Question
Read the excerpt from a letter Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote while imprisoned in Birmingham Jail in 1963.
One who breaks an unjust law must do so openly, lovingly, and with a willingness to accept the penalty.
Based on his behavior in "Civil Disobedience," how would Thoreau most likely feel about King’s statement?
He would believe that his reasons and King’s reasons for protest were completely unrelated.
He would disagree with King’s belief that one must accept the penalty for political protest.
He would believe that King did not understand the nature of political protest.
He would agree with King that one should engage in political protest peacefully.
One who breaks an unjust law must do so openly, lovingly, and with a willingness to accept the penalty.
Based on his behavior in "Civil Disobedience," how would Thoreau most likely feel about King’s statement?
He would believe that his reasons and King’s reasons for protest were completely unrelated.
He would disagree with King’s belief that one must accept the penalty for political protest.
He would believe that King did not understand the nature of political protest.
He would agree with King that one should engage in political protest peacefully.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
Based on Thoreau's philosophy in "Civil Disobedience," he would most likely **agree with King that one should engage in political protest peacefully**. Thoreau asserted the importance of peaceful resistance to unjust laws and emphasized the moral responsibility to oppose such laws. His ideas align with King's belief in nonviolent protest and the necessity of accepting the consequences of civil disobedience. Therefore, the most fitting conclusion would be that Thoreau would support King's perspective on engaging in political protest in a peaceful and principled manner.