Civil Disobedience By Martin Luther King Jr.

Civil disobedience has been discerned in numerous time periods of American history. The definition of disobedience can be interpreted when one or a group prioritizes their conscience of their beliefs over the dictation of laws through rebellion. Notable historical events of slavery and independence has been marked with the disobedience of government laws. Even though the disobedience of societal laws can undermine the corruption of the government, disobedience has undeniably steer societal progress. A form of civil disobedience was the fight for independence of the colonies in the American Revolution.

Civil Disobedience What is civil disobedience? What does it do? Why is it important? Is it a right thing? These few questions might pop into one 's head when they hear civil disobedience.

Civil Disobedience During the 1950s and before, it was a crime to be different in the United States; one was hated for being so. Simply sitting at a lunch counter or on a bus could result in a person’s arrest. Throughout history and continuing to this day, peaceful protest has effectively resulted in positive change in society. Injustice has best been remedied through nonviolent tactics than through violent ones, as violence almost always leads to just more violence.

Non-violence is acting without physical confrontation. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the many people that solved situation without using violence. By using only his words be demonstrated that we African-Americans can do anything without using violence. Practicing non-violence can make you look morally stronger than the other person. In my opinion using there are time when you should use non violence like when you’re using self defence.

Accounts of civil disobediences have made their way into the paper many times since the start of this country: the Boston Tea Party, Thoreau's refusal to pay a poll tax, and Rosa Park's decision to stay seated on the bus. All of these examples represent a time of distress when people responded in non-violence to prove a point. But many would ask if this is really proving a point or if it is simply disregarding the law and setting a bad example? Well let me ask you this: would it be better to sit back and to hope that someone will speak out about the problem, or to go forward in violence thinking that that is the only way to achieve something? It seems that an act of non-violence is a way of being heard without coming across as irrational or

Civil Disobedience means “the refusal to comply with certain laws or to pay taxes and fines, as a peaceful form of political protest,” according to Dictionary.com. Thoreau used the term “Civil Disobedience” to describe his refusal to pay the state poll tax implemented by the American government to finance the war in Mexico and to enforce the Fugitive Slave Law. Henry David Thoreau (1817-62) believed that this was a wrong thing to do because it would have caused a huge problem. He wrote the essay “Civil Disobedience” to expose the fact that individuals would do what government told them to and not ask questions. Thoreau uses the concepts of individualism and self- reliance in “Civil Disobedience” to get people to think about what the government is doing.

Martin Luther King Jr. was a man who changed history forever. He was born on January 15th, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia to his mother, Alberta Williams King. Martin had an older sister, Willie and a younger brother Alfred. Martin grew up in a very disciplined and strict household Martin Sr. was more of the disciplinarian while his wife’s gentleness balanced out his strictness. When Martin was a young boy he copied everything his sister did.

The greatest revolutionaries of the United States of America, both past and present, answer to values, principles of American culture and widely-accepted beliefs. They do not answer to laws. The belief that obedience to laws is a sign of patriotism is deeply flawed in the fact that the original patriots of the thirteen colonies were everything except obedient to their government. In the ideal democracy, the core values, moral justices, of the people will be reflected in the laws of the nation. When a split in laws and moral justice occurs, it is the right and obligation of the people of said nation to act as Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and Thomas Jefferson; it is their duty to disobey.

Civil Disobedience is a term that is held in a very stereotypical manner. When I think of the term, I think of a peaceful protest that eventually will solve the everlasting issue of governmental control regarding the people's lives. This term to me insinuates that no matter how terrible the situation at hand can be, individuals in any community like setting can ultimately be the bigger person and do no harm to anyone or anything while demoralizing a law. However in current situations, my assumption of the term has unfortunately taken a turn for the worse. Though this may be the case, I still continue to proclaim that civil disobedience sheds a positive light on communal views and how a society should handle an issue.

This is a great question; our time is going through a modern revolution as things are changing standards of life must evolve as well for all. I feel that the civil disobedience that is going on today is very sad in my opinion, during our time there should not be any type of difference that people are treated based on their skin color. Our era is having a time of public strife; and I suppose the civil disobedience is needed because of the police on African American life; often time’s people of color arrest ends with violence as it seems in the media. Everyday we hear of something very sad happening to someone there are now protest for people of color.

Civil disobedience positively impact a free Society because civil disobedience is it right exercised by what is defined as a free Society. Civil Disobedience give citizens a peaceful way to demonstrate that they do not agree with a certain law or laws. Citizens should have the right to be able to peacefully go against a law if they feel strongly about what is taking place at the time that encourages the law that the people disagree with. Rosa Parks demonstrated Civil Disobedience when she refused to give up her seat for a white person. At the time word segregation and racism were being fought against, Rosa Parks today chance by not obeying the law which says she had to give up her seat if asked so a white person could sit there.