LetterfromBirminghamJailMartinLutherKing全文Word格式文档下载.docx
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Contents
P1-P2thepublicstatementwrittenbyeightAlabamaclergymen
P3-theendKing’srespondingletter
ThefollowingisthepublicstatementdirectedtoMartinLutherKing,Jr.,byeightAlabamaclergymen
Wetheundersignedclergymenareamongthosewho,inJanuary,issued"
anappealforlawandorderandcommonsense,"
indealingwithracialproblemsinAlabama.Weexpressedunderstandingthathonestconvictionsinracialmatterscouldproperlybepursuedinthecourts,buturgedthatdecisionsofthosecourtsshouldinthemeantimebepeacefullyobeyed.
Sincethattimetherehadbeensomeevidenceofincreasedforbearanceandawillingnesstofacefacts.Responsiblecitizenshaveundertakentoworkonvariousproblemswhichcauseracialfrictionandunrest.InBirmingham,recentpubliceventshavegivenindicationthatweallhaveopportunityforanewconstructiveandrealisticapproachtoracialproblems.
However,wearenowconfrontedbyaseriesofdemonstrationsbysomeofourNegrocitizens,directedandledinpartbyoutsiders.Werecognizethenaturalimpatienceofpeoplewhofeelthattheirhopesareslowinbeingrealized.Butweareconvincedthatthesedemonstrationsareunwiseanduntimely.
WeagreeratherwithcertainlocalNegroleadershipwhichhascalledforhonestandopennegotiationofracialissuesinourarea.Andwebelievethiskindoffacingofissuescanbestbeaccomplishedbycitizensofourownmetropolitanarea,whiteandNegro,meetingwiththeirknowledgeandexperienceofthelocalsituation.Allofusneedtofacethatresponsibilityandfindproperchannelsforitsaccomplishment.
Justasweformerlypointedoutthat"
hatredandviolencehavenosanctioninourreligiousandpoliticaltraditions,"
wealsopointoutthatsuchactionsasincitetohatredandviolence,howevertechnicallypeacefulthoseactionsmaybe,havenotcontributedtotheresolutionofourlocalproblems.WedonotbelievethatthesedaysofnewhopearedayswhenextrememeasuresarejustifiedinBirmingham.
Wecommendthecommunityasawhole,andthelocalnewsmediaandlawenforcementofficialsinparticular,onthecalmmannerinwhichthesedemonstrationshavebeenhandled.Weurgethepublictocontinuetoshowrestraintshouldthedemonstrationscontinue,andthelawenforcementofficialstoremaincalmandcontinuetoprotectourcityfromviolence.
WefurtherstronglyurgeourownNegrocommunitytowithdrawsupportfromthesedemonstrations,andtounitelocallyinworkingpeacefullyforabetterBirmingham.Whenrightsareconsistentlydenied,acauseshouldbepressedinthecourtsandinnegotiationsamonglocalleaders,andnotinthestreets.WeappealtobothourwhiteandNegrocitizenrytoobservetheprinciplesoflawandorderandcommonsense.
BishopC.C.J.Carpenter,D.D.,LL.D.,EpiscopalianBishopofAlabama
BishopJosephA.Durick,D.D.,AuxiliaryBishop,RomanCatholicDioceseofMobile,Birmingham
RabbiMiltonL.Grafman,TempleEmanu-El,Birmingham,Alabama
BishopPaulHardin,MethodistBishopoftheAlabama-WestFloridaConference
BishopNolanB.Harmon,BishopoftheNorthAlabamaConferenceoftheMethodistChurch
Rev.GeorgeM.Murray,D.D.,LL.D,BishopCoadjutor,EpiscopalDioceseofAlabama
Rev.EdwardV.Ramage,Moderator,SynodoftheAlabamaPresbyterianChurchintheUnitedStates
Rev.EarlStallings,Pastor,FirstBaptistChurch,Birmingham,Alabama
April12,1963
"
LetterfromBirminghamJail[King,Jr.]"
16April1963
MyDearFellowClergymen:
WhileconfinedhereintheBirminghamcityjail,Icameacrossyourrecentstatementcallingmypresentactivities"
unwiseanduntimely."
SeldomdoIpausetoanswercriticismofmyworkandideas.IfIsoughttoanswerallthecriticismsthatcrossmydesk,mysecretarieswouldhavelittletimeforanythingotherthansuchcorrespondenceinthecourseoftheday,andIwouldhavenotimeforconstructivework.ButsinceIfeelthatyouaremenofgenuinegoodwillandthatyourcriticismsaresincerelysetforth,IwanttotrytoansweryourstatementinwhatIhopewillbepatientandreasonableterms.
IthinkIshouldindicatewhyIamhereinBirmingham,sinceyouhavebeeninfluencedbytheviewwhicharguesagainst"
outsiderscomingin."
IhavethehonorofservingaspresidentoftheSouthernChristianLeadershipConference,anorganizationoperatingineverysouthernstate,withheadquartersinAtlanta,Georgia.WehavesomeeightyfiveaffiliatedorganizationsacrosstheSouth,andoneofthemistheAlabamaChristianMovementforHumanRights.Frequentlywesharestaff,educationalandfinancialresourceswithouraffiliates.SeveralmonthsagotheaffiliatehereinBirminghamaskedustobeoncalltoengageinanonviolentdirectactionprogramifsuchweredeemednecessary.Wereadilyconsented,andwhenthehourcameweliveduptoourpromise.SoI,alongwithseveralmembersofmystaff,amherebecauseIwasinvitedhere.IamherebecauseIhaveorganizationaltieshere.
Butmorebasically,IaminBirminghambecauseinjusticeishere.JustastheprophetsoftheeighthcenturyB.C.lefttheirvillagesandcarriedtheir"
thussaiththeLord"
farbeyondtheboundariesoftheirhometowns,andjustastheApostlePaullefthisvillageofTarsusandcarriedthegospelofJesusChristtothefarcornersoftheGrecoRomanworld,soamIcompelledtocarrythegospeloffreedombeyondmyownhometown.LikePaul,ImustconstantlyrespondtotheMacedoniancallforaid.
Moreover,Iamcognizantoftheinterrelatednessofallcommunitiesandstates.IcannotsitidlybyinAtlantaandnotbeconcernedaboutwhathappensinBirmingham.Injusticeanywhereisathreattojusticeeverywhere.Wearecaughtinaninescapablenetworkofmutuality,tiedinasinglegarmentofdestiny.Whateveraffectsonedirectly,affectsallindirectly.Neveragaincanweaffordtolivewiththenarrow,provincial"
outsideagitator"
idea.AnyonewholivesinsidetheUnitedStatescanneverbeconsideredanoutsideranywherewithinitsbounds.
YoudeplorethedemonstrationstakingplaceinBirmingham.Butyourstatement,Iamsorrytosay,failstoexpressasimilarconcernfortheconditionsthatbroughtaboutthedemonstrations.Iamsurethatnoneofyouwouldwanttorestcontentwiththesuperficialkindofsocialanalysisthatdealsmerelywitheffectsanddoesnotgrapplewithunderlyingcauses.ItisunfortunatethatdemonstrationsaretakingplaceinBirmingham,butitisevenmoreunfortunatethatthecity'
swhitepowerstructurelefttheNegrocommunitywithnoalternative.
Inanynonviolentcampaigntherearefourbasicsteps:
collectionofthefactstodeterminewhetherinjusticesexist;
negotiation;
selfpurification;
anddirectaction.WehavegonethroughallthesestepsinBirmingham.Therecanbenogainsayingthefactthatracialinjusticeengulfsthiscommunity.BirminghamisprobablythemostthoroughlysegregatedcityintheUnitedStates.Itsuglyrecordofbrutalityiswidelyknown.Negroeshaveexperiencedgrosslyunjusttreatmentinthecourts.TherehavebeenmoreunsolvedbombingsofNegrohomesandchurchesinBirminghamthaninanyothercityinthenation.Thesearethehard,brutalfactsofthecase.Onthebasisoftheseconditions,Negroleaderssoughttonegotiatewiththecityfathers.Butthelatterconsistentlyrefusedtoengageingoodfaithnegotiation.
Then,lastSeptember,cametheopportunitytotalkwithleadersofBirmingham'
seconomiccommunity.Inthecourseofthenegotiations,certainpromisesweremadebythemerchants--forexample,toremovethestores'
humiliatingracialsigns.Onthebasisofthesepromises,theReverendFredShuttlesworthandtheleadersoftheAlabamaChristianMovementforHumanRightsagreedtoamoratoriumonalldemonstrations.Astheweeksandmonthswentby,werealizedthatwewerethevictimsofabrokenpromise.Afewsigns,brieflyremoved,returned;
theothersremained.Asinsomanypastexperiences,ourhopeshadbeenblasted,andtheshadowofdeepdisappointmentsettleduponus.Wehadnoalternativeexcepttopreparefordirectaction,wherebywewouldpresentourverybodiesasameansoflayingourcasebeforetheconscienceofthelocalandthenationalcommunity.Mindfulofthedifficultiesinvolved,wedecidedtoundertakeaprocessofselfpurification.Webeganaseriesofworkshopsonnonviolence,andwerepeatedlyaskedourselves:
"
Areyouabletoacceptblowswithoutretaliating?
Areyouabletoenduretheordealofjail?
WedecidedtoscheduleourdirectactionprogramfortheEasterseason,realizingthatexceptforChristmas,thisisthemainshoppingperiodoftheyear.Knowingthatastrongeconomic-withdrawalprogramwouldbethebyproductofdirectaction,wefeltthatthiswouldbethebesttimetobringpressuretobearonthemerchantsfortheneededchange.
ThenitoccurredtousthatBirmingham'
smayoralelectionwascomingupinMarch,andwespeedilydecidedtopostponeactionuntilafterelectionday.WhenwediscoveredthattheCommissionerofPublicSafety,Eugene"
Bull"
Connor,hadpiledupenoughvotestobeintherunoff,wedecidedagaintopostponeactionuntilthedayaftertherunoffsothatthedemonstrationscouldnotbeusedtocloudtheissues.Likemanyothers,wewaitedtoseeMr.Connordefeated,andtothisendweenduredpostponementafterpostpon