Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” while very aptly described as a response to criticism, is not written from a defensive position. While his letter more than accurately provides a functional defense of his actions in Birmingham, it serves more as a counter-critical rebuttal that both rejects criticism of his actions and criticizes the reasoning behind those criticisms. Dr. King uses the highly denunciative tools used against him, such as claims of premature action and aggressiveness, as both a defense and an attack, effectively dismissing any wrongdoing on his part and elucidating the myopic nature of the reluctance of the moderate whites. What makes his criticism particularly powerful, besides his sound reasoning and open publication, is the medium between his logic and the receptivity of his audience: his rhetoric. In his letter, King addresses accusations of civil disobedience and extremism, and his being encouraged to submit to quietism, but the manner in which these facets are presented by the opposition misrepresents King's actual position, s proving to be the greatest threat to King's efforts. . King's ability to overcome these obstacles was not only a result of the use of logic, but also the use of rhetoric. King's response to concerns about his willingness to selectively obey and disobey laws can be summed up in his words: "There are just laws and there are unjust laws" (3). Explaining this, King explains that for a law to be intrinsically just, it must be intrinsically moral and, conversely, an unjust law is not in accordance with the laws of morality. He elaborates by insistently considering segregation laws as immoral, and therefore unjust, because, as part of the exaltation of a "race",...... middle of paper..... . questioning the virtue of insipid judgment, and the merit and effectiveness of suspension. This article specifically examined his response to accusations of civil disobedience, extremism, and warnings of quietism, as well as the impact of his retaliation on the goal of equality in America. Although misrepresentation proves to be the opposition's most formidable tool, history, logic, and rhetoric are King's strongest allies, allowing him to transform the tenuous arguments of his critics into a formidable rampart. The letter's greatest impact on the public is King's disambiguation of fact and myth. The fact that his letter was widely publicized also proved invaluable to the cause. But beyond that, King's rhetoric leaves no room for opposition, only defense, leaving those who disagree with his words on the side of immorality, injustice and wickedness..