(全段翻译) 在任何非暴力运动中都有四个基本步骤：搜集事实以决定是否有不公正的存在；谈判；自我纯净和直接行动。我们在伯明翰市经历了这些步骤。...... 在过去的许许多多的经历中，我们的希望彻底破灭，我们被深深的失望所笼罩。我们除了准备直接行动之外没有其他选择，我们只好把我们的身躯展现在地方和全国社区面前来说明我们的情况。考虑到我们会面临的困难，我们决定进行自我纯净。我们开始了一些列关于非暴力的研习会，我们不断地问自己说：“你是否准备打不还手？”“你是否能够忍受监狱的考验？”我们决定在复活节的季节采取直接行动计划，这是因为我们意识到除了圣诞节之外，这是一个主要的购物季节。我们知道，重大的经济倒退将是我们直接行动的副产品，我们认为这是把压力加到商人头上以促使我们所需要的改变的最好的时机。（选自马丁路德金《发自伯明翰市立监狱的一封信》)(The whole paragraph tanslated here.)

In any nonviolent campaign there are four basic steps: collection of the facts to determine whether injustices exist; negotiation; self-purification; and direct action. We have gone through these steps in Birmingham. ... As in so many past experiences, our hopes badly been blasted, and the shadow of deep disappointment settled upon us. We had no alternative except to prepare for direct action, whereby we would present our very bodies as means of laying our case before the conscience of the local and the national community. Mindful of the difficulties involved, we decided to undertake a process of self-purification. We began a series of workshops on nonviolence, and we repeatedly asked ourselves : "Are you able to accept blows without retaliating?" "Are you able to endure the ordeal of jail?" We decided to schedule our direct-action program for the Easter season, realizing that except for Christmas, this is the main shopping period of the year. Knowing that a strong economic with-drawal program would be the by-product of direct action, we felt that this would be the best time to bring pressure to bear on the merchants for the needed change. (From Martin Luther King's Letter from Birmingham Jail, April 16th, 1963)

nonviolent [非暴力]

campaign [运动]

negotiation [谈判]

self-purification [自我纯净]

blast [摧残;使破灭]

conscience [良心]

mindful [注意到的]

workshop [研习会]

retaliate [报复;回敬]

endure [忍耐;忍受]

ordeal [考验]

with-drawal [倒退]

by-product [副产品]

（ 陈森森 sensenchen2002@yahoo.com ）