Peaceful Resistance: Purpose Of A Nonviolent Movement

Peaceful resistance to laws positively impacts a free society. Looking back at examples from history, without Rosa Parks, the Woman’s Suffrage Movement, or Martin Luther King Jr., the society we live in would be extremely different. Civil disobedience continues to contributes a huge positive impact on the world we live in today.

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 is both negative and positive impact for a free society.¨Civil rights activist Rosa Parks refused to surrender her bus seat to a white passenger, spurring the Montgomery boycott and other efforts to end segregation.¨ One night Rosa Parks got on the bus after a long day of work and the bus started filling up with a bunch of white people. The bus driver pulled over and told Rosa to give up her seat for a white person but she refused. The negative outcome of this is that she got arrested and got charged with a violation of Chapter 6, Section 11, of the Montgomery City Code. Rosa Parks lost a lot of things because of her decision but she was known as a hero.

The definition of nonviolent resistance that you would find in a dictionary would say “peaceful resistance to a government by fasting or refusing to cooperate” (The Free Dictionary). The purpose of Nonviolent Resistance is to affect people's thinking and build political movements for social change (Hartford). Nonviolent Resistance is used to stop oppression by getting inside the oppressor’s head. It is used to make them feel a sense of guilt and remorse because they were not used to not being fought against.

Some of Martin Luther King’s ways to end segregation were nonviolent and direct action. The way the people handled this was amazing but at the same time is was incredibly dangerous. The definition of nonviolent, direct action is using peaceful means rather than force, especially to bring about political or social change. Furthermore, examples of non-violent direct action (also known as nonviolent resistance or civil resistance) include sit-ins, strikes, workplace occupations, blockades, or activism, while violent direct action may include political violence, sabotage, property destruction, or assaults.

Peaceful resistance to laws positively impact a free society, because all committed acts of civil disobedience, all but in very different cases. Have shown a positive impact amongst the people by proving to everyone and the government that every U.S citizen has the freedom to fight for their rights and freedom and not let anyone disrespect their human morals.

Peaceful resistance impacts a free society in a positive way. There are times when the government is blind towards what is going on in the world and even the country in which we live in. Peaceful resistance is an action that takes place to bring awareness to the public. An excellent example of a time in which peaceful resistance impacted the free society in a positive manner is the Civil Rights Movement. This was less than one hundred years ago.

Peaceful resistance, though controversial, is a positive force in our free society, battling this lingering injustice. It is a way in which we can make our voices heard without risking injury to any part of our country.

Mahatma Gandhi once said that “Nonviolence is a weapon of the strong.” Peaceful protests have been used by people all over the world to communicate their struggles and fight for positive change. Without peaceful protests, citizens would only be able to achieve radical change through violent struggles. Though some people believe that laws should be followed unconditionally, this does not address how we should comply with unjust laws. Peaceful protests are the only way oppressed people can seize freedom and it holds civil servants accountable for their actions and decision. Hence, peaceful resistance is necessary for the betterment of society and maintaining the liberty our father’s envisioned.

I believe that peaceful resistance to laws positively impacts a free society. It gives citizens the right to protest against what they believe is wrong without the use of violence. Although it is not right to purposefully break the law it is better to break the law in a peaceful way rather than in a way that could bring harm to other people. Civil disobedience commonly has to do with laws that conflict with people's moral beliefs.

Peaceful resistance has been around for ages and has served for a way for people to achieve goals like social change through the practice of nonviolence. Peaceful resistance has gained much attention in both the past and present, causing others to ponder as to whether such resistance either benefits or harms a free society. There are compelling arguments for both sides, though the argument that peaceful resistance positively impacts society stands to be the most persuasive. Nonviolent resistance benefits a free society because it serves as a method for defeating oppressive regimes and societal norms, it allows powerful leaders to emerge to unite people under one cause, and it facilitates the establishment of lasting democracies. Peaceful resistance has proved to be a way for people to overthrow oppressive regimes and societal norms.

In my opinion I believe that peaceful resistance is a positive impact on our society. If you look at the many marches we have had in recent years, such as the woman's march held a little over a week again as well as all the recent protests involving this years election, you can see Americans expressing their opinions and beliefs for all to see.

A key factor in the success of the Civil Rights Movement was the idea of using non-violent resistance. Non-violent resistance is the method of accomplishing one's goal by protest, civil disobedience, economic or political non-cooperation, satyagraha, and other practices that do not involve any violence. Civil Rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr.’s non-violent resistance was inspired by the guidance of the Indian Leader Mahatma Gandhi. Throughout the 1930s and 40s, Mahatma Gandhi led India's independence from the British rule by communicating to them softly, stirring speeches, and many non-violent protests. He is one of the 20th century's most important figures and continues to be admired in India as a father of the society. King says that

A society is only truly free if the members of the society have the ability to make their own conscious decisions. No successful country operates without disputes and differences of opinion. Therefore, peaceful resistance is not merely positive, but also necessary.

Resistance to laws positively impact a free society. The ability to resist and protest is a freedom in itself, and gives the government feedback from the American citizens. Without peaceful resistance, our government would not know what to change and people would get progressively more mad every day.