20 pts question Paragraph 1 from "Letter from Birmingham Jail"

While confined here in the Birmingham City Jail, I came across your recent statement calling our present activities "unwise and untimely." Seldom, if ever, do I pause to answer criticism of my work and ideas. If I sought to answer all the criticisms that cross my desk, my secretaries would be engaged in little else in the course of the day and I would have no time for constructive work. But since I feel that you are men of genuine goodwill and your criticisms are sincerely set forth, I would like to answer your statement in what I hope will be patient and reasonable terms.

1. What is the main idea of this part?
2. What does King hope to accomplish with this part?
3. How is it connected to the ideas before or after it?