King and Staples: Aristotelian Rhetoric and Civil Disobedience

Introduction: King, Staples, and the Rhetoric of Civil Disobedience

Martin Luther King Jr. penned his Letter from Birmingham Jail precisely because his peers in the religious community had criticized his acts of civil disobedience. The letter is a rhetorical argument rooted in Aristotelian rhetorical strategies. King also relies on a tone that is emotionally charged yet rational at the same time, avoiding hyperbole and sarcasm — anything that would alienate his readers. Although King's strategies proved ultimately effective at promoting the cause for civil rights, and although King has become enshrined as an American hero, there were and still are criticisms of his work. As Marcus Epstein notes, "during the 50s and 60s, the Right almost unanimously opposed the civil rights movement."

Critics of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. came from two polar opposite sides of American politics. On one side were those who did not recognize how damaging institutionalized racism had become in America — the religious clerics whom King addresses in his letter fall squarely into this camp. On the other side were Black Nationalists who believed that King was not going far enough in his cause, arguing that civil disobedience was an insufficient method for effecting social change. A more militant form of Black self-liberation was thus advocated by some of King's more vocal critics.

King's Use of Logos in 'Letter from Birmingham Jail'

Letter from Birmingham Jail is a direct response to critics who have predetermined that racist institutions are too sacred to be dismantled. King outlines his critics' argument carefully — a move that constitutes the logos dimension of his Aristotelian rhetorical strategy. For example, King states, "You may well ask: 'Why direct action? Why sit-ins, marches and so forth? Isn't negotiation a better path?'" By framing his argument through rhetorical questions, King deliberately echoes the words of his critics. He agrees that negotiation is a sound method of problem-solving, while pointing out that civil disobedience has become a necessary response to "a community which has constantly refused to negotiate." That phrase is one of King's more charged lines in the letter; otherwise, the tone remains elevated yet peaceful, as King avoids antagonism in order to affirm his ethos.

Establishing Ethos: King as Fellow Clergyman

King relies heavily on ethos as an Aristotelian rhetorical strategy. The primary way he does this is by placing himself — a Reverend — on equal footing with the clerics to whom the letter is addressed, a group that includes a Rabbi and several pastors. King ensures that they are reminded of his standing in the Christian community, regardless of the color of his skin. This positions King not as an agitator but as a friend and equal. His entreaty concludes with the statement: "I also hope that circumstances will soon make it possible for me to meet each of you, not as an integrationist or a civil-rights leader but as a fellow clergyman and a Christian brother."

King also weaves Biblical and religious mystical references throughout the letter, signaling to the clergymen that he speaks their very same language. By grounding his appeal in shared religious tradition, King strengthens the credibility of his argument with the precise audience he most needs to persuade.

Conclusion: Shared Rhetorical Goals

Brent Staples might not use ethos in the same way that King does in Letter from Birmingham Jail. Staples's ethos is rooted in his own personal experience, which is more bound up with pathos than with ethos, given the poignant feeling of being an outsider in one's own city. The logos embedded in "Just Walk on By," however, echoes the same argument King advances in Letter from Birmingham Jail, particularly in the parallel "when you are" passages. After all, both King and Staples speak from personal experience. Using a tone that is elevated yet calm, both writers critique American responses to Black self-empowerment by naming bigotry and prejudice directly. Civil disobedience — whether walking down the street whistling Vivaldi or marching in protest — remains the most powerful means of responding to critics who have no legitimate ground on which to stand.

Works Cited

Epstein, Marcus. "Myths of Martin Luther King." Retrieved online: http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig/epstein9.html

King, Dr. Martin Luther. "Letter from Birmingham Jail." Retrieved online: http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html

Staples, Brent. "Just Walk on By." Retrieved online: http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html