Stanley, Douglass, and King

Kevin (Kyoo Sang) Jo

Professor Glen McClish

RWS 600 Assignment: Stanley, Douglass, and King

18 November 2013

 

1.      Sara Stanley

“To the Convention of Disfranchised Citizens of Ohio” is a speech addressed by Sara G. Stanley who represented the Ladies’ Anti-Slavery Society of Delaware, Ohio. She called upon the all-male convention to relentlessly pursue full citizenship rights. In this speech, she maintains an aggressive or fighting tone consistently through the whole texts. For example, she said that “On earth’s broad arena – through Time’s revolving cycles – this warfare has been continuous . . .” (313) and she also said, “Then press on!” (313). Also, she seems to use a rhetorical strategy of a concept such as military, battle, and war. It seems like an encouragement to the soldiers who have to go to war. She stated that “It was a Spartan mother’s farewell to her son, ‘Bring home your shield or be brought upon it.’ To you we would say, be true, be courageous, be steadfast in the discharge of your duty” (314). In addition, there appears to be “repetition” as a figurative language as follows: “Let us reject the absurd phantasy of non-intervention; let us leave conservatism behind, and substitute a radical, utilitarian spirit, let us cultivate our moral and mental faculties, and labor to effect a general diffusion of knowledge . . .” (314).

2.      Frederick Douglass

Douglass’s “Introduction to the reason why the colored American is not in the World’s Columbian Exposition” seems to be written to visitors to the exposition as the audience because it was published in a kind of pamphlet and the preface of it mentioned about visitors of the exposition. Like Stanley, Douglass explained his opinion with strong words and a determined voice as follows: “Therefore, contend! Contend! . . . Conflict is better than stagnation. It is bad to be a slave, but worse to be a willing and contented slave . . . Let the truth be told, let the light be turned on ignorance and prejudice, let lawless violence and murder be exposed” (477). Although slavery officially ended three decades earlier, he continues to explain how the conditions of the African-American are not much better than those he had in slavery. He said that the reason why the colored American are excluded from the World’s Columbian Exposition is slavery. He tried to “show the moral depths, darkness and destitution from which we are still emerging, [and] to explain the grounds of the prejudice, hate and contempt in which we are still held” (472).

3.      Martin Luther King Jr.

In King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” the primary audience is definitely the eight clergymen. King consistently refuted the clergymen’ criticizing opinion which is that a series of demonstration by Negro citizens are unwise and untimely. King responded that he follows just laws, but breaks unjust laws. Throughout the entire letter, King gives numerous examples of different events where unjust laws were broken. These examples are most religious examples as follows: “Of course, there is nothing new about this kind of civil disobedience . . . early Christians who were willing to face hungry lions...rather than submit to certain unjust laws of the Roman Empire” (210). In a part of his response to the clergymen’ statement that King’s actions, even though peaceful, must be condemned because they precipitate violence, there appears to be a religious evidence by stating, “Isn't this like condemning Jesus because His unique God-consciousness and never-ceasing devotion to His will precipitated the evil act of crucifixion?” (211). In addition, King often compared himself to biblical characters to reinforce his argument. For example, he stated that “Just as the eighth-century prophets left their little villages and carried their ‘thus saith the Lord’ far beyond the boundaries of their home towns, and just as the Apostle Paul left his little village of Tarsus and carried the gospel of Jesus Christ to practically every hamlet and city of the Graeco-Roman world, I too am compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my particular home town. Like Paul, I must constantly respond to the Macedonian call for aid” (206). This use of religious analogies is good way of conveying his message to the clergymen because the audience, the clergymen are bible’s experts. In addition, when he gave numerous examples, he often used a “repetition” to reinforce his grounds. Some examples are following: “I gradually gained a bit of satisfaction from being considered an extremist. Was not Jesus an extremist in love . . . Was not Amos an extremist for justice . . . Was not Paul an extremist for the gospel of Jesus Christ . . . Was not Martin Luther an extremist . . . Was not John Bunyan an extremist . . .” (213). “Yes, these questions are still in my mind . . . Yes, I love the Church. . . . Yes, I see the Church as the body of Christ” (215). “I don’t believe you would have so warmly commended the police force . . . I don’t believe you would so quickly commend the policemen . . .” (217).