Martin Luther King is one of the most prominent speakers who used strong arguments to support his claims. Thus, in the “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” he combined appeals to moral and legal aspects to make sure people listen to his words and are ready to discuss them. Employing these elements, he acquires a stronger position and sounds more persuasive. Thus, the appeal to justice can be seen in the words, “I am in Birmingham because injustice is here” (King). It means that Martin Luther King accepts the authority of the Court and the current agency. At the same time, he is sure that all judgments and conclusions made by it will be fair and no discrimination will occur. This appeal makes his arguments and speech stronger and attracts attention to the following words.
Furthermore, Martin Luther King also employs the emotional aspect and rhetorical devices linked to it. For instance, he says, “I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” (King). These words are added to achieve several goals. First, the speaker shows that he also worries about the events that contradict accepted moral values. Second, he emphasizes that injustice is a critical threat to all people, which cannot but influence all listeners and make them feel with the speaker. In such a way, the given examples show how Martin Luther King effectively combines both moral and logical aspects in his speech. Appealing to shared values and emphasizing the importance of justice, he creates the speech with a strong effect on the audience. This approach makes them follow the author’s ideas and cogitate about the presented problems.
Work Cited
King, Martin Luther, Jr. “Martin Luther King Jr’s ‘Letter from Birmingham Jail.” The Atlantic, Web.