Question

read the excerpt from dr. martin luther kings \letter from birmingham jail.\

you express a great deal of anxiety over our willingness to break laws. this is certainly a legitimate concern.

how does king rebut his critics claim?

by citing the us constitution in a counterclaim
by questioning the fairness of the laws in a counterclaim
by praising the concept of social anarchy in a counterclaim
by admitting mistakes in a counterclaim

Explanation:

Identify the critic's concern

Using the Letter from Birmingham Jail Analysis knowledge point, we identify that the excerpt introduces the critics' anxiety regarding the civil rights demonstrators' willingness to break laws, which King acknowledges as a legitimate concern.

Analyze King's rhetorical strategy

Using the Argumentation Strategy knowledge point, we analyze how King addresses this concern in the broader text. He establishes a distinction between just and unjust laws, arguing that one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws, thereby questioning the fairness of the laws themselves.

Evaluate the given options

• Option 1: King does not cite the US Constitution in this specific counterclaim to justify breaking these laws.
• Option 2: King directly questions the fairness of the laws, distinguishing between just and unjust laws. This matches his counterclaim strategy.
• Option 3: King explicitly rejects social anarchy, arguing that breaking an unjust law must be done lovingly and with a willingness to accept the penalty.
• Option 4: King does not admit to making mistakes; rather, he defends the morality of his actions.

Answer:

• by citing the US Constitution in a counterclaim
• by questioning the fairness of the laws in a counterclaim (Correct answer)
• by praising the concept of social anarchy in a counterclaim
• by admitting mistakes in a counterclaim