Question

Which two statements are Dr. King's response to the counterargument that his action in Birmingham is untimely?

A. People must oppose unjust laws because they are used to oppress minorities.
B. African Americans have waited over 340 years for freedom, but no avail.
C. There are four steps in organizing nonviolent campaigns.
D. The new city administration would be as unresponsive as previous ones.
E. The Supreme Court outlawed segregation in public schools in 1945.

Answer 1

Dr. King's response to the claim of untimeliness in his Birmingham actions emphasizes that African Americans have waited too long for their rights, and that waiting further would only support an unresponsive administration.

Step-by-step explanation:

In Letter from a Birmingham Jail, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. responds to the accusation that his actions are untimely with two key statements. First, he asserts that African Americans have already waited over 340 years for their freedom and constitutional rights, but to no avail, suggesting that further waiting is ineffectual. Secondly, he contends that waiting has only resulted in the continuation and entrenchment of unjust laws, and so he cannot support the new city administration since it would likely be as unresponsive to their plight as previous ones. These points reflect his overarching argument that the fight for civil rights cannot be subject to more deferrals.