Peaceful Resistance In America

The woman’s suffrage movement of the 1800s and early 1900s as well as the civil rights movements of the 1950s and the 1960s, even though they were made up of a multi-ethnic group of people, the two movements actually had multiple of similarities such as the same goals and concerns. Both group felt appressed by society and both groups demanded basic freedoms and equal opportunities. As both groups sough to have their demand met, other issues became the major national focus. The main difference between the two movements is the fact, that in achieving their goal, African-Americans were calling for the enforcement from the government of their voting rights and end to segregation which still existed in the South, while the suffragists were calling for the right to vote for women.

Civil disobedience makes a statement. It is a tool that can be used to make a difference. Peaceful resistance to unjust laws helps a free society by allowing people to be heard without violence. Anyone can attack brutally, either verbally or physically, to get attention. But the best way to be noticed is to, “create such a crisis and establish such a creative tension...that it can no longer be ignored,” as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote in his letter from a Birmingham jail.

When people do not agree with the law, the first instinct is to show their opinion and disapproval of the law. A lot of people will protest, sign petitions, or even peacefully resist the law. In today's society we see this everyday throughout all of the country. For example right now in the united states there is a humongous issue with authority and citizens. This matter is particularly African Americans feeling they do not get the right amount of justice from law enforcement officers.

Peaceful resistance to laws positively impact a free society. In the case of the Civil Rights Movement, peaceful resistance led to desegregation. Civil disobedience aided in the decision of Brown v. Topeka which overturned the “separate but equal” decision of Plessy v. Ferguson. Plessy disobeyed a Louisiana law by not sitting in a Jim Crow car. This civil disobedience led to the Supreme Court decision.

Peaceful Disobedience Peaceful protest is something our founding fathers felt very strong about. There is a reason they included in the first amendment of our bill of rights. The key word, however, is peaceful. Recently in America, there have been several “protests,” mostly against the new president of the United States. These are not protests however, they are riots.

Right to Peaceful Assembly The right to have a peaceful assembly has been in the blood since before the American Revolution. The original protest that received world fame and ideology-for which that we believed in our right for independence and a better life (even though it wasn’t really peaceful) was the Boston Tea Party on December 16, 1773. This was a protest in the dead of night as a few men disguised themselves as Indians to dump tea into the Boston Harbor. As time went on, we won the Revolution but we had to make many new laws for our unique nation.

“That government is best which governs least” (Thoreau). Civil disobedience continues to be a controversial issue in America. Understanding the two viewpoints on the issue can give better insight into whether the act of breaking the law, when nonviolent, is correct or not. There are many examples of acts of civil disobedience throughout history that we can analyze to conclude whether or not their effects positively or negatively impact a free society.

The Bill of Rights contains many different freedoms granted to us as citizens. WIthout them, our nation wouldn’t be what it is today. The idea of freedom shows in our actions throughout our own history and in the history of the world as we try to help others gain a freedom. Since not all people of our country believe in the violence of wars, many try to achieve what they’re fighting for with civil acts of protesting or disobedience. This means that people are fighting for something they believe in by disobeying the things they do not agree with while possibly breaking laws at the same time.

The First Amendment that allows us to have Free Speech is by far probably one of the most important rights we have. One could say that Freedom of speech is as American as eating boiled peanuts at a football game, but the problem is not everyone may like boiled peanuts or football. This right gives people the opportunity to say what’s on their mind without fear of reprisal even if it offends others. Freedoms of speech rights have been interpreted differently throughout history and those interpretations have been questioned many different times, in many different ways.

Peaceful resistance to laws positively impact a free society because it helps get people's points across, without breaking any rules. People are allowed to voice there opinion, without causing any physical harm to themselves, or anyone around them. Many equal right came about during peaceful resistances. Thomas Jefferson is an example of that. He led a revolution, and changed the lives of millions of African Americans, then and now.

“One Nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all” powerfully concludes the American pledge, an oath declaring to the globe our unique commitment to uphold these righteous ideals. Unfortunately, as a result of human error, even a government founded upon these righteous principles may waver from the administration of justice and require redirection by its citizens. Through amendment of the Constitution, the founders allowed for this avenue of change, but unfortunately, historical events reveal this process often remains inaccessible. Consequently, individuals express their legislative discontent through two methods: Violent Revolution or Civil Disobedience. To avoid both regression into barbaric anarchy and maintain the principles

The ability to conduct peaceful resistance to something one does not believe in has been an important part of the United State’s society for a long time. Average citizens are given the opportunity to make a political statement and try to impact the laws of our society, while in other places people may be killed for trying to speak their mind. If someone is not harming others or encouraging chaos, peaceful resistance to laws can benefit a free society. Peaceful resistance allow people to speak out against something they don’t believe in and show those in power that their constituents do not agree with with something they did. Though there are other ways to try to impact the decision of those in power, such as writing letters or voting, getting a large group of people to protest, those in power might not listen.

Peaceful resistance. Nonviolent/peaceful resistance is the refusal to obey a law considered unjust which is civil disobedience. Being peaceful and fighting for what you believe in doesn't and shouldn't negatively impact a free society. We live in a country where freedom of speech is expressed freely without judgement, so why should expressing what you think is right peacefully impact a society negatively? There are many examples in history that teach of civil disobedience, but one person in particular that I admire is Rosa Parks.

Civil disobedience has been an enormous event throughout American history, but is currently increasing in our daily lives. I believe that protesting against the laws in a peaceful manner is an appropriate and a brilliant idea to get your opinions across to the American people. If certain causes or people are violent about their opinions, nobody would want to follow them because of the ignorance involved. When I see violence in a protest, I instantly disagree with their fight due to the forcefulness and viciousness of their cause. We need to conduct ourselves in a professional manner when expressing what we believe in, if you do not, people will not take you seriously.