Declaration of Independence vs Birmingham Letter
Declaration of Independence vs Birmingham LetterThomas Jefferson and Martin Luther King Jr. are two American men that were key leaders during very controversial periods in U.S. history, and they were instrumental in movements that forever changed American society. Although their generations, cultures, backgrounds, and motives were quite different, their cause was relatively the same. It was a cause that stood against injustice, oppression, and sought the freedom of all men. Their beliefs and struggles were evident in their writings. Two of the most famous writings in particular are “Declaration of Independence” and “Letter from Birmingham Jail”. Both writings are very effective and successful in reaching out to their intended audience. However, “Letter from Birmingham Jail” is more effective in communicating its purpose to its audience. This was done in a time when black men and women were systematically and violently denied a platform from which they could publicly voice their issues to the nation.
“Declaration of Independence” and “Letter from Birmingham Jail” were written during controversial times, never the less, they established a justified purpose in the hearts of the men who were privileged to read them. However, the true integrity behind the purpose of each writing is measured by looking at the men who wrote them and their way of life. Both men were very intelligent and educated men of high moral and religious character. However, one would question the integrity of a person that claims that all men are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and on the other hand, lives his life as a slave owner. The freedom and equality of slaves with whites, was never considered in the writing of the Declaration because slavery was very much a part of all of the colonies when that document was written. As a matter of fact, slavery remained a part of colonial life for almost one hundred years after the Declaration of Independence was written. Dr. King and his followers, on the other hand, nonviolently fought for freedom at the expense of their own lives, as evidenced by Dr. King writing this letter from behind bars. He walked the statement that he makes in the letter that says, “I have tried to stand between these two forces, saying that we need emulate neither the “do-nothingism” of the complacent nor the hatred and despair of the black nationalist. For there is the more excellent way of love and nonviolent protest. I am grateful to God that, through the influence of the Negro church, the way of nonviolence became an integral part of our struggle” (530).
Although their cause was the same, their tactics and audience differed. Jefferson was able to use his claim of tyranny against the...
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