Reflection on Letter from Binningham Jail

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-校园英语 / 大视野
Reflection on Letter from Birmingham Jail
文山学院外国语学院/张远艳 罗瑞
【Abstract 】“Letter from Birmingham Jail ” is written by Martin Luther King,Jr.,who is a famous American civil rights leader.This essay attempts to analyze three major arguments in this letter to arouse people ’s consciousness to cherish and protect our freedom.
【Key words 】Martin Luther King; imprison; segregation; freedom
“Letter from Birmingham Jail ”is written by Martin Luther King,Jr.,who is a famous American civil rights leader.At that time,King was imprisoned in the Birmingham city jail because he led a non-violent protest against segregation and was arrested.In the jail,King read a statement made by some clergymen.The clergymen called the protest led by King “unwise and untimely ”.“Letter from Birmingham Jail ”is a response to that statement.King began the letter with an explanation of what they did.At that time,segregation in Birmingham was very serious.Black people were forced to take actions,because the city.s white power left them with no other choice but demonstrations.King said that a community who had been refused to negotiate had to take action--- non-violent direct action.The black people in Birmingham had waited for a long time before taking action.The purpose of the action was to force the white power system to negotiate the requests for desegregation.As King said,“Wait has almost always meant never.Freedom is not given by the oppressors voluntarily;it must be requested by the oppressed.”King stated,“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”He carefully elaborated the differences between unjust laws and just ws should be made to protect people not to oppress people.King also expressed his great disappointment at the white moderate and church.As he said,“In deep disappointment I have wept over the laxity of the church.There can be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love.”At last,King ended his letter by saying that he hoped that the church would see its duties and responsibilities and would help abolish segregation so that everybody would have equal rights.
Marin Luther King Jr,the author of this letter,is not an unfamiliar name to many people.He is well-known as both an effective writer and a civil right leader.He made a great contribution to American civil right movement.Many people have read his famous speech “I ve a dream ”While reading “Letter from Birmingham jail ”,most people were impressed by his strong and affective words and his emotions.This letter is a response to the clergymen.s statement which criticized the demonstration led by King.He wrote this letter in such a heartfelt
and inoffensive voice even though he was under so severe circumstance.
There are three major arguments in this letter.
First,in the clergymen.s statement,they said “outsiders coming in ”They thought King and several members of his staff as “outsiders ”.King explained that they were not outsiders.He said,“Anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered as outsider anywhere within its bounds.”All people are brothers and sisters.Anybody should give a hand to those who are in trouble.“Whatever affects one directly,affects all indirectly.”So it is everybody.s duty and responsibility.Anyone can not be considered as an outsider.
Second,the clergymen thought that the non-violent demonstration against segregation which was led by Martin Luther King Jr.was “unwise and untimely ”.Martin Luther King Jr.refuted their statement that their actions were unwise and untimely.This was the major argument in his letter.King definitely defined their demonstrations as wise and timely.They had waited for a long time to take this action.He thought that it was the right time to take action.The black people in Birmingham had waited for many years and couldn.t wait any longer for the negotiation with the white power system.The black people learned from their painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor;they must strive for freedom by themselves.They didn.t want to rely on anybody to give them freedom.Their freedom was grasped in their own hands.
Third is King.s explanation of the differences between just laws and unjust laws.The clergymen expressed a great deal of anxiety over the black people ’s willingness to break laws.King elaborated and defined what just laws were and what unjust laws were.He used several examples to support his arguments.Those examples and citations added to his credibility.He thought that laws should be made to protect people not to oppress people.A just law should be applicable for all people no matter whether he is white or black.Otherwise,it.s an unjust law.
In this letter,there are many good points.But what I like and agree most is that King said that “Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.” Every human being in the world is equal.We should have the equal rights.Freedom is a human being ’s basic and most crucial right.As for the slaves in the past,they didn ’t have freedom.They were real human beings; they were just properties of slave owners.The slave owners never wanted to give freedom to their slaves,because that might affect their interest.The slaves must gain their freedom by themselves.
校园英语 / 大视野
Swedes’Internationalization and Localization
四川大学锦城学院/张砚 许妍
The 1960s of Sweden saw a highlighted trend—being international,which ideologically had a profound impact on Swedes.everyday life.Nevertheless,the more heterogeneous and multi-cultural Sweden promptly became,the more eagerness Swedes show that uniqueness and localization were supposed to be called back,as in the case of the flag waving described in Remaking the National by Orvar Lofgren(1999,P68).Today. s Swedes are undoubtedly international with the strong sense of identity and localization in the eye of the beholder.The paper points to the ways contemporary Swedes behave,which may well reveal the national culture,and the reasons why Sweden is seemingly ambivalent but well-developed.Besides,the effects on the natives and non-natives will be alluded here.
Seemingly incompatible symbols
L e t u s t a k e a n o v e r v i e w o f t o d a y’s S w e d e s. On one hand,Sweden opens up to the outside world,and internationalization does work.Consequently,Swedes willingly embrace the ideology of being international,which is embodied in their daily life.Take the highly developed industry as an example. We can easily find that some products of the worldwide renown brands such as H&M,Ikea are made in China,in Indonesia and other countries where cheap labour force abounds and meantime no one can deny the fact that there exits a tremendous potential consumption power in the thickly populated but burgeoning countries like China.Besides,a growing number of tourists and refugees flood into Sweden----the paradise in fairy tale,bringing their distinctive cultures and lifestyles,toward which Swedes are practically tolerant and because of which Sweden is more heterogeneous.
On the other hand,however,Swedes are “typically Swedish”(Orvar Lofgren,1999,P67).A flaunting Swedish flag on a balcony does manifest the pride of being Swedish whether it only has the decorative function or is just part of the Swedish everyday culture.The renewal of multiple cultural celebrations in honor of traditions is,to some extent,showing Swedish identity and a symbol of national orientation beyond doubt(Ann-kristin Ekman,1999,P283-288).For instance,a street market exhibition will be held downtown in Linkoping where foreigners will have the opportunity to get close to Swedish local life soon.
According to Burke’s description,Geertz defines culture as “a system of inherited conceptions expressed in symbolic forms by means of which men communicate,perpetuate and develop their knowledge about and attitudes toward life”(2005,P36). Based on Geertz’s theory,we can safely draw the conclusion that the symbols in Sweden clearly show Swedes are experiencing the seemingly ambivalent “being international” and “being
A person.s freedom is only comparatively free,cannot be absolutely free.One cannot say that “I’m free.I can do anything I want to do.”In the society,one.s behaviors must be confined by laws and moralities.I’m taking an event in China as an example.Several years ago,many people who practiced Falun Gong led a sit-in movement in front of Zhongnanhai---Chinese political center.This movement could also be called non-violent movement,but it was not positive.They led the movement to ask for“the freedom of belief and religion.”According to Chinese constitution,Chinese citizens have the freedom of belief and religion.But in my opinion,the prerequisite of freedom of belief and religion is that the belief and religion must be normal and healthy.Falun Gong was an abnormal and unhealthy religion. Because some people who practiced Falun Gong were not willing to eat or go to see the doctor even if they were seriously sick. Because they believed that the “God” they believed in would help them and they were not average people.They believed that they would not die,because their“God”would rescue them. Some people even committed suicide or murdered their family members after practicing Falun Gong,because they believed that they would meet their“God”and live a better life after their death.So Falun Gong is an evil religion.The movement they led is also not for justice.It’s totally different from the movement against segregation which was for justice.Therefore,not all non-violent movement is for justice.As a citizen of any country,one only has the limited freedom.
In conclusion,Letter from Birmingham Jail is a great representative work of Martin Luther King Jr.,the world-famous civil right leader and writer.
References：
[1]Huang Wanxin.All Men are Created Euqal.English on Campus,2015.
[2]俞可.美国教育的“黑”与“白”.开放教育研究.2013.
[3]清远.马丁•路德•金生平.英语沙龙.1998.
[4]杨德印.马丁•路德•金-为黑人权利而奋斗的战士.文化译从.1987.
作者简介:
张远艳,女,(1982-),汉族,云南文山人,文山学院外国语学院讲师,研究方向:英语教学法和英美文化研究。

罗瑞,女,云南马关人,(1982.01-),文山学院外国语学院讲师，研究方向：英语语言文学。

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