Protests throughout history have sparked controversy in both their subject matter and execution, calling into question the true value they impart. Peaceful resistance is a key element in the development of a free society as it facilitates a wide breadth of actions from the raising of awareness and the greater dissemination of ideas all the way to active change in laws and government.
Wide dissemination of ideas and changes to the law were products of the gay rights movement. In the 1960’s gay rights were practically nonexistent. The government was unconcerned with protecting the physical safety of gay people as evidenced by violence against the gay community which went completely unpunished. The government and law enforcement did not
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Questions about what should be protected under free speech have arisen, causing this country to question how far free speech should truly extend, some arguing that certain speech or protest works to harm society, not advance it. In 1977 members of the Nazi Party of America announced their intention to walk through Skokie, Illinois in Nazi regalia carrying swastikas. Skokie, a majority Jewish community and the home to many Holocaust survivors, erupted in anger as the residents attempted to stop the Nazis from marching. Residents of Skokie and sympathizers across the country argued that the protest aimed to incite hate against a particular religious group and inflict emotional harm. Many agreed with this point of view but the ACLU stepped in to protect the rights of the Nazi Party and their rights to free speech as protected by the 1st Amendment. The ACLU and the Nazis were successful and they retained their right to march wherever they wanted and say whatever they pleased. Although their speech was undoubtedly hateful and hurtful they still had the right to share their ideas. (Bekiempis) In response to the march residents of Skokie decided to open a Holocaust memorial museum in order to combat hatred with education. (Stone) The ultimate goal of any peaceful resistance is to spread ideas and influence the minds of the population. In the case of Skokie the march illuminated a problem in society - the prevalence of excessive anti semitism. This realization informed many of the need for more Holocaust education, leading to the improvement of society. Even when a protest or peaceful resistance appears harmful or detrimental to a society, in the end the society is better off allowing it to
Back in the 70s, Skokie, Illinois was a normal American town, with one difference: it was home to a large community of Jewish survivors of the Holocaust. This had little importance on the national stage until 1977, when the National Socialist Party of America decided to hold a rally in Skokie. An injunction was issued against the rally by the village, citing the disturbing effect it would have on the residents. The pro-civil liberties group American Civil Liberties Union came to the aid of the Nazis, and the case made its way to the Supreme Court in National Socialist Party v Skokie. When the Supreme Court handed down their opinion, it was decided in favor of the Nazis, making clear that freedom defends the even the most deplorable. It is argued
Peaceful protest leads to both positive and negative impacts on a free society. The main issue of the society isn't just people making bold moves like these, it has to do with people being able to accept them and not deal with it in a violent way, thinking that, that is acceptable and going to solve anything, when it really make it
Since the beginning of american history there have been peaceful and non peaceful protests. These protests have had valuable effects on American society such as Martin Luther King Jr and Rosa Parks have impacted society greatly and for the better. In my opinion peaceful protests still have negative effects though they are immensely more appropriate than non peaceful protests because peaceful protests often turn violent because people don't know how to act for example Trump Protests.
Peaceful resistance positively impacts a free society, particularly in a Democracy such as the United States. Abraham Lincoln famously described our national foundation as a “government of the people, by the people, for the people”, and for such a statement to be true, it is necessary that voices of US citizens be heard.
Specifically addressing the use of peaceful resistance to laws, I believe that we, as a free society, need to permit peaceful resistance because of the specific issues the public addresses as unjust, unfair, or in violation of their rights demonstrated by this
Peaceful protesting is unfortunately a sometimes necessary action in order to create a dialogue and make negotiations with people who may be oppressing a certain group or community.
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" is a very controversial issue in this day in age. Many Americans, if asked, probably have many varying views and opinions on what peaceful resistance is. For some it could be marching down the streets with signs, while for others its shouting their rights without causing any violence. Now to me, peaceful resistance is when one or multiples stand for what they deem right or wrong without causing any harm to others. To me this serves as a positive because not only does it allow for people to be heard, but also for others to listen. When a peaceful protest takes place often enough it is shown through the internet, social media, television, news, etc. At some point everyone will hear about it and based on what they see they
Protests are a way that many citizens have historically exercised their right to freedom of speech and as to voice their opinions on current matters in the U.S. as well as other nations. Protests help the uninformed get informed on specific issues, and try to persuade fellow citizens. What were some of the effective aspects of the protests that were portrayed in “The Matrix”, “Battle in Seattle” as well as those in “The Letter from Birmingham Jail”? What were the downfalls? An effective protest is one where an advocated idea gets across to the intended audience. Peaceful protests tend to have a better outcome than those that lead to violence.
Peaceful resistance to laws is one of the strongest and most important foundations of a free society. Countless peaceful demonstrations have been led in the history of the United States, with positive outcomes that have helped shape the country.
Peaceful resistance is a major part of American history, from the American Revolution to the 1960’s Civil Rights Movement to the Travel Ban protests of today. These instances of peaceful resistance shape American society for the better, as the voices of minorities are heard and unjust laws are ended. Peaceful resistance does positively impact a free society, as supported by Henry Thoreau, demonstrated by the 1960 Civil Rights Movement, and anticipated by protests of today.
I came to see a presentation related to economics and money that most of the audience came to see from the guest speaker, but was stopped due to a protest. A peaceful protest is standing up for a certain belief by disobeying someone or a group of people using nonviolent tactics and that is what I saw today. I was more shocked to see how the crowd reacted towards the peaceful protesters who were women of Asian, Hispanic, Middle Eastern background to see how people wanted to comfort these girls. I understand majority of the people came to see the presenter speak on the topic and it’s understandable that the audience would be frustrated, but the reaction to the people in the crowd saying “fuck you”, ripped up one of the girls posters, and getting
A peaceful protest beginning with four students from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical College begin sitting down at segregated lunch places. They sat down at whites-only lunch counters. When they were there, and were asked to leave, they declined to leave nor move. Every day, they returned with numerous more dissenters. At one point, they gathered more than 100 people to come and protest. These sit-ins soon spread to different districts. Their activities made a quick and enduring effect, driving Woolworth’s and different foundations to change their segregationist strategies. This eventually led to the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee which filled in as one of the main powers in the social equality development. As for myself,
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
At the heart of every protest there are grievances, such as inequality, feelings of relative deprivation, or injustice. A protest is an objection by words or by actions to particular events, policies, or situations. Protesters can publicly make their opinions be heard or take direct action to make changes. Research suggests that feeling part of a group which you distinguish as deprived is particularly important for engagement in protest. If you’ve ever sacrificed your Saturday to attend a political rally or protest, you’ve probably wondered if your effort really made a difference. There have been many worldwide issues that have led to protesting. Protests throughout history have had major influence on changing political structure, for example, The Boston Tea Party, French Revolution, Vietnam anti-war protests, and Civil Rights marches are just a few that come to mind. The effectiveness of protests depends on the subject of the protest and the manner in which it is conducted. Well-organized, nonviolent protests effect change by keeping issues in front of the public and building public sympathy for the cause and was very effective for the civil rights movements. The cause has to be considered significant by mostly all of the general public for a strong turnout and to be somewhat effective. Organized protests which end in violence or public disorder can do harm to the cause, even if the protesters instigate the violence or if they just respond to it. Protesters lose their