Martin Luther King Jr. on Disobeying Unjust Laws

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intolerance or bigotry are fundamentally unjust. To bolster his position, King reminds his audience that Hitler operated within the parameters of the law. Bringing the issue back to the current events of the 1960s, King outlines the fundamental injustices perpetrated in African-Americans since they were shipped in droves to North America and enslaved for centuries. Breaking the law is actually a moral duty when the law itself is unjust.
However, King also states, "In no sense do I advocate evading or defying the law, as would the rabid segregationist. That would lead to anarchy. One who breaks an unjust law must do so openly, lovingly, and with a willingness to accept the penalty." Laws should be broken only when there is no viable alternative. Early in the letter, King reminds his audience that African-Americans attempted to negotiate with Birmingham's politicians and law enforcement officials to no avail. In his case, illegal protest became to only means by which to ...

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