Examples Of Civil Disobedience

Civil Disobedience has been around for hundreds of years. This a practice first put into play by a man by the name of Henry David Thoreau who believed that if you didn’t agree with a rule then you should act against it in a nonviolent way, and be willing to accept any punishment that comes with it. His teachings were followed by famous activists such as Ghandi, and Martin Luther King Jr., and many others.

Civil Disobedience is defined as refusal to obey civil laws or decrees, which usually takes the form of direct action (Grolier’s Encyclopedia Online 2). Thoreau wrote that people practicing civil disobedience, break a law because they consider the law unjust. People want to call attention to its injustice. Thoreau voiced civil disobedience as, “An expression of the individual’s liberty to create change” (Thoreau 530). Years later Martin Luther King Jr. took the same idea of direct action to protest the injustices brought upon black Americans in the United States. One major example was the Birmingham bus boycott. Blacks where treated unjust and often had to give up their seats to whites, and had to listen to racial slurs made by the bus driver. King like Thoreau, did not take a violent approach, he often used sit-ins and rallies to unite the black community (Encarta

Civil disobedience has been used to peacefully protest for change for decades. The idea that it is acceptable to rebel against injustice is one that is fundamental to the very start of our nation. The American Revolution, while not a non-violent rebellion, is an example of fighting for something that is believed to be right. It is from here that the idea of civil disobedience stemmed, and from here which it grew. Henry David Thoreau illustrated the need for civil disobedience when he said, “The authority of government… [,] to be strictly just must have the consent of the governed.” The changes that have been brought about by this kind of peaceful protest have changed our world for the better. I believe that civil disobedience is something that

Civil disobedience is present in our day to day lives. During the civil rights protests occurring in Birmingham, AL, Eugene Connor was the Commissioner of Public Safety who publicly attacked African Americans with fire hoses and dogs. The Boston Tea Party was a rebellion which led to major tax reformation. Another moment in history of disobedience would be the Civil Rights movement. Oscar Wilde claims social progress is promoted through disobedience and rebellion which is valid.

Civil disobedience has been shown in a great amount of different ways throughout the years. Martin Luther king Jr. expressed his way of civil disobedience by taking direct action but in a calm way which was effective. He wanted the people to be aware of what was going on and open doors for better groups of people who weren't given the same rights as others. Henry David Thoreau on the other hand took action as well but in a different manner directly with the U.S. citizens and government because he wanted more individual rights for the people. Both had the same ideas but took action in different ways and at the end, ended up succeeding in their persuasive ways.

According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, the definition of civil disobedience is the “refusal to obey governmental demands or commands especially as a nonviolent and usually collective means of forcing concessions from the government.” Men such as Henry David Thoreau, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr. have all used forms of civil disobedience and nonviolent protest to make changes in the world. These changes have made huge impacts on our societies and how we are able to live our everyday lives. Without these three men and their practice of civil disobedience, the world would be a very different place.

Civil disobedience plays an important and great role in the world. It is a major and effective part of many processes that combat injustice and immorality. In the past, it has helped countries gain independence, combatted racial segregation, affected countries’ involvement in wars and much more. People such as Parks and Gandhi have fought the immoral laws which led to thousands of millions of people having the opportunity to live a future without prejudice, discrimination and oppression because they held up their beliefs and demonstrated he importance of civil

Civil disobedience is an important part of shaping our societies positively to object to unjust laws or to protest against what we deem to be unfair. Throughout the history of the United States, there have been many who used civil disobedience to protest and bring about change. One of the most famous examples would be Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. who used nonviolent protest to fight for civil rights for African Americans. Maybe Muhammad Ali comes to mind when you think of civil disobedience as he refused to join the draft to protest the Vietnam war. Just maybe the most recent example of Edward Snowden is what you think of who revealed just how much the government is watching us.

t isn’t uncommon for the ruling power in society to create rules or regulations that are immoral and unjust. Civil disobedience is a useful method for protesting and declaring one’s opposition to unjust laws through nonviolence. Antigone and Martin Luther King Jr. both engaged in civil disobedience, but the manner in which they executed it varied. Out of the two, King is more deserving of sympathy due to his organizational skills in contrast to Antigone’s impulsive nature.

Civil disobedience is one of the most important cornerstones of the rights of the American people. Although it is dangerous at time and can often be less effective that violent protest, its benefits can neither be negated nor ignored. There have been several different individuals throughout history who have used the idea of civil disobedience to fight for their individualized causes. Rosa parks fought for the rights of black people, as well as women everywhere. The individuals who participated in the Boston Tea Party fought for the freedom and rights of the new colonists in America. Susan B. Anthony fought for the political and societal rights of women everywhere.

Civil disobedience is the refusal to conform to certain laws as a form of harmless political protest, while being aware of the consequences that could result because of it. Peaceful resistance to laws positively impacts a free society because actions are taken due to people letting their voice be heard. While some may argue that the main reasons of this are the five basic rights mentioned in the first amendment (freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition), this issue goes far beyond that. Without civil disobedience, many historical events might have not played such an important role as they did to the point that they changed America in numerous ways; not to mention the courageous people who still take part in protests today to claim the rights they should have.

Many great people have argued about civil disobediences and social injustices. Furthermore, not many realize the purpose of the system and what it means to its people and its country. Both Henry David Thoreau and Martin Luther King Jr attempted to fight against the law if there is social injustices. Civil disobedience is as old as Prometheus’ disobedience of Zeus in order to give fire to mankind and Antigone’s defiance of Creon’s edict denying proper burial to her brother Polynices (Bedau). In other words, disobeying the law in a good cause.

On The Duty of Civil Disobedience, written by Henry David Thoreau, explains that civil disobedience is the act of standing for your beliefs even though they are against the law. Thoreau goes on to say that the government (because it is ruled by the majority) is not always right for everyone especially the individual and the minority. Over the course of American history, there have been many different groups formed for the purpose of civil disobedience. The two that I am going to focus on are the activists of the Civil Rights Movement and the Black Panthers of the Black Liberation Movement. The Civil Rights Movement began in 1954 with the case of Brown vs. the Board of Education. It was basically lead by Martin Luther King Jr.

In Dr. Martin Luther King Junior’s “Letter from Birmingham,” he discusses that there are four basic steps to nonviolent campaigning. There is the “collection of facts to determine whether injustices are alive; negotiation; self purification; and direct action. Civil disobedience and civil rights can be directly related to these steps and the process of a nonviolent campaign. Civil disobedience is defined as “a form of political participation based on a conscious decision to break a law believed to be unjust and to suffer the consequences.” (Edwards 647) Martin Luther King Jr. may be the best example of a civil rights activist.

In conclusion, civil disobedience has been successful for many years. The act of disobeying laws without any brutality and violence; instead, people act with peace and tranquility. The 3 most well known people I have mentioned in this essay had a big impact on peace while violating orders. Their legacies will forever be honorable to