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Letter From A Birmingham Jail: Peaceful Disobedience

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Peaceful disobedience. Obviously, the key word in this phrase is one meaning “not involving war or violence.” What could be better for society than disobedience not involving destructive actions? Some people could argue that protests of civil rights ended in violence, but the violence came from the law, not the people disobeying it. Protestors were beat, jailed, and tormented for standing up for their beliefs. As Martin Luther King Jr. wrote in Letter from a Birmingham Jail, “I am in a Birmingham jail because injustice is in here.” The law enforcers were disobeying the laws and they were not peaceful. They stripped the protestors right to freedom of speech while terrorizing the marches and their participants. This was not the American way. The protests should have been encouraged and allowed as long as they stayed peaceful. These protests are what changed American society to become what it is today. Without it we would be stuck in the ways of …show more content…

Unlike the experience of Dr. King, these protestors have not been unlawfully treated by the men and women who uphold our justice system. They have been accommodated and encouraged by society. The March for Life was even addressed by the newly inducted Vice President as he announced his support of their cause. These acts were not violent and started no wars. They were simply marches by hundreds of thousands of people to show their beliefs and that they will not stand down. These positively impact our country because not only do they make matters known, they also give protestors a safe place to practice. People have been known to protest planned parenthood and have experienced acts of violence against them, this does not happen if there are many people together in a large group protected by the long arm of the law. Marches are a great way to keep people safe to protest

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