How Martin Luther King, Junior Used the Declaration of Independence
Question
Option 2: Write a 5-7 page final paper. The paper is due at the time of the final exam (no later).
The topic can be of your choosing but should address a big theme of the course and in American Political Thought. You might write, for example, on “political obligation” as it applied to World War II and the Civil Rights Movement. Or how various figures – from Lincoln to Martin Luther King, Jr. – used the Declaration of Independence. Or on strains of libertarianism in American
Political Thought (a topic we took up last week). We ask that you refer to at least four sources from our reading this semester. Be sure to make and defend an argument.
I have attached the list of readings that you are to use as sources
Frederick Douglass, “What to the Slave is the 4th of July?”
(1852)
Abraham Lincoln “The Lyceum Address” (1838); “House Divided”
(1858); Gettysburg Address (1863);
Second Inaugural (1864)
Robert Nozick, Anarchy, State and Utopia, pp. 149-64, 167-82
John Rawls, “Justice as Fairness”; “Political Obligation and
the Duty of Fair Play”
Judith Jarvis Thomson, “In Defense of Abortion”
Michael Walzer, “The Obligation to Die for the State,”
David Armitage, The Declaration of Independence (Cambridge:
Harvard University Press, 2007).
Drew Faust, The Creation of Confederate Nationalism (Baton
Rouge, 1995)
Robert Westbrook, Why We Fought (Washington, 2004)
Garry Wills, Lincoln at Gettysburg: The Words that Remade
America (New York, 1992),
Nancy Woloch, Muller v. Oregon: A Brief History with
Documents (Boston, 1996)
John Locke “Second Treatise”
The Constitution of the United States
Federalist Papers
Calhoun, "Exposition and Protest"
Booker T. Washington “Atlanta Exposition Speech,” (1895)
The Right to Leisure" by Florence Kelly,
John Maynard Keynes, General Theory of Employment, Interest
and Money
Martin Luther King "Letter from Birmingham Jail"
Friedman, "The Relation Between Economic Freedom and
Political Freedom,"
Ronald Dworkin, "What the Constitution Says"
Dworkin "The Moral Reading of the Constitution"
Ezra Klein, Why We're Polarized
T.M. Scanlon "The Diversity of Objections to
Inequality"
Roe v. Wade


Solution
How Martin Luther
King, Junior Used the Declaration of Independence
The drafting and subsequent reading of
the Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson is one of the most
respected occasions that revolutionized how many countries and civil rights
groups four for equality. After the Declaration, many countries worldwide
followed suit to fight for their freedoms and seek independence declarations.
In the United States, many religious groups, civil rights movements, and
various advocacy groups also used these founding fathers of the nation's dreams
to indicate the need for seeking social and racial justice and equal
opportunities without discrimination. One of the most celebrated rights
advocates and anti-racial discrimination against blacks was Martin Luther King
Junior. In his speech on the American dream, King quoted and discussed the
Declaration of independence, reinstating the fact that the founding fathers
envisioned an equal society in which men are created equal and should be
treated as such without denial of the inalienable rights given by God, or
treatment as a lesser person. This was especially critical in the segregation
era, where the blacks and people of color were not allowed into public spaces,
schools, and social places such as hotels. King's involvement in this direct
action, such as in Birmingham's case, contributed to his arrest and the
resulting letter from the Birmingham jail. The letter also referred to the
Declaration of independence and asked the clergy members to who he was
responding and the state to honor it for social justice and equality, just like
the founding fathers envisioned. In this respect, the essay entails a look at
how the activities and contributions of King helped fight for social and racial
justice by advocating equality and freedoms, whether black or white, through
reference to the Declaration of Independence content.
The Declaration
of Independence
The document was written by Thomas
Jefferson and read, which signifies the independence of the US from the British
government, which is celebrated in the US on the fourth of July (Douglass). The
Declaration has four main parts, which reflect the founding fathers' ideals
regarding the new state and reasons for wanting independence. Firstly, equality
was a big issue. Jefferson wrote that all men were created equal before God in
the second paragraph. In this case, each person should be treated equally
without discrimination. Most of the people supporting the Independence from
Britain felt that the British King and his government were unfair to the
Americans, and the nature of taxes was unjust and hence lacked equality
(Douglass). However, this was also during a period of slavery where many
African Americans/blacks were treated as lesser persons. Furthermore, women had
no say in politics as they were not allowed to vote or participate in political
positions. As much as the statement of equality referred to the white people
compared to the colonizing states, the information had a broad impact and
contributed significantly to the continued hope even of the oppressed to press
for equality and rise in revolution (Armitage). This was also replicated in
many other states outside the American continent that embraced the aspect of
equality to rise and pursue their independence from the colonizers leading to
many independent states across the world emulating the example from the US's
Declaration of Independence.
The second part entails the
inalienable rights of every individual that cannot be taken away by any force
or person or government. This formed the source of creating the human freedoms
and liberties that cannot be dictated by any law or government or thereby denied
for an individual to enjoy. Most civil rights movements have continually used
this aspect to advocate for many rights, including political participation for
the women and enslaved Black people, among others (Armitage). Having a say in
an area is governed critical. Many leaders in the rights movements indicate
this section as a foundation of the need to respect the inalienable liberties
of an individual, be it black or white, which is also deciphered from the first
constitution of the US.
The third part focuses on how the government has an
obligation to look after the rights and interests of its citizens. The decision
to choose them is a manifestation of the polity that elected them, for a
government. Therefore, their sole responsibility is to act in the best interest
of that polity (Armitage). The fact that consent entails the governed people
having the greater authority to legitimize their government through an
electoral procedure demonstrates that it is not only a simple question of
giving authority. This became a source for many women's rights movements
seeking voting, among other rights that wanted to increase representation and
have a say in the government. At the time, black people were counted as half a
person when it came to voting and only represented the male gender (Armitage).
Women had to fight for these rights and be considered equal in having a say
through the election process, among other rights advocated for.
The last part entails that if the government fails to protect
the citizens' rights or those it is representing, then the public has a right
to change or abolish the government and form a new one. Americans and the
founders of the nation, led by Jefferson and other founding fathers at the
time, believed that America could rule itself, collect its taxes, and form its
government and laws that had the best interest in the region because the British
government had failed in this role (Armitage). This became a critical basis for
many other states to revolt against colonial authorities and seek independence
to run their governments and elect their leaders as sovereign and independent
states. Most blacks that were formerly enslaved people and residents of America
still felt that this foundational hope in the Declaration of independence would
help them also get equal rights in America. The constitution also helped
recognize that equality. However, some of the subsequent laws enacted only
contributed to blacks' segregation, discrimination, and racial treatment across
America. Despite finding hope in the church, some of the influential black
leaders, such as Martin Luther King Junior, contributed significantly to the
advocacy of the right of every individual by referring to the Declaration of
independence through his contributions.
King’s Use of the
Declaration of Independence
The American Dream
King felt strongly about the need
for blacks to be seen as equals to the whites and accorded the liberties enshrined
in the constitution and the Declaration of independence as the founding father
had envisioned. In this case, the word emancipation was used widely after the
secession of the war. However, despite being freed, the enslaved people in some
of the neutral states and some in the southern states continued to suffer and were
discriminated against as less equal to whites and denied fundamental rights
mentioned in the Declaration of Independence. Therefore, according to King, the
world independence itself was also to apply even to the blacks to seek
liberation from a segregated society based on race and discriminative toward
blacks who never had equal opportunities in America.
King refers to the Declaration of independence
in numerous instances during his speech about an American dream where he envisioned
and gave hope to the blacks that one day America will become a nation where every
person will be equal irrespective of color, that one day there will be a black
president signifying intensified political participation, and most importantly
a society that embraces equality and liberties inalienable to any human being
that will give all people irrespective of race or religion an equal opportunity
to succeed and achieve the American dream. For instance, in the speech, King
indicates that the words in the constitution and Declaration of independence
entail a promissory note which every American falls heir. The use of a
promissory note includes a choice of words that gives a promise that the
American government had to implement and let the people enjoy the rights of
independent states.
In Lincoln's Gettysburg address, these words or equality are
echoed by indicating that the Declaration of Independence was dedicated to the
proposition that all men are created equal (Wills). King uses these quotes to
enhance the argument and give hope to many Americans suffering from the class
system and political elite at the time that emphasized white supremacy and
interests in wealth. In this case, he indicated that being black or poor did
not give the government or white the authority to treat them as lesser
individuals and deny them the opportunity to exercise their inalienable rights.
Referring to the Declaration of independence again, King mentions these
inalienable rights of liberty, life, and pursuit of happiness as applying to
the blacks and those suffering the racial prejudice ad discrimination due to
class status in the US. In this case, the government had failed in its
responsibility. It was the act of people to get involved in denying these
rights and electing a government or altering the laws to enhance that equality
and liberties were attained without prejudice or discrimination. At the end of
the speech, King reiterates that all men are equal, and none has created a
servant or ruler of another, which is derived from the second paragraph of the
Declaration of Independence.
The Letter from Birmingham Jail
King wrote a response letter to the
clergy, who had indicated his direct-action advocacy, although a court
injunction was an untimely and unwise way of solving things. Although it helps
propagate the need for revolution using peaceful methods such as demonstrating
without violence and boycotting products, he primarily addresses the faults in
the way the clergy thinks and advocates for social justice due to
discrimination and racism against the blacks. Blacks were not allowed in
certain public places and hotels during the period. The schools were highly
segregated. Despite efforts to engage the business leaders who made promises
they never kept, King still indicates the patience culminating in the direct-action
approach to bring this discrimination and denial of inalienable rights to
people because of color to the entire world and force the authorities to give
them these freedoms and equality. All these advocacies are rooted in the
references from the constitution and Declaration of independence as part of the
founding fathers.
The reference becomes obvious, particularly
towards the end of the letter, where King notes that in the American dream of
the founding fathers, the constructs of the US constitution, and the
Declaration of independence all align with the beliefs of the church that
everyone is equal and deserves the natural rights of a human being. In this
case, the tenets of the Declaration of independence, especially concerning
equality, equal access to opportunities, and protection of the fundamental
rights of human beings as a responsibility of the government, are outlined in
this response letter to the clergy. Suppose the government fails to protect and
give these inalienable rights to the public, who should not be discriminated
against based on color as they are equal before the eyes of God, then in the
same way the founding fathers revolted and led to independence. In that case,
the public has a right to either change the laws or abolish the government to
get a just and representative one to the needs of all the people as equals.
Conclusion
The Declaration of Independence
remains a significant document that opened ways for many people, rights
movements, and countries to seek independence and freedoms. In the US, one of
the people and leaders who have contributed to this Declaration's content's
propagation is King. As a church leader and advocate of the rights of black
people who were segregated, could not be employed in decent jobs and were
denied equal access to education and opportunities, King gave a moving speech
that reiterated that men were created equal before God and had inalienable
rights that should be observed. The address and the letter from Birmingham jail
all advocate for an end to racial prejudice and discrimination and instead
practice the founding fathers' spirit that enhances equality and fairness in
social justice.
Works Cited
Armitage, David., “The
Declaration of Independence.” Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2007.
Douglass, Frederick.,
"What to the Slave is the 4th of July?” 1852
Wills, Garry., “Lincoln
at Gettysburg: The Words that Remade America.” New York, 1992
King, Martin Luther.
"Letter from Birmingham Jail," “the American Dream.”




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