By Clarissa Verleur | Staff Writer
Salve Regina University’s Atwood Lecture Series recently hosted Justin Dyer’s lecture on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” Wednesday, February 12 in Bazarsky. Dyer is an assistant professor of political science at the University of Missouri and specializes in American politics.
The lecture was free and open to the public. With about 50 people in attendance, Dr. Luigi Bradizza, assistant professor of political science and American studies at Salve Regina, began with a brief introduction for Dyer. Dyer, who earned his Ph.D. at the University of Texas, then spoke for about 45 minutes about the political theories discussed in “Letter from Birmingham Jail.”
Upon discovering Salve Regina’s Department of Music, Theater, and Dance’s upcoming performance of Sophocles’ Antigone, Dyer decided to began his lecture with likening the themes of justice in Antigone to those in “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” He went on to explain that Dr. King’s letter approaches the question of “What is a just law?” and is an argument against segregation on the ground that it was a legally unjust law. Dyer discussed King’s theories on natural law, as put forth in “Letter from Birmingham Jail” and explained how these theories are heavily influenced by the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Augustine. Dyer also claimed that King’s letter can be considered a “classic” on race relations because of King’s use of the traditions of natural law to fight for his civil rights.
“Dr. Dyer’s lecture made me realize that people of [Dr. Martin Luther King’s] time were forced to violate the law or their conscience, which doesn’t seem right” said Krystal Waters, a Salve Regina student in attendance of the lecture.
After the lecture, there was a half hour session for members of the audience to ask questions, during which Salve Regina president, Sister Jane Gerety, asked the first question. Members of the audience as well as members of Salve Regina faculty, such as Dr. Khalil Habib, associate professor of Philosophy and Dr. Troy Catterson, assistant professor of Philosophy, were encouraged to raise their hands and did so with enthusiasm.
Jessica Analoro, a Salve Regina freshman in attendance of the lecture, claimed Dyer really made her ponder the concept of justice. “By taking away an individual’s right to protest because it goes against a more powerful political majority, influence trumps human conscience, which is, in fact, unjust,” she said.
