Letter from the Birmingham Jail - Martin Luther King's Jr

In Martin Luther King's Jr essay "Letter from the Birmingham Jail" he uses ethos, pathos, and logos to establish his argument. First, let's establish what all these means to the reader. Ethos gives the writer credibility, Logos is establish to the reader at what is logical, and Pathos is established with sympathy. When you think of Justice for all, we tend to think of your constitutional rights for all walks of life. But King is saying that this is not the case for the African American race back in early history. Some may think that King was only fighting the rights of the African American people, but the truth of the matter; he was fighting for all walks of life.

The first argument that I will establish is Pathos. King stated: "If I said anything in this letter that that overstates the truth and indicates an unreasonable impatience, I beg you to forgive me. If I have said anything that understates the truth and indicates my having a patience that allows me to settle for anything less than brotherhood, I beg God to forgive me (King p.528)." King is clearly showing emotions in this quote. King did not have to show this kind of sympathy for his clergymen while he was in jail, because he was incarcerated because of them. Anyone could have to take the fall, but King did this for their sake. When King is really showing emotions is when he asked God to forgive him. God is a spirit, and King is even showing love and sympathy for God.

King is establishing Ethos in a great manner. King stated, "I have the honor of serving as president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an organization operating in every southern state, with the headquarter in Atlanta (King 516)." The book did not state this, but you can image how he got this position. King was literally a born leader. If this organization is anything like these organizations of today, these are position that, you as an individual had to have demonstrated some leadership skills to some leaders. Then they would appoint you to the position.

King shows logos in a manner that can't be overlooked by any United States citizens. King stated, " But such an ordinance becomes unjust when it is used to maintain segregation and to deny citizens the Firs Amendment privilege of peaceful assembly and protest (King 520)." Let's face the fact; the United States Constitution is for everyone. Why is these people denied some of their rights? The answer is very clear; back then the people were to stay in their place, and that was in cotton fields. King had to make a statement by peacefully assembling and marching with the citizens. Back in those days this was the only way to get your point across. Some (African American) were not allowed in certain places without verbal or physical abuse.

In conclusion, King truly made a positive statement that's lingering on today. If this was the land for the free, then what was