Martin Luther King Jr.'s Letter From Birmingham Jail, And Why Lawrence Summers Was Wrong
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Throughout both Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” and Julee Christianson’s Why Lawrence Summers Was Wrong, discrimination and the response of those affected are paramount to the author’s motive. King preaches to the white southerners that injustice cannot be solved through more injustice and declares that negotiation cannot exist while fickle. Likewise, Christianson urges more women to pursue their innate ability in math and science departments without fear of biological stereotypes. Regardless of these distinct approaches, each author ultimately narrows his or her thought to the role of social influence, and how it impacts the response of those associated within the minority party. King’s infamous letter – written from the inside of a prison cell in Birmingham, Alabama – is a critique of several clergymen in…show more content… When addressing the idea of violence in response towards white southerners, King declares, “In no sense do I advocate evading or defying the law, as would the rabid segregationist” (King 1). Defying the laws and committing unjust actions are exactly the opposite of what King wants to do. Rather than responding with violence, he makes it clear that he just wants to be treated fairly. Christianson also displays a levelheaded mindset when addressing other people’s opinions on the underrepresentation of women in science and math. When refuting Steven Pinker’s ideology on science and math, she politely states, “Although Pinker demonstrates that biology plays some role in determining math aptitude, he almost completely ignores the much larger role of discrimination and socialization in shaping career paths of women” (268). Instead of angrily arguing Pinker’s point, she acknowledges the information given by someone of credibility. It is through peaceful resolutions that one learns to better themselves in situations of