Thematic Connections Between Lao-Tzu’s Tao-te Ching & Martin

Despite common belief that there would exist no comparisons between Lao-Tzu’s Tao-te Ching and Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” there is actually a very significant underlying theme to be found in both. In the Tao-te Ching, Lao Tzu says, “The great Way is easy, yet people prefer the side paths.” The interpretation of this passage is understood to be that the key to happiness (great Way) is easy, yet people prefer to make choices, sometimes causing more hardships than anything (side paths). Accordingly, this is the essential premise in Martin Luther King Jr.'s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” since it ultimately says that all people have to do to be happy in life are the simple things, yet they go ahead and complicate them because of choices. Rather than just going with the flow and following the “great Way” to lead them, one would rather make choices (that ultimately lead to hardships, in many cases).

The aforementioned passage from Lao-Tzu is referring to racism, at it’s finest, mentioning that it only exists since people choose to take those “side paths”

However, there does remain some hope in the fact that there was a small group of white supporters (who chose the positive side paths). Contrary to the broader group of racists who chose to follow the leads of others and be destructive in their means, this small assembly of white supporters chose to take the side paths, which were not as easy as taking the great Way (which would be merely to ignore the problem, not add to it, but also not help at all). They preferred to do what they knew was right, and help in the fight against racism. This choice did also prove to include some hardships they would be forced to deal with, for example, the adversity from white racists. Martin Luther King, Jr. refers to these white supporters in one passage by stating; “They have languished in filthy, roach-infested jails, suffering the abuse and brutality of policemen who view them as ‘dirty nigger-lovers.’” Sure, they could have followed the great Way, and ignored that there was even a problem, which would have been quite easy, as Lao-Tzu alleged. Yet their good human nature caused them to prefer the side paths and help in the relief of racism that the Negro community was experiencing. This choice did cause more hardships for themselves, but they were willing to sacrifice for the better welfare of others. To languish is to suffer, to be in filthy jails is to suffer, to be abused and ridiculed by policemen is also to suffer. This one passage reveals so much of the affliction these white supporters experienced as a consequence of their choice to take the side paths. On the same note, it is also very encouraging to think that some people value life this much, and are willing to put their own safety and happiness at stake for the best interests of others.

This same racism that they so strongly opposed, someone must have created in the first pl

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