Question

1. in “letter from birmingham jail,” king cites t. s. eliot’s observation about doing “the right deed for the wrong reason.” how does eliot’s observation apply to actions that king describes in his letter?

a. it applies to the “negro sit inners and demonstrators” who show amazing discipline in their nonviolent protests, even when they face great provocation.
b. it applies to those birmingham police officers who show restraint in handling the demonstrators in public but treat them very harshly in the privacy of the city jail.
c. it applies to the seventy - two - year - old african american woman who supports the boycott of montgomery’s segregated bus system even though she is tired and oppressed.
d. it applies to those birmingham police officers who use legal, nonviolent means to handle demonstrators in public but do so to maintain the injustice of racial discrimination.

Explanation:

In "Letter From Birmingham Jail," King discusses the actions of the Birmingham police officers. Eliot's observation about doing "the right deed for the wrong reason" is relevant. The police officers use legal, nonviolent means (the right deed) in public to handle demonstrators, but their real intention is to maintain racial discrimination (the wrong reason).

• Option a: The nonviolent protests of "Negro sit - inners and demonstrators" are done for the right reason (fighting for justice), so this option is incorrect.
• Option b: The behavior of being harsh in private is not the "right deed" part of Eliot's observation.
• Option c: The seventy - two - year - old African American woman's action of supporting the boycott is for the right reason (fighting segregation), so this option is incorrect.
• Option d: The police officers' use of legal, nonviolent means (right deed) but with the intention of maintaining racial discrimination (wrong reason) fits Eliot's observation.

Answer:

d. It applies to those Birmingham police officers who use legal, nonviolent means to handle demonstrators in public but do so to maintain the injustice of racial discrimination.