Dr King's View on Jim Crow
Dr King in his view thought he was morally right to stand against Jim Crow. He had this view because he thought that the implementation of the law would lead to racial discrimination. The Jim Crow law became effective in the late nineteenth century, and it allowed the use of harmful and inhuman methods to subjugate Blacks in southern America into an inferior race. This law then segregated people with their colours across almost every fabric of life.
Morality of the Law
He believed the law was immoral because of several negotiations he had which fell through. The failure was responsible for the hardships the Black race faced as a result of failed promises. Dr King partnered with other civil rights groups to defy the cause but they were unsuccessful. His reasoning focused on fighting against self-interest. He was against white supremacy that dehumanized the blacks. Dr. King had sought various avenues including holding discussions with President Johnson in a bid to discourage segregation (ACRU, 2014). In the Letter from Birmingham Jail, Dr. King explains that failure of the conventional methods forced him to consider nonviolent protests against discrimination. He maintains that although they negotiated with various groups on how to destroy segregation, the negotiation left them disappointed and with blasted hopes (King, Jr, 1963).
Dr. King's Justification and its Application
Dr. King’s justification should apply to other laws that seem unjust to other individuals because such laws seek to stigmatize a certain group in the society. The laws make these individuals live in fear affecting their progress. Dr. King’s rationale applies to other laws because it seeks to encourage respect among all individuals regardless of their race. His rationale applies to similar laws because other institutions such as the church are losing their power on social matters. The institutions have become thermometers for recording popular opinion.
References
ACRU. (2014). The Truth About Jim Crow. The American Civil Rights Union.
King, Jr, M. (1963). Letter From Birmingham Jail: The Negro is Your Brother. The Atlantic Monthly, 212, 78-88.
