How Did Peaceful Resistance To Laws Impact A Free Society?

Thomas Jefferson clearly stated in the Declaration of Independence, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” Exactly what Jefferson meant by Liberty in this statement was unclear and has been subject of great debate over the years. There is further examination of the use of the word Liberty in the U.S. Constitution. It was stated in Amendment I, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” Therefore, by Constitutional law, it is legal to exercise ones right of peaceful civil disobedience. I believe peaceful resistance to laws positively impacts a free society. This is due to the fact that it exercises the rights we are given in the Declaration of Independence and Constitution. Two documents that run, support, and are the foundation or our nation.

Back in 1791, after years of controversy between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists, the Framers added the Bill of Rights to the United States Constitution. Included in this addition was the First Amendment. More specifically, the right to protest. America is known as “the land of the free,” a democracy that is ever changing to suit its progressive societal needs. Americans have the right to inflict change and address their concerns by resisting. Resistance is defined as “the refusal to accept or comply with something” (Dictionary.com). Americans have the right to confront issues. This “refusal to accept” an issue is an immeasurable energy and freedom that is unique to the American people. Due to the themes of democracy, freedom, and constitutional intentions, peaceful resistance to laws positively impacts a free society.

Peaceful resistance to laws positively impacts our free society. It allows us to make our voices heard and spread a message if there is a law that we find is either unfair or goes against our protected freedoms. Peaceful resistance has helped our country grow on multiple occasions. It has always been a part of our countries history and is well protected by our First Amendment rights. Due to this, There is little to know doubt that peaceful resistance has positively effected the lives of many Americans.

Peaceful resistance to laws positively impacts a free society because it arouses concern and opens the eyes of law makers and others who are obliged to follow them.

I believe that peaceful resistance to laws is a subject that is not just black and white, but it is a grey subject where in some instances it has a positive impact and in other occasions it has a negative impact. Our country was established because of resistance to laws, it was not peaceful but it did have a positive effect. Also during the Civil War there was a positive impact from a non-peaceful resistance to laws. Some of our law and amendments have been changed because of peaceful resistance but, Peaceful resistance to laws can bring about a lot of commotion. Also, breaking the law, to change the law is not exactly the way to go about it. There measures American citizens can take to change a law or an amendment they believe is unjustifiable.

Peaceful resistance to laws positively impacts a free society. Peaceful resistance to allowing voices to be heard. It also allows people to fight for the rights that they believe in. In some cases it is a fight for equality and in other cases liberty. These are just two of the reasons why people participate in peaceful resistance to laws.

Peaceful resistance to a law is exactly what a free society needs in order to manage the "free" status. If we were forced to obey every law without a say, we would not be a truly free society. Civil disobedience is one of the most positive impacts the people can have on their own government, especially one that claims to be one of the people, for the people, and by the people. When the people disagree with a law they have always and will always have a right to stand against it. It is a vital part of an American's first amendment rights: the freedom of speech (among other things).

Resisting to laws allows citizens to freely express themselves and in doing so, informs the government that changes need to be made to adapt to the ever-changing society. Conclusively, if peaceful resistance to laws were seen as a negative impact on free society, the momentous changes that have been made to the Constitution of the United States to adjust to society would not have been made and the society itself could not truly be considered

Does peaceful resistance to laws positively or negatively impact a free society? I think that peaceful resistance positively impacts a free society. Many people used civil disobedience to prove a point in a situation that they believe needs to be changed. There are people such as Henry Throeau, Gandhi, Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks. Many people say that Henry Thoreau is the backbone to civil disobedience. Thoreau was arrested in 1846 for refusing to pay six years of poll taxes in protest of slavery and the Mexican American War. Thoreau believed that individuals could be free only if their actions were true to their own beliefs, with or without the support or approval of the community. Thoreau inspired Gandhi first and then MLK to follow, but these two leaders are responding to more pressing circumstances and responding as members of subjugated classes of people sharply defined by the social markers of race and ethnicity. Another important person who used civil disobedience is the same person who said "You must be the change you wish to see in this world" -Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi used nonviolent civil disobedience to protest racial pass laws in South Africa and in India's Independence struggle, including the famous Salt

I think peaceful resistance to law positively or negatively impact free Society because it demonstrates that people are in their country to live for every name. Rosa Parks was an amazing example because she knew the long respected it but chose not to follow it when she sat in the front of the bus. Amazing Minds like Marther Luther King jr. Was also an amazing example that you can possibly save the things you want to say and he went to jail but he chose to continue to fight for what he believed in. Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau is an amazing piece of work it shows people that you can respect it but you don't have to follow it in every aspect. In the letter to Birmington Martin Luther King Jr. Demonstrates that he can possibly write

Peaceful resistance to laws most definitely has an impact on a free society, but it can be debated on whether that effect is positive or negative. For example, the effect might be negative in the case that others in the society view this act of peaceful protesting as an uprising or a rebellion. There’s a possibility that people will be protesting without grasping the concept of what they are fighting for. On the contrary, the effects might be positive in the case that other individuals in the society see this act of peaceful resistance and use it as a benefit to constructively work on bettering their society.

Peaceful resistance to laws positively impacts a free society because it empowers the people to speak out, it serves as a reminder that government is in the hands of the citizens, and it is the courageous way to publicize one’s opinion without violence. The evidence of the positive impact of Civil Disobedience is deep in the roots of American History, written on the sweaty brows of the feather-bedecked Patriots hoisting tea overboard in Boston; and sung in notes of the song, “We Shall Overcome”, by protesters being beaten and arrested at Selma. The very founding of America was an act of Civil Disobedience, as our forefathers penned the Declaration of Independence, defying Britain’s law and control. Over and over throughout history, groups have

Peaceful resistance laws negatively impact a free society because it creates either non-peaceful protesting or violent actions because of the angry citizens who support what is being protested and so forth. It also causes unnecessary actions to be taken by police and perhaps new laws to prevent things like this. However, peaceful protesting does have an up-side. People are heard and do make a difference to change things, for example with Rosa Parks. Overall however, I believe it just causes more damage, angers more people, and makes society sad more often than it helps.

Peaceful resistance to laws positively impact a free society due to the fact that it is peaceful. The peaceful resistance allows people to believe that they do have their freedom to express themselves in a positive manner. Also, peace works better than violence. An example of this would be, "In two countries (Egypt and Tunisia), mainly nonviolent mass movements have succeeded in toppling autocracies." (Chenoweth). The quote states that a Egyptian and Tunisian nonviolent mass movement, which is kind of like a resistance, succeeded in accomplishing their goal due to the fact that they behaved peacefully and didn't cause any problems. Because of the fact that people behave in a peaceful fashion, others won't get extremely violent and chaos won't

Peaceful resistance to laws positively impacts a free society. Rather than having violent movements and harming citizens, it is better to peacefully resist. Once a violence is used, the resistance to the law becomes nulled. People tend to not follow a violence protester. Once a violent riot starts, chaos is everywhere. People forget what they are truly fighting for. They unconsciously run away with the fear of getting harmed and dare not to go back. A peaceful resistance on the other hand leads citizens to join and support. People are able to see what they are fighting for and their real intentions. They are able to stand and cause no problem to people passing by as they are showing their support through silent voices. Many famous activists and leaders are for nonviolence. Mahatma Gandhi, a primary leader of India’s independence