Dr. King, Could I Have A Quick Word With You?

Greetings Dr. King,
I would like to quickly introduce myself as Kufere Laing, a young Black teenager from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who greatly admires your courage and ability to organize. The SCLC serves as a great blueprint for community organizing, and your willingness to step to the forefront in the face of danger, while having the composure and will not to violently retaliate is beyond courageous. Few have the ability to inspire and lead the way you do. I feel your writings are brilliant, and are further enhanced by your unique public speaking ability. Furthermore, I wholeheartedly respect the manner in which you have sacrificed yourself for the greater good of not only Black people, but society. The aforementioned virtues are not only admirable, but also noble and selfless.
After reading your Letter from Birmingham Jail, it is clear you have the greater goals of society in mind and also are challenging the social injustices that Blacks in Birmingham encounter. I agree in your disagreement with the clergymen to whom you are replying, and feel your response was necessary for it was the clergymen’s attempt to define you. Your response exposes the falsehoods in their argument that, if unanswered, may turn the important public opinion against you. Furthermore, you publicize the SCLC in the second paragraph, when explaining why you have to come to Birmingham. While, I think your strategy of responding to the clergy is ingenious, I do not agree with your decision to directly reply to clergymen. Your response to the clergymen, opposed to the masses, gives the clergymen entitlement. Their philosophy, is shared by many, yet you gave the clergy a response, giving the illusion that they are not only worthy of a response, but also, you are obliged to answer to them. While these men ultimately argue they are for the progress of Black Americans, their audacity to address you and question your right to fight against injustice occurring in Birmingham is a reflection of the common arrogant attitude that “Whites know what’s better for Blacks, then Blacks know themselves.” This attitude is further reflected in their claims that, we as Blacks should be more patient and our freedom will come and that our battle should be within the court system, not the streets. These claims are not only pompous and arrogant, but are also insulting, for the deeper idea being resonated is Blacks are incapable of self-liberation. I do not argue the aforementioned thought should have been broadcasted to the masses, but I strongly believe the clergy were not worthy of the response that they felt they were owed. Over the course of the letter, you address the masses on multiple occasions. Why not allow the letter to serve as a public service announcement in which there is no direct mention made to the clergy?
I also took issue with your critique of Black Nationalism and its simplification of emotions based off of “hatred and despair.” It is quite clear that you are not a supporter of the Nation of Islam, but these reasons reside primarily within your devout Christian faith. While their viewpoint that “the White man is the devil,” is wrong, and you disagree with their willingness to bear arms, I do not feel these aspects of the Nation are applicable to Black Nationalism. Black Nationalists do not aim to oppress any group of people, but wish to uplift Blacks through positive cultural, economic, and political affirmations. Black Nationalists hope to unite as one and subsequently make the Black community powerful, one that suppresses oppression. The Nation’s willingness to use violence and denouncement of Christianity has caused you to wrongfully repudiate Black Nationalists as distressed and oppressed extreme reactionaries, but Nationalists are supporters of a community you are working so hard to empower. One could argue the SCLC, to which you are the head of, is a form of Black Nationalism, as the SCLC is a group run by Blacks with the goal of uplifting the Black community through positive political affirmations. The SCLC’s ability to organize a large group of people with a common goal makes them powerful, imagine the entire Black community unified similarly to the SCLC. This vision of unity would be a form of Black Nationalism.
The last grievance I will express lies in the examples you use throughout your letter. I particularly took issue with the fact that you related Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln to the plight of the Black American. These two extremists (as you labeled them), must be held accountable for their role in oppressing Blacks. Jefferson’s framing of Black people as lazy, over-sexed, animalistic, inferior, and lacking intelligence are apart of the arguments used to oppress us. The clergy men themselves use part of Jefferson’s detrimental framing of Blacks when they feel they have the right to question our strategies for liberation. While Jefferson does state, “all men are created equally,” we are not included in this assessment of man. Abraham Lincoln takes this idea one step further when he participates in the declaration that Blacks are 3/5 of a man. Lincoln does end physical enslavement, but does so as a war strategy. He issues the Emancipation to free enslaved Blacks in a country which he is not in control of. The Emancipation is upheld not because Lincoln emphatically feels Black people should not be enslaved, but because ending enslavement will destabilize the South’s economy. History often chooses to forget Lincoln was a White supremacist. While I am positive you are well informed on the aforementioned facts and do not feel you should expose these views due to safety and progression reasons, I do argue it is misleading, counter productive, and almost ignorant to hold Lincoln and Jefferson in such high esteem when these men felt we were less than human. Still, it must be noted that I agree with your overall belief on extremism as a necessity for progression, I am simply opposed to the strategy of upholding social justice savages as the highlight of Black progression.
I acknowledge your target audience for this letter is primarily Southerners, most of whom identify with Jefferson, I would challenge you not to appease these readers. Your argument is strong without using Jefferson and Lincoln’s hypocritical viewpoints. Justice is justice and can be thoroughly explained because it is right. Make no mistake Dr. King, I am in total support of your efforts, and have the upmost respect for you. I cannot say enough about your courage and ability to lead. Your work with the collaboration of others is instrumental to the progression of the Black community. I hope you count on me as a fellow solider in this war for liberation.

Peace and Blessings,


Kufere Laing