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The Declaration Of Individualism And The Encouragement Of Protest From

The Declaration of Individualism and The Encouragement of Protest from Birmingham
Jail


        Although the time periods and goals may be different the method for
bringing about change is usually the same, this method is protest.   This method
is supported by two different people, in two different time periods, with two
different goals; these two people are Thomas Jefferson and Martin Luther King
Junior.
        Martin Luther King Junior's letter from Birmingham Jail was an
expression of his encouragement for protest against tradition and established
laws and a justification for his actions.   King, a leader of a civil-rights
group that supported protest against traditional views, encouraged protesting
against tradition and established laws that are unjust.  In his letter from
Birmingham Jail King states:

"It was illegal to aid and comfort a Jew in Hitler's Germany.  Even so, I am
sure that, had I lived in Germany at that time, I would have aided and comforted
my Jewish brothers.  If today I lived in a Communist country where certain
principles dear to the Christian faith are suppressed, I would openly advocate
disobeying that country's anti-religious laws."

This excerpt shows that King encourages protest because in some situations he
deems it necessary, be it in Hitler's Germany, a Communist country, or any
situation in which injustices are occurring.  In the last sentence of the
excerpt King openly admits that he would protest against established laws or
traditions.  King was against the traditional views and unjust laws, which
discriminated against him and his fellow people.  He felt that the only way that
these unjust laws and traditional beliefs would ever change would be by means
of protest.  He felt that without protest the laws and traditions would remain
the same forever.  Along with encouraging protest, King's letter was also a
justification of his actions.  The letter was written to his fellow clergymen to
explain his prior actions and to attempt to...