Essay about Human Rights
Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, or any other status any where you go human rights are the same. These rights include the right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to work and education, and more. In the following passages King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” Alvarez’s “Genetics of Justice,” and Malala Yousafzai’s “Our Books and Pens are the most Powerful Weapons” each author uses logos to advance the cause of human rights.
Martin Luther King wants to change the minds of the clergymen and their view of his “unwise and untimely” activities. In his letter he uses logos to refine his claim and advance his purpose. In the king’s argument, he believes anyone has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. Any law degrading human personality is an unjust law. The segregation laws during this time period distort the soul and damage the personality of African Americans. In his letter king states “Since we so diligently urge people to obey the supreme court’s decision of 1954 outlawing segregation in the public schools, at first glance it may seem rather paradoxical for us consciously to break laws” ( Letter from Birmingham Jail, M.L.K). He uses logos to advance the cause of human rights by trying to persuade the clergymen to go against these unjust laws and break them. Because the people of his race were not given the same human rights as the white man King wanted to change that.
Malala uses logos in her speech to fight for children in her country and around the world especially girls to receive an education. She believes the power of education is what shapes a child’s life and determines their future. It was most important that she focused on women’s education because in her country the men get everything because they are viewed as more superior to women. She wants the people in her country to see the importance of education as something powerful and mandatory for women. In her speech, Malala states “Dear brothers and sisters we must not forget that millions of people are suffering from poverty and injustice and ignorance” (32). She uses logos to advance the cause of human rights by mentioning an incident that took place in her country over the fight for free education that is not given to women.
Concussion: King tries to negotiate an understanding of where his people stand in society through the use of logos. By using this he creates tension in the minds of the clergymen with facts so that they could understand the need for nonviolent gadflies to create the kind of tension in society that will help them rise from prejudice and racism is how the king refines his claim and advance his purpose.
