Problem
Martin Luther King, Jr.'s famous "Letter from Birmingham Jail" is, among other things, a rhetorical masterpiece. In the letter, King strongly confronts and even shames his critics, the southern clergymen who suggest that his nonviolent campaign is "unwise" and "untimely." At the same time, and perhaps more importantly, King tries to bridge the gap between him and his interlocutors.
1) Explain how exactly marther luther King does this? That is, how does he use language in ways that make common cause with the clergymen? Can you identify a phrase or passage that seems designed to solicit the clergymen's sympathy?
2) Can you identify a phrase or passage that appeals to the clergymen's sense of ethics?
3) How does King strategically use language to re-position the opposing clergymen as potential allies?