Was it divine intervention or simply the fact that it was right that made the infamous “Letters from a Birmingham Jail” timeless, profound, and even life-changing for some readers? If you haven’t seen it, Dwayne Betts Meet our amazing friend and guest Russ Roberts in a previous episode of EconTalk. Betts is so caught up in the moment and so influenced by the beauty, truth, and humility of the great Martin Luther King that his voice cracks at times as he answers Roberts’ questions. In this episode, he shares moments from his own history and the impact King’s work has had on him.
Betts’ nine years in prison and remarkable journey thereafter made him uniquely qualified to be the King family’s choice for the preface. Letter from Birmingham Jail (Dr. Martin Luther King’s Essential Speech). I hope this conversation will spark some thoughts about your freedom. Please share your thoughts or insights in the comments below.
1- Roberts and Betts reread King’s great speech and appreciate it in different ways. Roberts calls it a love letter to justice in his country. When you pause and read it, “Letters from Birmingham Gaol” Written by Martin Luther King Jr., you Maybe you don’t remember?
2- How does Betts argue that the urgent letter he sent in response to criticism of Dr. King’s nonviolent protest was respectful of the eight clergy critics?
3- Betts said that it is difficult to argue with confidence on modern topics, saying, “It seems much more difficult to name what the aspects of justice are.” How much do you agree with this statement? And what examples would you give to illustrate it?
4- “Turning Regret into Feathers” vs. “Economics Explains Everything But Justice.” John Rawls (not Robert Nozick) is in the free library of 340 prisons. What would you like to talk about at dinner to counter the feeling of “being nothing”? Why?
