letter from a birmin ham ja l king jr 16  pril 1 63 my  ear fe low cl rgymen while  onfine  here  n the  irming am cit  jail   came  cross  our re ent st tement callin  my pr sent a tiviti s unwi e and  ntimel  seldo  do i  ause t  answe  criti ism of my wor  and i eas if i soug t to a swer a l the  ritici ms tha  cross my des  my se retari s woul  have  ittle  ime fo  anyth ng oth r than such c rrespo dence  n the  ourse  f the  ay and i woul  have  o time for co struct ve wor  but s nce i  eel th t you  re men of gen ine go d will and th t your critic sms ar  since ely se  forth i want to try to ans er you  state ent in what i hope w ll be  atient and re sonabl  terms i am i  birmi gham b cause  njusti e is h re i a  cogni ant of the in errela edness of all commun ties a d stat s i ca not si  idly  y in a lanta  nd not be con erned  bout w at hap ens in birmin ham in ustice anywhe e is a threat to jus ice ev rywher  we ar  caugh  in an inesca able n twork  f mutu lity t ed in   singl  garme t of d stiny  ha

letter from a birmingham jail king jr 16 april 1963 my dear fellow clergymen while confined here in the birmingham city jail i came across your recent statement calling my present activities unwise and untimely seldom do i pause to answer criticism of my work and ideas if i sought to answer all the criticisms that cross my desk my secretaries would have little time for anything other than such correspondence in the course of the day and i would have no time for constructive work but since i feel that you are men of genuine good will and that your criticisms are sincerely set forth i want to try to answer your statement in what i hope will be patient and reasonable terms i am in birmingham because injustice is here i am cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states i cannot sit idly by in atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in birmingham injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere we are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality tied in a single garment of destiny wha