Question

Read the excerpts from Dr. King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail" and answer the question.

[7] I had hoped that the white moderate would understand that law and order exist for the purpose of establishing justice, and that when they fail to do this they become dangerously structured dams that block the flow of social progress … we who engage in nonviolent direct action are not the creators of tension. We merely bring to the surface the hidden tension that is already alive. We bring it out in the open where it can be seen and dealt with. Like a boil that can never be cured as long as it is covered up but must be opened with all its pus-flowing ugliness to the natural medicines of air and light, injustice must likewise be exposed, with all of the tension its exposing creates, to the light of human conscience and the air of national opinion before it can be cured.

[8] We must use time creatively, and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right. Now is the time to make real the promise of democracy, and transform our pending national elegy into a creative psalm of brotherhood. Now is the time to lift our national policy from the quicksand of racial injustice to the solid rock of human dignity.

In 3–5 complete sentences, thoroughly explain how Dr. King develops the claim that racial injustices must be uncovered to be healed. Which sentences support the claim? Provide at least two specific examples from the text to show how the claim is developed and supported.

Answer 1

In "Letter from Birmingham Jail," Dr. King develops the claim that racial injustices must be uncovered to be healed by arguing that the stress caused by direct actions is necessary to expose and confront the hidden tension and injustices already present in society. Dr. King supports the claim by using vivid imagery, such as the metaphor of the boil that must be opened to be healed, it makes people see how ugly the reality of racial injustice is. One example that supports his claim is found in paragraph 7 where Dr. King writes, "Like a boil that can never be cured as long as it is covered up but must be opened with all its pus-flowing ugliness to the natural medicines of air and light, injustice must likewise be exposed." This shows how hidden injustices must be brought to the surface before they can be healed. Another specific example is found in paragraph 8 where Dr. King writes, "Now is the time to lift our national policy from the quicksand of racial injustice to the solid rock of human dignity." Here, Dr. King argues that exposing and confronting racial injustice is necessary in order to transform national policy and maintain the dignity of all individuals. This example again supports Dr. King's claim.

Just remember to change it a bit. Hope I helped!!!

-Amy :3

Answer 2

Answer: The way that MLK does this is by comparing the flow of our democracy to quicksand. An example of this is in the quote " Now is the time to lift our national policy from the quicksand of racial injustice to the solid rock of human dignity." (8). This is a good example because it shows how the democracy failed black citizens in America. Another example is "Like a boil that can never be cured as long as it is covered up but must be opened with all its pus-flowing ugliness to the natural medicines of air and light, injustice must likewise be exposed" (7). This supports my claim by showing how ugly racial injustice was in the 60's and how MLK planned on solving it.

Step-by-step explanation: