The Ideals of Freedom as Expressed by MLK

The ideal of freedom is to have the ability to do anything that one wishes at any given point in time. To deny this ideal is a punishment inflicted on those who are denied it. Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. reflects on this ideal in his speech “I Have a Dream,” where he harshly criticizes the injustices of his time and how everyone has dealt with them. He expresses his frustration toward the ignorance of fairness and discrimination.

MLK uses the modes of persuasion to convey the importance of freedom, referencing the nation’s founding documents to support his point. He cites the Constitution, which promises everyone equal rights. He quotes the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”

By doing this, he uses ethos to show his humanity and his belief in the founding ideas of the country. He heavily cites founding frameworks are heavily cited, and by using them as his source, he backs up his statements with backed by a national document. Because those rights were not provided, they had come to protest at the nation’s capital.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s incredible speechwriting ability has had a profound effect on its readers, even outside the context of the Civil Rights Movement.