Was it divine intervention or just the truth of being honest that made the infamous “Letter From Birmingham Jail” timeless, profound and life-changing for some readers? If you haven’t met Dwayne Betts on a previous episode of EconTalk, get ready for friend and guest Russ Roberts. Betts is present in the moment and is so moved by the beauty, truth, and humility of the great Martin Luther King that his voice sometimes cracks in response to Roberts’ questions. In this episode, he discusses moments in his history and the impact the Lord’s work has had on him.
9 years in prison Betts and his amazing journey as he is specially qualified as the author of choice for the King’s family in the introduction A Letter from a Birmingham Jail (Keynote Speeches by Dr. Martin Luther King). We hope this discussion will spark some thoughts about freedom in you. Please share a thought or insight in the comments below.
1- Both Roberts and Betts have enjoyed the Lord’s beautiful speech in different ways when they revisit it. Roberts calls it a love letter to justice in his country (King). As you pause to read “A Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” by Martin Luther King Jr., what can I do you notice that maybe you don’t remember?
2- How does Betts argue that the King’s urgent letter, a response to his criticism of non-violent protest, respects the eight critics of the clergy?
3- Betts says, “I think it’s very challenging to say what the justice side looks like,” referring to the difficulty of arguing and believing in current topics. To what extent do you agree with this statement, and with what examples can you explain?
4- “Turning regret into a feather” against “economics explains everything except justice”. John Rawls (not Robert Nozick) is in The Freedom Library in 340 prisons. To deal with the feeling of “emptiness,” what thread of conversation would you like to pursue during dinner, and why?
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