Question

disobedience
from a comfortable desk, but what else can one do when he is alone in a narrow jail cell,
other than write long letters, think long thoughts and pray long prayers?
if i have said anything in this letter that overstates the truth and indicates an unreasonable
impatience, i beg you to forgive me. if i have said anything that understates the truth and
indicates my having a patience that allows me to settle for anytbing less than brotherhood, i
beg god to forgive me.
i hope this letter finds you strong in the faith. i also hope that circumstances will soon make
it possible for me to meet each of you, not as an integrationist or a civil - rights leader but as
a fellow clergyman and a christian brother. let us all hope that the dark clouds of racial
prejudice will soon pass away and the deep fog of misunderstanding will be lifted from our
fear drenched communities, and in some not too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love
and brotherhood will shine over our great nation with all their scintillating beauty.
yours for the cause of peace and brotherhood,
martin luther king jr.
read the excerpt from dr. martin luther king’s “letter from birmingham jail.”
we know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the
oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.
how does king support this claim?
by providing quotes
from militant civil rights
demonstrators
by explaining the racist
attitudes of some white
politicians
by recalling a dream of
his in which all people
were equal
by describing his own
experience with waiting
for civil rights

Explanation:

To determine how King supports the claim that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor, we analyze each option:

• The first option is incorrect as the excerpt doesn't use quotes from militant civil rights demonstrators.
• The second option is incorrect as the excerpt doesn't focus on explaining White politicians' racist attitudes.
• The third option is incorrect as there's no mention of a dream about equality.
• The fourth option is correct because King's statement "We know through painful experience..." implies he is drawing on his own (and the oppressed's) experiences of waiting for civil rights and realizing freedom isn't given voluntarily.

Answer:

D. by describing his own experience with waiting for civil rights (assuming the last option is labeled D; if the options were labeled A - D as A. by providing quotes from militant civil rights demonstrators, B. by explaining the racist attitudes of some White politicians, C. by recalling a dream of his in which all people were equal, D. by describing his own experience with waiting for civil rights, then the answer is D. by describing his own experience with waiting for civil rights)