An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law. “A just law is a man made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God. King’s attempt to bring about justice, but join in the crusade. Thus, the clergymen – and the white moderate society that the represent – should not only celebrate Dr. To delay justice is to be cowardly and unjust. The larger implication of this assertion is that moderation and patience must be replaced with action and impatience. If they are not pernicious, then they are ignorant of themselves. He directly accuses moderates of disingenuousness when they preach patience, in effect calling them liars – they say ‘wait’ but mean ‘never.’ Worse, he suggests that they lie without even realizing it. Though this passage comes earlier than the explicit discussion of the white moderate, it is one of the clearest articulations of the accusation he makes against them. King declares his primary antagonist as the white moderate. 173Ībout mid-way through the “Letter,” Dr. This "Wait" has almost always meant "Never." We must come to see, with one of our distinguished jurists, that "justice too long delayed is justice denied." Dr. For years now I have heard the word "Wait!" It rings in the ear of every Negro with piercing familiarity. “Frankly, I have yet to engage in a direct action campaign that was "well timed" in the view of those who have not suffered unduly from the disease of segregation. King implies that proceeding without tension is going to leave man in “the dark depths of prejudice and racism.” It is a passive, implicit warning that addressing segregation without tension would be not only ineffective, but dangerous. Similarly, the passage slyly integrates the stakes of inaction into its construction. He is careful to stress that the tension he supports is “nonviolent,” but he does not make his intentions unclear. In truth, King is concocting a syllogism – if Socrates is good, and Socrates was right to create tension so that the mind could grow, then tension is good for inspiring mankind to grow. The allusion to Socrates is important, since Western civilization treats the Greek thinker as an archetype of wisdom. Instead, he embraces and justifies the importance of tension. And yet he does not carry this restraint to the point of apologizing for encouraging tension. King is careful to measure his tone, to avoid validating any knee-jerk anxieties that his audience might feel. “Just as Socrates felt that it was necessary to create a tension in the mind so that individuals could rise from the bondage of myths and half truths to the unfettered realm of creative analysis and objective appraisal, so must we see the need for nonviolent gadflies to create the kind of tension in society that will help men rise from the dark depths of prejudice and racism to the majestic heights of understanding and brotherhood.” Dr. That is, if indeed injustice anywhere threatens justice everywhere, then it follows that a man interested in justice must endeavor to stop it, not just for the sake of his immediate community, but for the good of all mankind. King establishes this philosophical groundwork so early on, he has unimpeachable justifications for those later claims. Throughout the work, he justifies breaking laws if they are unjust, embracing extremism, and forgoing negotiations if they are not made in good faith. King and the SCLC have come to Birmingham because they feel connected to and responsible for everyone, they had to come to a place that was exhibiting “injustice.” And yet the phrase also serves as a stipulation to justify many of the more controversial claims he later makes. In its immediate context, it justifies why Dr. This phrase, one of the letter’s most famous, serves several purposes. “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Dr. This marvelous collection of attributes is present from these very first words. Of course, there is no shortage of passive aggressive attacks and criticism throughout the letter, but the tone remains polite, deferential, at times almost apologetic, creating a friendly and ironic tone. Rather than indicate what separates him from the other clergy, he calls them “fellow clergymen,” underlining one of the letter’s main themes: brotherhood. And yet this address announces his purpose loud and clear: he aims not to attack but to explain. Considering the context – he was in solitary confinement when he learned that Birmingham clergymen had together issued a statement criticizing him and praising the city’s bigoted police force – he had every reason to make his letter a rant. King’s tone as he begins his letter is remarkably restrained.
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