Belatedly marking the assassination of Martin Luther King 45 years and two days ago, here’s a link to his April 16, 1963 letter to eight Alabama clergymen, responding to their suggestion that “Negroes” should obey even unjust and racially motivated laws as long as those laws are on the books. If you have never read King’s masterful response, you are in for a genuine treat. Here’s a link to his letter, which is not short. King himself said, “Never have I written so long a letter.” In this age of texting, instant gratification, short attention spans, and 140-character tweets, it’s worth remembering that not everything can fit onto the screen of a smart phone. Click below, or if that doesn’t work, copy this url into your browser.
http://www.stanford.edu/group/King/frequentdocs/birmingham.pdf