Peaceful Resistance To Civil Rights

Civil disobedience is a crucial part of any free society, especially a society that wishes to give its citizens the most liberty possible. Looking back on American history, one can see that the colonists originally protested the laws that Britain had imposed, and had done so peacefully. By not paying taxes and by assembling outside public offices, the colonists disobeyed British laws and the British crown. Their protests not only helped spark the American Revolution, but also made light of the fact that any free society relies on its citizens to disobey the government, especially when it's done peacefully.

Brilliantly put by what many deem to be America’s greatest president of all time, Abraham Lincoln, “Let every man remember that to violate the law is to trample on the blood of his father, and to tear the charter of his own and his children’s liberty.” Civil disobedience is defined as the refusal to comply with certain laws as a form of political protest. Although many may argue that this is the sole way to keep the government in check and to make minorities heard, rational people will realize that it is not this disrespect of the law that proves the democracy of our nation.

If we take a closer look at civil disobedience, we can better understand what it means, its goals, and its outcomes. Civil disobedience predominantly exists as direct and non-violent government defiance. Instead of voicing an opinion with a vote or a simple conversation, civil disobedience stands up for what is right using an individual’s whole influence. Therefore, some sacrifices regarding the legality of actions are made in order to preserve the integrity of the mission. In other words, why should a protester follow the law that they are trying to alter? That doesn’t make much sense, therefore civil disobedience allows unjust laws to be broken for the greater good. This method is very effective if, for example, a minority is attempting to

Throughout the 1950s and the 1960s, civil rights activists started protesting for change. In the US and Australia there were many significant protests undertaken by different groups of brave individuals all to invoke change. Some of the most influential protests were the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the American and Australian Freedom Rides. These protests mainly used the tactic of non-violent protests however, they also used boycotts and demonstrations. These protests brought great change to the way that the African Americans were treated in the US and the Indigenous people in Australia, because it forced the public to acknowledge the hardships that they had to face from segregation.

stated, “History is the long and tragic story of the fact that privileged groups seldom give up their privileges voluntarily.” There are many instances throughout history where civil disobedience was practiced because the society did not agree with the laws in place. One of the first examples of civil disobedience throughout history is the Boston Tea Party. These citizens seemed to have met all four of King’s requirements for a nonviolent campaign. They had their facts prepared because they were living through it; they tried to negotiate but Britain would not listen to their needs; they self-purified and created a plan; and then they took direct action. The citizens of the colony of Massachusetts trespassed onto a British ship and threw many pounds of tea overboard to fight for their right not to be taxed without representation in Britain. These protestors were breaking the law to fight for their rights and freedom; therefore making the act justifiable. Another example in history of civil disobedience is the Holocaust. The laws set in place by Germany were not in accordance with the beliefs of many people throughout the world during that time. Citizens who did not agree with what Germany was doing would protest by hiding Jews or other targeted minority groups in their homes. These people knew they were risking their own lives for this cause, but did not care about getting caught. These people just had a higher moral code than the law, and

Civil Disobedience is the peaceful act of protesting a law between the civilians and government. Henry Thoreau explains it like this "… honest men to rebel and revolutionize" (page 392). In civil disobedience by Henry Thoreau he is explaining how the government of his time is abusing its power and people and how the people should do as he did and be a civil disobedient when the laws and government are unjust and go against a man's conscience. Thoreau wants the readers to peacefully protest the laws they feel are unjust, be aware of his own conscience, not be a puppet of the government, and not support anything that is of wrong-doing. He tells the readers to act and not just stand by passively or at least stop supporting what they feel is wrong, and I do believe he presents an effective argument for his point, and as accordingly it appeals to the common man.

Civil disobedience comes in every package under the sun. Whether it be Henry David Thoreau refusing to pay his taxes to protest the Mexican-American War or Mohammed Ali refusing the draft because he believed that they were sending him to fight for rights in another country that he didn’t have in his own. The importance of civil disobedience, particularly in those with influence over the people, is often overshadowed by opposition leaders and naysayers on the other side of the argument. But civil disobedience has kept America moving forward for over 240 years and it won’t be stopping any time soon.

The message this sends to the one committing the wrongs, whether they are intentionally doing the wrong or not, is that the resistors demand a kind of mutual respect and that there is need to at least look into the wrong that the resistors believe is being done to them. Peaceful resistance has far more of an impact and greater message sent than any riot or violent dispute made over an issue because a peaceful resistance displays a level of character that hopefully cannot go unnoticed by anyone in positions of power. This is very evident in the actions of famous civil rights activists such as Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks. We learn about them today still by the way they induced positive change upon America by

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.

Does peaceful resistance to laws positively or negatively impact a free society? In your answer, incorporate the principles and specific examples (including current events) that support your conclusion.

Both nonviolent resistance and violent resistance’s philosophical and societal implications have been written about and meditated on by

From the time we are children and throughout the duration of our lives, we are told to abide by certain sets of rules. In most situations this is a perfectly acceptable expectation; speed limits, remaining quiet in libraries, and waiting until the age of twenty-one to drink are all reasonable things to ask of people. After all, these rules and laws are put in place to ensure a peaceful and safe society. However, when these rules begin to infringe upon the rights of certain groups, some citizens turn to civil disobedience as a form of protest. While some may argue that civil disobedience is nothing more than a violation of the law, it has also proven to have a positive impact on society, in more ways than one. Used by Mahatma Gandhi and Martin

As author Henry David thoreau once stated, “If the injustice is part of the necessary friction of the machine of government, let it go, let it go: perchance it will wear smooth--certainly the machine will wear out”( Thoreau, Henry David. Walden and "Civil Disobedience". New York: Signet Classics, 1980). Civil Disobedience in its true form, is the peaceful protest of civilians who feel the laws are unjust. These rallies,boycotts, or sit ins have forced a new way of thinking onto the public. Causing them rethink the morals they have been taught. Many forms of civil disobedience have been used throughout the years. While some have been ineffective in getting their message to public, others will be remembered forever throughout history.

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 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