Question

Read the excerpt from a letter Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote while imprisoned in Birmingham Jail in 1963. One who breaks an unjust law must do so openly, lovingly, and with a willingness to accept the penalty. Based on his behavior in "Civil Disobedience," how would Thoreau most likely feel about King’s statement? He would believe that his reasons and King’s reasons for protest were completely unrelated. He would disagree with King’s belief that one must accept the penalty for political protest. He would believe that King did not understand the nature of political protest. He would agree with King that one should engage in political protest peacefully.

Answer 1

Answer:

D). He would agree with King that one should engage in political protest peacefully.

Explanation:

Martin Luther King Jr. in his 'Letter From Birmingham Jail' promoted the idea of 'moral responsibility to stand against and break the unjust laws' while Henry David Thoreau's 'Civil Disobedience' conveys the idea of 'self-reliance and prioritizing our conscience over the tyrannies of law.'

As per the question, Thoreau 'would most likely agree with King's statement of protesting against the unjust in a peaceful, open, and loving manner' as he also believed that one should fight the battle peacefully and target the specific laws which are unjust and not the entire system of law. Similarly, King communicates the idea of standing against unjust laws in a peaceful manner through a 'non-violent campaign.' Thus, option D is the correct answer.