Letter from Birmingham Jail Essay -- Letter from Birmingham Jail Essay

Race. It is a word that is associated with many thoughts, words, and emotions. The color of peoples' skin is the first thing that is noticed. Throughout history people have judged and mistreated because they were of the wrong   race. A prime example of this is the racial tension between blacks and whites. The driving force behind this tension is the past. For many years blacks were mistreated and abused based solely on the color of the skin. In Martin Luther King J.R.'s "Letter from Birmingham   Jail", he uses references to the past and people of the past to strengthen his point. The actions in the past and present can affect the future.   Ã‚  Ã‚   In "Letter from Birmingham Jail", King uses references to Saints, philosophers of the past, and theologians to get into the minds of the clergymen to whom he is writing the letter. By using the words of white people of the past, King can use the clergyman's own beliefs to his benefit. He uses the quote, "sin is separation" (WoI pg. 158) to show that segregating people because of color is morally and religiously wrong.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Though King began ...