Martin Luther King Jr. and Civil Disobedience — Quiz
Question 14 • English Language Arts 11
Read the excerpt from Dr. Martin Luther King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” I have tried to stand between these two forces, saying that we need emulate neither the "do nothingism" of the complacent nor the hatred and despair of the black nationalist. How does King support this claim?
Answer
A
by describing nonviolent direct action as a peaceful middle ground
B
by urging church leaders to abandon their “do nothing” approaches
C
by listing churches who support his nonviolent stand
D
by insisting that complacency is preferable to hatred and violence
Explanation
King says he has tried to stand between complacency and hatred or despair. He supports this claim by advocating nonviolent direct action: it challenges injustice without adopting violence or passivity. This makes “describing nonviolent direct action as a peaceful middle ground” the best answer. Choice A focuses only on opposing inaction, not on the middle ground King describes.
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