The first difference a discerning reader would notice between the two letters is that the perspective of the writers differs greatly. Dr. King’s letter takes a methodical and calm approach. He tries very hard to come across as nonviolent, serene, eloquent, and peaceful. While the White clergymen take an apparently calm attitude, they weren’t actually pushing for reform in how the Blacks were being treated.
In A Call for Unity, the White clergymen write that they believe the only righteous path to equality between the races is for the Blacks to stop their protesting and boycotting and instead to use the United States judicial system to achieve equality with Whites. The clergymen even go so far as to say “We further strongly urge our own Negro community to withdraw support from these demonstrations.” While it appears that the authors of a Call for Unity are trying to help the cause of equality, it is obvious that they are not; they don’t have a personal stake in the outcome.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spent many days in Birmingham jail and had much time to organize his thoughts. In his letter Dr. King cites numerous examples of injustice from the Bible which reflect the struggle for fair and just treatment of people of all skin colors. He writes about how it is imperative that justice be brought as quickly as possible and that he considers the best way to do that is to continue the protests and other things that had advanced the cause thus far. My favorite line from the letter is, "justice too long delayed is justice denied.” It shows exactly how Dr. King felt.
In conclusion, the greatest similarity between Dr. King and the White clergymen is their religious background. The two groups don’t seem to have the same goal in mind; they have differing opinions on how the goal of racial equality should be reached. The group of clergymen and Dr. King are as different as their writings.
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