Peaceful Resistance In America

In order to stop the fight we have to speak up, gather together, and protest peacefully without any need for harm to come our way, or the police way.

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.

One popular example of peaceful resistance to our laws is the Rosa Parks incident. Parks peacefully disobeyed the segregation laws which required her, and other people of color, to move to the back of the bus in order for white people to have the front seats. When Parks broke the law, she also made a statement. She had harmed no one, and done no harm to any property. All she did was refuse to move to the back of a bus. Her act of disobedience prompted the skepticism of segregation laws and helped prove the fact that just because something is lawful, does not mean it is moral and just because

The history of American, non violent, civil disobedience depicts how peaceful resistance can shape public opinion, voice dissent, and change unjust laws. In both Contemporary and past history do we see the role that protest has on our Democracy,and how dissenters, such as Susan B Anthony and Martin Luther King Jr, can become American heroes. The United States was founded on an act of civil disobedience, and even in Modern America, principled dissent has become the highest form of

Our right to free speech and to peaceably assemble is protected in the First Amendment, and is something we should take seriously. "Congress shall make no law ... 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" (Amendment I). One area of "peaceful resistance" is petitioning to government leaders and taking a stand on what is true and godly. When this is done, people have the opportunity to give government officials a point of view that perhaps they would have never considered

American diplomat and politician who served as the 68th United States Secretary of State, John Forbes Kerry stated, “I saw courage both in the Vietnam War and in the struggle to stop it. I learned that patriotism includes protest, not just military service.” This peaceful resistance during a time of war and confusion proved in favor of both sides and with Kerry’s quote in mind, he made a point that peaceful resistance to laws within a free society, such as America, has led to the ending of injustice acts within our country. From the multitude of marches on Washington, to the simple resistance Rosa Parks showed America, by not giving up her seat. Peaceful resistance, no matter the amount of complaints people may have towards it, puts a positive

When our founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776, they set out to create a Democratic nation where everyone would be able to voice his or her own opinions and push for favorable reforms. This radical idea was challenged by the mightiest army in the world over a series of two wars, but prevailed through endless sacrifice by our nation's earliest patriots. Since, the freedom of speech has morphed into a central pillar for Democracy. Without it, most of the population would not be able to vote, gay rights would not exist, and the American Dream would never be fulfilled. By voicing the common people’s ideas, keeping governments honest in their service, and remaining peaceful, civil disobedience has and can continue to bring forth revolutionary change quintessential to our evolution. If not for civil

In the history of humankind, resistance has jump-started change and brings about fresh point of views on laws that are deemed unjust. The people of a free society have the power to come together to peacefully protest said unjust laws in order create the change they desire. Thomas Jefferson’s letter to James Madison, Henry David Thoreau’s published Civil Disobedience, and the modern struggles of the Black Lives Matter Movement all voice the belief that peaceful resistance to laws positively impact a free society. Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States, writes a letter to James Madison in which he expresses his personal opinion on peaceful protests. Jefferson firmly believes “that a little rebellion now and then is a good

Many people will argue that peaceful resistance to laws and a need for change is unconstitutional, possibly because they believe that the constitution holds true and applies to this day and age. Truthfully, I don’t care what the constitution says and I do not think any of us should take it literally. It’s ambiguous and completely out of date. If the Constitution were applicable to any other time than when it was written, we would not need peaceful resistance. We would not have needed to “peacefully resist” things like segregation, slavery, or inequality. Because the laws of this country and many other countries have a tendency to be oppressive, unfair, and unfavorable towards minority groups, peaceful resistant is not only positively impactful,

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.

In this day and age, peaceful protests against opposed laws has become a centralized right as an individual. It has become a popularized form to oppose laws imposed by the government. Many take to the streets in protest to continue to take part of the government in order to allow for their voices to be heard. However, if resistance becomes violent and threatens the safety of other individuals, it also threatens the original message being portrayed. It is the people of the United States that make up the government and gives the government its power. This is clearly stated in the first three words of the constitution and will continue to be upheld for as long as there is a United States of

Peaceful resistance in the United States of America, done with the right intentions, has a positive impact of a free society. I hold this belief because as humans we can be flawed in our ways of thinking and require something to draw our attention for us to realize our flawed views. Peaceful resistance is positive because it draws attention to an issue in society, it communicates a level of civility, and it attempts to initiate a positive way of addressing issues in society.

A free society that limits or restricts the voice of its people fundamentally contradicts the exact meaning of free. The birth of America itself was knitted in the womb of violent disobedience of the law, and thus exists as a historically essential piece of who we are as Americans.

Based explicitly off events in Britain- such as the coercive acts- and Shay’s rebellion in America, the freedom to peaceably assemble was crafted. The Village of Skokie vs. the National Socialist Party proved that even the most toxic of views are protected under the freedom to assemble. Despite protecting the freedom to express all views, once a protest turns violent, as it did in Charlottesville, it becomes criminal. The Bill of Rights is vital to America and its citizens, and the freedom to assemble promises to all of America’s citizens that they can- and will- be

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.