s rights are being harassed

In Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, King discusses the importance of civil disobedience being performed. King is confined in the Birmingham city jail and decides to respond to the criticisms of his fellow clergymen although he often does not acknowledge such statements. King’s understanding of civil disobedience is clearly reflected in his use of rhetoric and includes violating the law in peaceful terms to protest unjust laws and circumstances.