Imust close now. but before closing i am impelled to mention one other point in your statement that troubled me profoundly. you warmly commended the birmingham police force for keeping “order” and “preventing violence.” i don’t believe you would have so warmly commended the police force if you had seen its angry violent dogs literally biting six unarmed, nonviolent negroes. i don’t believe you would so quickly commend the policemen if you would observe their ugly and inhuman treatment of negroes here in the city jail; if you would watch them push and curse old negro women and young negro girls; if you would see them slap and kick old negro men and young negro boys; if you will observe them, as they did on two occasions, refuse to give us food because we wanted to sing our grace together. i’m sorry that i can’t join you in your praise for the police department. which statement identifies the main idea in this excerpt from “letter from birmingham city jail” by martin luther king, jr.?