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. As many know powerful figures around the country have been standing up to this issue. These powerful people peacefully resisting the law show that this has drastically changed how we are able to show our opinions and truly represent the meaning of freedom of speech and protest. …show more content…
Being able to show our disapproval in such a powerful way shows that the united states truly is a free country. This freedom to speak our mind and show the government how we feel is exactly what our founding fathers wanted. When the fathers first got together they wanted a government that was not too controlling but able to take control when needed. The people are meant to be the true holders of the power. Due to this, it is our right as Americans to be able to peacefully resist the law. …show more content…
When bad events continue to happen, people grow angry and feel they are not being heard. Suddenly protests grow to be violent and dangerous causing people to break the law in many ways. This is when government should step in and take control of the people. Ideally this should never be a problem but, it is a risk that comes with freedom. As people stretch out the law they get more freedom and out of control which is
For instance, in the U.S., there are more than 30,000 statutes of law, and in the State of California, there are 395,608 regulations, yet we still have freedom. Luckily, while our country was still forming, people decided to create a democracy so that everybody would get a say. "The authority of the state comes from below, not from above." In other words, we created some of these laws for the greater good, and we were able to do this since we spoke up. And even now we still have problems, but if there is something that many people do not like, they get together and protest.
From the beginning of mankind’s recorded history, opposition to established governing bodies have always been recorded. Whether through coup d'etat or a peaceful protest, resistance to authority always causes change in some way. The United States Government changes; laws are meant to change as well. America prides itself on the history of its peaceful protests and revolutions, demonstrating positive effects on a free society. Because peaceful resistance wasn’t creating progressive change, radical disobedience was the key to change in the 1700’s during the American Revolution.
Peaceful resistance to laws positively affect a free society. Throughout history, there have been multiple cases of both violent and peaceful protests. However, the peaceful protests are the ones that tend to stick with a society and are the ones that change the society for the better. In April 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. wrote a letter about just and unjust laws while he was in Birmingham jail for peacefully protesting. King came to Birmingham because "injustice is here".
Civil disobedience is the refusal of something in a friendly manner. Politically, America is in a rough situation. America as a whole is slowly separating as a nation. For instance, African-Americans believe they are experiencing prejudice from “white” people. In Baton Rouge, Louisiana there a revolt organized by the infamous “Black Lives Matter” organization.
In the past couple of years we have seen true social justice come to light in the world. Through Black Lives Matter, Ukrainian government and abortion laws we have seen people stand up for what they believe in through protesting against their government. Most governments are not suitable for people but this contract of laws like Thoreau says “Government is at best but an expedient; but most governments are usually, and all governments are sometimes, inexpedient” (Thoreau 181). The government or authority of a country is simply not sophisticated enough to please everyone and ultimately becomes necessary for people to rebel to get what they want. These protests have shown so much good in the people of our nation,that the government would never be able to contribute to.
Our history shows that there have been scores of laws that have been changed because people spoke out against them and felt that they had a moral obligation to do so. They are also numerous examples of peaceful demonstrations, such as Rosa Parks’ refusal to go to the back of the bus that highlighted the injustice of these laws. At the time when Rosa Parks refused to go to the back of the bus, she was breaking the law. Her refusal was not hurting anyone but was remarkable and memorable symbol against a law she felt was
Steven Sternberg Mrs. Burns English 1 CP 1 March, 2018 The Flag Protest “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color” (Kaepernick, Colin). The flag protest has been a protest existing for a long time but, recently sparked lots of controversy. Although kneeling during the national anthem may seem disrespectful are often seen as a disrespect to the flag and troops, a inefficient way to promote a cause, and anger many people in shows division in the country, it can show that the ideals of freedom is justified, it generates conversation and awareness about topic, and is a legal form of peaceful protest.
In our government there are set laws to keep society functioning but if people continually break laws to prove a point then It will hurt of government and hurt the “free society” we have now because of how the government will have to take away rights to prevent laws from
I work at a college radio station currently to get high school credits, and the best way to get your message out in today's society is to have a voice. Whether it be like mine over the FM, or over the Facebook, peaceful protests are what keeps people from becoming outraged, furious and dangerous to those around them. When someone doesn't like something, they won't sit back and do nothing, they will complain, they will act out, and they will protest, and as being American citizens we have the right to do that, but we don't always go to the peaceful routes. Take in Ferguson Missouri for example. While the protests, and acts of rage were not due to that of a law, they were due to the act of hurt and pain for the loss of a community member, they still acted out.
There are times when people must rebel to make a change. It has happened throughout different movements to change unjust laws, and go against unjust people. One big example of civil disobedience during the civil rights movement were sit-ins. Sit-ins were when people continued to peacefully sit in on a restaurant when they were denied service. It was almost a way of life for many people.
People's justification to engage in civil disobedience rests on the unresponsiveness that their engagement to oppose an unjust law receives. People who yearn for a change in a policy might sometimes find themselves in a dead end because their “attempts to have the laws repealed have been ignored and legal protests and demonstrations have had no success” (Rawls 373). What Rawls says is that civil disobedience is a last option to oppose an unjust law; therefore, providing civil disobedients with a justification for their cause. Civil disobedience is the spark of light that people encountered at the dead end and they hope that this spark of light will illuminate to show that an unjust law should not exist at all. Martin Luther King, Jr, in his “Letter from
Civil Disobedience Thousands of dedicated people march the streets of a huge city, chanting repetitively about needing a change. They proudly hold vibrant signs and banners as they fight for what they believe in. Expressions of determination and hope are visibly spread across their faces. These people aren’t using weapons or violence to fight for their ideas; simply, they are using civil disobedience.
People protest unjust laws to protect and change for a better future for their family and the ones they
Peaceful Resistance no matter what way you look at it, it 's still going against someone whether it involves words or actions, resistance still causes more conflict. The last 5 years we have had people say they want change through these “peaceful protest” but these peaceful protests have done nothing but turn to violent riots were theirs damage to vehicles, business families rely on destroyed, bystanders hurt, officers killed and our country torn apart. Back when Martian Luther King Jr was around and he had his Peaceful Resistance or rallies for equality, they were peaceful and brought our country together with something that needed to be changed, but the protest we’ve had the last 5 years… he would be ashamed of. Peaceful Resistance to laws does negatively impact our free society in America. First going along with what I said about there being “peaceful rallies” even though some people may be at these rallies to make a difference to support their opinion, not everyone can respect that.
Because in a true democracy, it is the responsibility of the citizens to disobey the laws that aren’t truly aiding in the progressive nature of society. A democracy can’t be effective without active participation. With that, Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham Jail is a cornerstone in how we should approach the discussion of whether it is or isn’t reasonable to disobey a law. King agrees with St. Augustine in that “an unjust law is no law at all.” This enforces the idea that an unjust law is virtually not present because it is inevitably meant to be broken.