Martin Luther King's Use Of Ethos In The Birmingham Letter

1. Martin Luther King Jr. used a lot of ethos in the Birmingham letter. For example when he says “But since I feel that you are men of genuine good will and that your criticisms are sincerely set forth, I want to try to answer your statement in what I hope will be patient and reasonable terms. He is showing that he cares about what they think and see their criticisms as being genuine and sincere so he wants to answer their questions in a reasonable time and manner.
Another form of ethos he uses is when he says “You may well ask: “Why direct action? Why sit ins, marches and so forth Isn’t negotiation a better path” You are quite right for calling in negotiation.” Basically he is saying that people think he should find a calmer and less direct
He says that it is not unwise to use direct action campaign because that is the only alternative when negotiations fail due to white leaders refusing them. It is also not untimely because he says he refutes the idea that he should have given new administration Albert Boutwell time to act by saying that Boutwell is still a segregationist still will not change without pressure. He said that Mr. Boutwell wouldn’t consider to desegregate the town if he wasn’t pressured because he will think that everyone will agree with what he feels is right and the civil rights members will have to use legal and nonviolent pressure to make him change his mind. He says that African Americans have waited 340 years for their rights and can’t wait any longer! He also refutes the idea that he is hypocritically supporting some laws and (Supreme Court integration of schools) while breaking others (segregation laws) by making a distinction between just and unjust laws. He says that he follows laws that are within his moral beliefs and just laws fulfill gods laws and unjust laws violates gods laws, so that means that segregation would be considered an unjust law and would go
One of his main refutations is that he was an outside agitator that didn’t belong in Birmingham. (Cause and effect). He also made another refutation and says he had organizational ties and was invited there by the affiliate of SCLC of Birmingham and he was asked to stay on call and be ready to engage in a nonviolent and direct action program. (Definition). He also made another refutation and says he had organizational ties and was invited there by the affiliate of SCLC of Birmingham and he was asked to stay on call and be ready to engage in a nonviolent and direct action program. (Cause and effect). It is also not untimely because he says he refutes the idea that he should have given new administration Albert Boutwell time to act by saying that Boutwell is still a segregationist still will not change without pressure. (Cause and effect). He says that it is not unwise to use direct action campaign because that is the only alternative when negotiations fail due to white leaders refusing them. (Cause and effect). He also refutes the idea that he is hypocritically supporting some laws and (Supreme Court integration of schools) while breaking others (segregation laws) by making a distinction between just and unjust laws. (Definition). He refutes the idea that time itself will heal the problem by arguing that time will is neutral and people will use time for good and bad things. (Definition). He also refutes the idea of criticism in extremism. (Cause and Effect). He also