Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., in his powerful response to the white clergymen's letter, masterfully employs various strategies to establish a sense of trust and respect with his audience. By utilizing the Rogerian Argument style, he seeks to find common ground and bridge the divide between himself, a prominent figure in the civil rights movement, and the clergymen who had criticized his activism.
One of the strategies employed by Dr. King is the careful selection of his words, which aim to convey empathy and understanding towards his audience. Instead of directly attacking or counter-criticizing the clergymen, he acknowledges their legitimacy as religious leaders and establishes a respectful and understanding tone. He writes, "I have the honor of serving as President of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an organization operating in every southern state, with headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. We have some eighty-five affiliated organizations across the South, and one of them is the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights" (King 2). By doing so, he subtly highlights the shared foundation of religious faith between himself and the clergymen, indicating that they are not entirely opposed to each other.
Furthermore, Dr. King employs a strategy of seeking common ground by presenting religious and historical references that both he and the clergymen can uphold. He invokes the moral teachings of Jesus Christ and presents himself as a fellow Christian committed to justice and equality. He states, "Just as the Apostle Paul left his village of Tarsus and carried the gospel of Jesus Christ to the far corners of the Greco-Roman world, so am I compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my own home town" (King 11). By likening his struggle for civil rights to the spread of Christianity by the Apostle Paul, he places himself in a familiar and revered religious context that the clergymen can relate to.
Moreover, Dr. King attempts to find common ground by emphasizing their shared values of justice, democracy, and the American Dream. He argues that his fight for civil rights is not an attempt to overturn the principles upon which America was founded but rather a demand for the fulfillment of those very principles. He states, "We merely bring to the surface the hidden tension that is already alive" (King 10). By emphasizing the presence of underlying tensions within society, he suggests that their fight for equality is consistent with the democratic ideals upon which America was built. This approach aims to shift the clergymen's perspective from viewing civil rights demonstrations as disruptive to recognizing that it is a necessary catalyst for societal progress.
Dr. King's letter emphasizes his commitment to nonviolence, a principle he shares with the clergymen, yet strategically critiques their perspective on the matter. He carefully responds to their criticism of the civil rights demonstrations as disruptive, arguing that nonviolent protests are necessary when society refuses to engage in constructive dialogue. He writes, "You deplore the demonstrations that are presently taking place in Birmingham. But I am sorry that your statement did not express a similar concern for the conditions that brought the demonstrations into being" (King 3). By appealing to their shared disapproval of violence, he enables the clergymen to see the demonstrations in a different light, as a means to an end rather than unwarranted agitation.
In conclusion, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. employs various strategies to build a sense of trust and respect with the white clergymen through his letter. By carefully selecting his words, appealing to shared religious and historical references, emphasizing shared values, and addressing their concerns, he attempts to establish common ground. Through his persuasive efforts, Dr. King hopes to bridge the gap between himself and the clergymen, ultimately inspiring them to understand and support the civil rights movement.
write an essay that explains the strategies Dr. King uses to try to build a sense of trust and respect between himself and the clergymen (He tries to establish common ground in the Rogerian Argument style). Of course, you may want to use examples of his common ground strategies found in other parts of the letter, not just the first two pages. Also, you may include parts of the clergymen's letter as well when you refer to their letter.
Strategy means an approach, method, or action. His strategy is seen in the words that he used. What words did he use? How did he try to establish common ground by identifying points of agreement between the audience and himself? What did he think they could agree on?
Common ground means that we (the writer and his/her audience) have something in common or we have something that we can agree on. Think about this: Why would he want to establish common ground with the white clergymen who attacked him in their letter to which he is responding? They criticized the civil rights demonstrations and called King an outside agitator. Their letter was published in the local newspaper. When someone showed it to Dr. King, he decided to write a response. The object of a Rogerian-style argument is to convince the opposing audience that your position and point of view are right. What strategies does King use to try to get these white clergymen to understand his point of view?
Did King identify the ideas and beliefs that he and the clergymen share or have in common? How is he responding to their attack? Your answers should help you identify what strategies he uses.
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