Topic > Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X - 696

Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm politely in your Letter from Birmingham City Jail. He used the Bible as a reference for what he was doing. In his letter he referred to the priests, these were men of God; Martin Luther King Jr. used the Bible to champion his fight against injustice because his audience saw it as holding the truth. With this he demonstrated to the ecclesiastics that he too was a man of God and that his cause was just and good. The addition of the reference to the Bible gave him a connection to the clergy and demonstrated that his work was related to the Bible and that to disapprove of his cause was to disapprove of the Bible. The priests had called him an extremist and he first says how disappointed he was to be called an extremist but then he quotes Jesus and defines him as an extremist of love "Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you". you, and pray for those who scornfully use you and persecute you” (p.4), in doing so he accepted that he was an extremist and that he was for a good reason. He also cited historical figures such as John Bunyan, Abraham Lincoln, and Thomas Jefferson to make his point. He also called them extremists and said: “The question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists will we be extremists for hate or love. Will we be extremists to preserve injustice or to extend justice?” (p.4), with this it is understandable that he called everyone extremists and that they had to choose which type of extra...... middle of paper ......rt of their fault that they were mistreated because they let man white interpreted their rights: “The whole struggle for civil rights needs a new interpretation, a broader interpretation […]. That old interpretation excluded us […] a new interpretation of civil rights”. Martin Luther King Jr's letter used an emotional approach towards his audience, to try to make them feel and understand what the black community was going through when he spoke about how blacks, community and authority were treated. In his speech he tries to win the sympathy of his audience. Malcolm X's speech had a very strong tone, while Martin Luther King Jr's was more calm and peaceful. Both Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X's thoughts and feelings about segregation and how to eradicate it were well expressed and understandable.