Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail" addresses the injustice of racism and calls on the church to take a stand for civil rights and justice. The letter defends the civil rights movement's use of nonviolent protest, even in the face of criticism from white moderates who felt it was too soon and that the movement should wait patiently. King references the biblical story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refusing to worship the king's golden statue, drawing a parallel to the refusal to accept racial injustice.