Lessons from a Birmingham Jail
Sometimes you have to think about what would happen if you don’t act, rather than what would happen if you do.
So the question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be. Will we be extremists for hate or for love?
- Martin Luther King, “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”
This site is generally about achieving goals and dream, but this article is especially for dreams that are meant to make this world a better place.
A Letter from a Rabble Rouser
April was a significant month for Dr. Martin Luther King. Many people will remember April 4, 1968 as the day he was assassinated at a Memphis hotel. Another date of significance was April 16, 1963, which was the day Dr. King wrote the famous “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.”
Dr. King is revered today as an iconic hero that was a champion of human civil rights. His legacy has been bantered about so much though, that sometimes the ideals that he stood for is glossed over as platitude and sometimes it’s forgotten the amount of work, sacrifice, and compassion needed by him and countless others to make a change.
When he was jailed in Birmingham for a non-violent protest against segregation, he wrote an open letter explaining why the movement needed to escalate its efforts. Although this letter was written with respect to the civil rights movements, the lessons taught is valuable for anyone who has goals and aspirations of making a positive change in this world.
“Wait” Is Usually Another Word for “Never”
As the civil rights movement was growing, the side for civil rights and the side for segregation were becoming more vocal. However, Dr. King did not consider the segregationists to be their greatest stumbling block, but rather the moderates who were more concerned about order and peace instead of justice. He wrote in his letter that the greatest stumbling block was the moderate “who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice.”
The Letter from a Birmingham Jail was a response to eight Alabama clergymen calling for the civil rights movement to be patient for the right time, and to wait for progress to happen slowly with due process. Dr. King directly addressed their sentiment in his letter by stating that some changes never have a convenient time. One of the most famous quote from the letter by Dr. King: “justice too long delayed is justice denied.”
For years now I have heard the word “Wait!” It rings in the ear of every Negro with piercing familiarity. This “Wait” has almost always meant “Never.”
- Martin Luther King, “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”
The Four Steps for Change
Dr. King specifically differentiated between action done with love, versus action done with hate. The problem of segregation was becoming such an unacceptable problem that the people needed to do some sort of action, and if action continued to be suppressed, it would eventually explode into destructive action done with hate. Instead, he advocated being pro-active with actions of sincerity and love.
Dr. King outlined the four basic steps: “collection of the facts; negotiation; self purification; and direct action.”
- Collection of Facts: In other words, assess the situation. Understand where the situation is now, where the situation should be, and all of the available options to move from the current situation to where the situation should be.
- Negotiation: Follow the standard process of making change. Negotiation is with both external as well as internal parties.
- Self Purification: This step is the most vital to ensure that further actions for change are positive. Self purification is an internal acknowledgment that personal sacrifices are needed for the sake of progress. It is setting the expectations that your direct actions may cause yourself pain and suffering, but you still must act with only sincerity and love. Often when this step is skipped, the natural reaction is to act with negative emotions and destructive actions ensue.
- Direct Action: After you have prepared yourself with self purification, proceed with sincerity in heart and with knowledge that sometimes the greater danger is no action.
If you are a rabble rouser trying to make a positive change in the world, whether it be for domestic or international civil rights, or some sort of positive change to make this world better for the next generation, the Letter from a Birmingham Jail outlines the steps needed to make a positive change.
Reference
- Letter from a Birmingham Jail - The open letter written by Dr. Martin Luther King, in response to the “Call for Unity” letter
- Parting the Waters: America in the King Years 1954-63 - Pulitzer-prize winning book by Taylor Branch about the critical years of the civil rights movement.
- Call for Unity - The letter by eight clergymen in Alabama that caused Dr. King to respond with the “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.”
. Indeed, a success...
Hey Al - what a terrifically thought provoking post! With the world in such a mess it seems as though NOW would be a good time to stop waiting…and take some action.
Hi Mark - thanks for stopping by!
I absolutely agree with your optimism and your sense of urgency. Growing up, I keep hearing people say “someday” this or “someday” that, and thinking back made me realized that “someday” was a euphemism for “never.”
Thank you for sharing this Al. As I am working through some things in my own life that are, er, “rabble-rouser-ish” in nature, the steps Dr. King laid out will undoubtedly be valuable to consider. The self purification part, in particular, is so important, and is hard enough by yourself, but is exponentially more challenging when you have to consider the potential ramifications of your efforts on your family and loved ones.
Hi Iain - it sounds like you have things that you have to do that are important but not easy. The self purification part is a hard step, but that part can be controlled. The part about affecting family and friends can make it harder, but their support can sometimes make it easier as well. Hopefully they will be your source of strength and courage!
What an inspirational reminder and call to action! I think that most of America - and maybe the world - lives with their dreams scheduled for “someday.”
I like something that I read once by Roy H. Williams of Wizard of Ads - first he quotes Dickens’ Ghost of Christmas Future “If you don’t start paying attention you’re going to wind up where you’re headed”
Williams asks the questions “Is there something special in this life that you hope to do “someday”? How much of it can be done today, this very day, before you go to bed?” He challenges his readers to lay “actions like breadcrumbs” leading to the life of their destiny.
The amazing thing about the self purification aspect - it ends up being a very spiritual exercise that opens unseen doors on your behalf - and sometimes doors are even closed - but when you look back on that moment you thank God you didn’t walk through that door.
Great post - very inspiring blog!
Hi Melody,
Thanks for the comment and thank you for the story about the breadcrumbs. I really appreciated the story because it helps to reinforce that the big goals can be achieved by simply pursuing smaller goals that lead to it. The story also emphasizes that the small goals follow a path, which helps to not stray as you get towards the bigger goal. Very nice!
Regarding your comment about self purification and “looking back on that moment you thank God you didn’t walk through that door,” that is so true. Picking the correct direction is important not only to get closer to the goal, but also because it means not picking a direction that gets you further from the goal. Reacting based on emotions can cause this to happen. When some of the doors you mentioned are opened, they can be difficult, if not impossible, to close again.