America the Racist Tyrant

America the Racist Tyrant

In "The Declaration of Independence," Thomas Jefferson shows the King of Great Britain acting as a tyrant to the colonies, and Jefferson declared America to be free from Britain. In the "Letter from Birmingham Jail," Martin Luther King Jr. writes to a clergyman logically analyzing criticisms while communicating to the public his arguments. Jefferson fought for freedom and right for America. King also fought for better civil rights for his black people. They both fought for their people, King however fought peacefully with white people, who in return were cruel. This comparing Jefferson's and King's fought for freedom, different skin color demonstrates racism causing unfairness to this day still exists because the fight for justice and rights still exist which calls for a social contract.

Every single human being has a right to life, civil rights, and freedom. This is a right that Americans base their government on. Jefferson states that "all men are created equal" and man should naturally stand for every single person, no matter what color or sex they are. (53) Equality in all men however is untrue. Different race, religion or gender often causes conflicts between people. Conflicts results in discrimination against groups. This can be shown through King's fight for black's civil rights. Americans already have freedom and rights, however, the black people are still being looked down. For King and his people, they were treated without respect. The black people "have waited for more than 340 years for our constitutional and God-given rights."(217) The black people have waited silently while everyone else received their God-given rights. They are rights that everyone should possess; however, the black Americans did not because of their color.

People are often judged according to the color of their skin. This judging of another person is often negative and is known as racism. America is known as the melting pot with all kinds of race living there. It is clear that no matter how big a melting pot, it can not contain all race mixed together. As a black man, King witnessed and experienced racism during the segregation period. People were "haunted by day and haunted by night by the fact that you are a Negro" shows that black people were being discriminated.(218) This judging and disrespect caused people like King to see that "justice too long delayed is justice denied"(217). Therefore, King uses his freedom to fight for justice. Fighting for justice in civil right for all black people is like Jefferson fighting for independence. If Jefferson compared King of Britain to be a tyrant, then America can also be seen as a tyrant over black people.

By comparing the list of complaints Jefferson declared to King's situation, America was just a tyrant to black people as the King of Britain was. Jefferson writes "for depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury" and King writes "Negroes have experienced grossly unjust treatment in the courts" (55) (216). Jefferson and his people were not given fair trials and so he claims that the King of Britain acts as a tyrant. King also states that Negroes have unjust treatment in courts; this can also be claimed that the America government acts as a tyrant. Another example can be seen when Jefferson asserts that after "a long train of abuses and usurpations...it is their duty, to throw off such Government" (54). The colonies have endured many unjust and abuse from their King, and now they have had enough. Jefferson states that after too many suffers, people have the right to change their ruler. If this is so, King has even complains yet suffers in "nonviolent campaign and negotiation"