Inspiring Civics Homework

So today my teacher gave us a seminar paper we were suppose to read called "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" by Martin Luther King Jr. I was anticipating it to be just another boring assignment but amazingly enough it inspired me. It has some really awesome points that we can all use to change this generations and future generations for the cause of Christ. So I felt led to post a few cool quotes from the letter, as well as summarizations of things he talked about.

"we are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality of, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects the other indirectly."

"We had no alternative except to prepare for direct action, whereby we would present our very bodies as a means of laying our case before the conscience of the local and national community" (Think of that one in our "challenge" of sharing the gospel. Some of these quotes take interpreting)

"There is a type of nonviolent tension which is necessary for growth"

"Our opposers are those dedicated to maintaining the status quo."

"Privileged groups seldom give up their privileges" (That should be us, we should not take no for an answer or go down quietly)

"Freedom is never voluntary given by the oppressor, it must be demanded by the oppressed" (Meaning we have to work for it)

He went into a very long example of different things that blacks suffered to show how that the only way you can understand why we do what we do is to experience or witness it.

"Sometimes a law is just on its face and unjust in its application" (We must make sure that what we say is really fair and done correctly in order to not become hypocritical and unjust)

"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 see and dealt with."

"Actually time itself is neutral; it can be used either destructively or constructively."

"If his repressed emotions are not released in nonviolent ways, they will seek expression through violence." (I see this as a reminder to share what we feel. I know I have a problem of trying to avoid it and hope it goes away... it doesn't, so talk about it and share it)

"So the question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremist will we be?"

He made a statement in here(I wont go into it) but he then says "Of course, there are some exceptions." I think this is key so that we do not become hypocritical.

"All too many others have been more cautious than courageous and have remained silent." (If we remain silent, our revolution for Christ will never happen)

"How we have blemished and scarred that body( referring to the body of Christ) through social neglect and through fear of being nonconformists."

"In the time when the early Christians rejoiced at being deemed worthy to suffer for what they believed." (We need to get back to this mind set)

"We are called to obey rather than man"

"But they have acted in the faith that right defeated is stronger than evil triumphant."




Yeah so, thats about it. If you can, try taking some time to read this letter yourself.