Passage-Based Freewriting on MLK Letter From Birmingham City Jail

The passage below is the passage I choose to write from.

I must make two honest confessions to you, my Christian and Jewish brothers. First, I must confess that over the last few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in the stride toward freedom is not the White citizens' "Councilor" or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate who is devoted to "order" than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says "I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I can't agree with your methods of direst action" who paternistically feels that he can set the timetable for another man's freedom; who lives by the myth of time and who constantly advices the Negro to wait until a "more convenient season." Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.


To begin with I would like to say that I agree with Martin Luther Kings statement "Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection." The aforementioned passage stood out to me the most because of the truth behind it. Martin Luther King mentions the fact that the great stumbling block in the stride toward freedom were the white moderates. Which makes perfect sense because most of them were Christians and they knew that what the Negro people were going through was wrong but yet the majority choose not do anything about it. Instead all they stated was that "I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I can't agree with your methods of direst action" How can you tell some one that you don't agree with the urgency of change when they have suffered all of their life, when they have experienced nothing but injustice and hatred. Like Martin Luther King said you can not set the timetable for another man's freedom.