Dr. King actions and words bring to us the
understanding of the injustice of legal laws which are morally unjust. He
explains to us the plight and injustice of being the “Other” in our American
society, (This other being the same as De Beauvoir describes in The
Second Sex), He advises us that while violence is never the answer, and one
should obey the law, a moral man cannot obey an unjust law. To his critics who
state that the timing is wrong to protest, and that one should not travel to
protest outside of one’s county, he replies that any injustice done in America,
is the duty of all Americans to oppose, no matter where and when it occurs. His
poetic images, combined with education, and understanding of philosophy and
logic, give a compelling argument that a moral man, cannot sit on the sidelines
and wait for justice to be done. Dr. King uses the arguments of justice without
a male bias as previously encountered in philosophy on justice. He also argues
much like Xiaorong Li that while the government legally has given legal rights
to Negro citizens by law, culture still ensures that the minority is kept in
check with bias and prejudice.
“’Injustice
anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.’ We are caught in an inescapable
network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one
directly, affects all indirectly.” (Ethics, Sterba j, 2000, p539)
Dr. Gilligan takes the science of perception, and applies it to
morality, showing that the sexes do not perceive morality the same way. She
explains through the Gestalt discipline that morality is subjective, and not
fully universal. That certain people tend to see things, in certain ways. She
points out that men see morality mainly as a function of justice, which is
pre-dominant in a male biased society. She shows through her research that
women do not prominently see morality as justice, but more as caring and loving
others. Thus for women, obeying the law is not as important, as ensuring all
are cared for. She thus explains that the observed definition of morality as
justice is not correct for all of society, as it is based on male priorities,
and not those of females. She charges us with the logic that both views must be
integrated to achieve true morality.
“The Distinction between justice
and care alternative perspectives or moral orientations is based empirically on
the observation that a shift in the focus of attention from concerns about
justice to concerns about care changes the definition of what constitutes a
moral problem…” (Ethics, Sterba j,
2000, p553)
I believe Dr. King shows us the moral responsibility to ensure
that the Other in a society which has been given legal rights by the One, must
demonstrate without violence, against prejudice and culture to have the rights
given to him by law. That any law which is made to subjugate or culturally
isolate the Other to have power over him, is morally wrong. That one who does
not act out against these injustices has not acted in the best interest of
his/her, own country.
I also agree with Dr. Gilligan that morality is subjective, and
to consider only one view of morality, ie justice, is to not understand the true
nature of morality. That much like a psychiatrist who chooses a paradigm for
study and treatment of his/her patients; we must acknowledge there are other
paradigms and doctors who see things differently with the same stimulus. Thus we
must look and examine each, applying all views with equal vigor and
understanding, so we can judge in each case which is best at that moment. For
as Dr. King has shown us, justice in the form of law, without caring for the
morality of that law, can be unjust, even if legal by law.
understanding of the injustice of legal laws which are morally unjust. He
explains to us the plight and injustice of being the “Other” in our American
society, (This other being the same as De Beauvoir describes in The
Second Sex), He advises us that while violence is never the answer, and one
should obey the law, a moral man cannot obey an unjust law. To his critics who
state that the timing is wrong to protest, and that one should not travel to
protest outside of one’s county, he replies that any injustice done in America,
is the duty of all Americans to oppose, no matter where and when it occurs. His
poetic images, combined with education, and understanding of philosophy and
logic, give a compelling argument that a moral man, cannot sit on the sidelines
and wait for justice to be done. Dr. King uses the arguments of justice without
a male bias as previously encountered in philosophy on justice. He also argues
much like Xiaorong Li that while the government legally has given legal rights
to Negro citizens by law, culture still ensures that the minority is kept in
check with bias and prejudice.
“’Injustice
anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.’ We are caught in an inescapable
network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one
directly, affects all indirectly.” (Ethics, Sterba j, 2000, p539)
Dr. Gilligan takes the science of perception, and applies it to
morality, showing that the sexes do not perceive morality the same way. She
explains through the Gestalt discipline that morality is subjective, and not
fully universal. That certain people tend to see things, in certain ways. She
points out that men see morality mainly as a function of justice, which is
pre-dominant in a male biased society. She shows through her research that
women do not prominently see morality as justice, but more as caring and loving
others. Thus for women, obeying the law is not as important, as ensuring all
are cared for. She thus explains that the observed definition of morality as
justice is not correct for all of society, as it is based on male priorities,
and not those of females. She charges us with the logic that both views must be
integrated to achieve true morality.
“The Distinction between justice
and care alternative perspectives or moral orientations is based empirically on
the observation that a shift in the focus of attention from concerns about
justice to concerns about care changes the definition of what constitutes a
moral problem…” (Ethics, Sterba j,
2000, p553)
I believe Dr. King shows us the moral responsibility to ensure
that the Other in a society which has been given legal rights by the One, must
demonstrate without violence, against prejudice and culture to have the rights
given to him by law. That any law which is made to subjugate or culturally
isolate the Other to have power over him, is morally wrong. That one who does
not act out against these injustices has not acted in the best interest of
his/her, own country.
I also agree with Dr. Gilligan that morality is subjective, and
to consider only one view of morality, ie justice, is to not understand the true
nature of morality. That much like a psychiatrist who chooses a paradigm for
study and treatment of his/her patients; we must acknowledge there are other
paradigms and doctors who see things differently with the same stimulus. Thus we
must look and examine each, applying all views with equal vigor and
understanding, so we can judge in each case which is best at that moment. For
as Dr. King has shown us, justice in the form of law, without caring for the
morality of that law, can be unjust, even if legal by law.