The Act Of Civil Disobedience

“If you make laws to keep us suppressed in a wrongful manner and without taking us into confidence, these laws will merely adorn the statue books. We will never obey them”(1). Mohandas Gandhi expressed this in his writing “On Nonviolent Resistance”. “Civil disobedience” is when people use their voice by protesting, non-violently, to stick up against unjust laws and unjust movements. The truths and values are proven and brought to attention in the writings of Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr, and Henry David Thoreau. Civil disobedience can be the solution to unjust laws and violence around the world.

From Cherokee Indians refusing to abandon their homes in 1838 to the Sit-ins of the civil rIghts movement in the early 1960s, people have been using acts of civil disobedience to stand against injustice they saw in their communities. Although there are many examples of people abusing this benefit and causing more grief and shame than progress, many have used it to their advantage to bring about positive change for the greater good of society, therefore acts of civil disobedience can positively impact a free society if they remain peaceful, respectful, and justified.

Civil disobedience allows citizens in the free society of the United States to express their opinions in a way that is sure to evoke governmental attention, while enlightening the public

What is civil disobedience? Civil disobedience is the opposing of a law one finds unjust by refusing to follow it and accepting the consequences. So many people have performed acts of civil disobedience from Martin Luther King Jr. to everyday people. But what people did as civil disobedience a hundred years ago is completely different today. It is such an important part of a free society because it helps to define what a free society is, shows the true meaning of freedom of speech, and shows the government that citizens are not willing to follow an unjust law without violence.

Civil Disobedience is classified as the refusal to comply with certain laws or to pay taxes and fines, as a peaceful form of political protest. This idea was brought into focus in the essay “Resistance to Civil Government (Civil Disobedience)” by American transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau. Thoreau’s opinion on the subject was that the government was involved in everyone’s business, trying to make the country better yet they had the opposite effect. His opinion was that there is a need to prioritize one’s conscious over the dictates of law. Though there are many things that Thoreau touches on, the three main issues that he discussed were The Mexican war, slavery, and the taxes that he was protesting against.

While growing up, our parents taught us what was right and what was wrong based on their beliefs and views. When we were younger, we were taught to follow and obey those who were older than us and possessed a higher authoritative status. One’s reasoning for being obedient includes: religious beliefs, background, and work ethics. Civil disobedience played a large role in America. Creating protests, riots, and sit-ins, America had many examples of disobedience. In America, we value our rights as citizens and individuals. We have the right to protest as stated in the first amendment of the United States Constitution, which is called Freedom of Speech. According to the Webster Dictionary, civil disobedience is said to be “the refusal to obey government demands or commands and nonresistance to consequent arrest and punishment.” Citizens are willing to accept the legal consequences associated with their disobedient actions. How does the law respond to people who engage in civil disobedience? Fining and jail time are the legal consequences enforced by authority but also there is a trend of change. I believe civil disobedience is justified simply by your own personal beliefs and the rights you attain as a citizen. The law is the law, if you disobey; the authoritative figure is responsible for giving a consequence.

The human race doesn’t take injustice lying down. Over the past hundred years, there has been many examples of people taking a stand for their own rights and freedoms through acts of civil disobedience, defined as “the refusal to comply with certain laws or to pay taxes and fines, as a peaceful form of political protest”. While a quick glance at today’s society does show a much more accepting and proper view of people of every race, religion and sexuality, our world does not come without its injustices. I believe that these major injustices keep civil disobedience extremely relevant in our current, modern world.

America was founded on a principle of civil disobedience. With the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Founding Fathers set forth a powerful precedent. The Declaration said in part, that when institutions of government becomes destructive or abusive of unalienable rights, it is the right of the people to alter it or to abolish it. The history of our nation tells us that civil disobedience is a civic responsibility, and in the alleged words of Thomas Jefferson, “Dissent is the highest form of patriotism”. From the Boston Tea Party to the Stonewall Riots, the United States Constitution and advances in racial, social, and gender equality support the idea that peaceful resistance positively contributes to a freer society, and a more equitable America.

The concept of civil disobedience has been around for ages. Evolving and changing from the time of Socrates and appearing in different parts of the world like India. Henry David Thoreau ( 1869–1948) was the person who first gave this concept a name and used it. He viewed the war against the United States and Mexico as the south’s way to expand slavery. He had already stopped paying his taxes as an act of protest against slavery but when he publicly criticized the U.S. invasion of Mexico, he was jailed under

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.

With white men holding most of the power in society at one time, it would have been easy to keep treating minorities as second class citizens if no one stood up for what they thought was right. For this reason, civil disobedience is one of the most important actions an individual or group can take to improve their situation. If women did not come together to try and earn the right to vote or gain more economic and political status or if people of color did not fight back against segregation and racial discrimination, our society would be anything but free. Therefore, civil disobedience is a positive way to overcome the negative, immoral and unjust aspects of our

As Thomas Jefferson once wrote in the Declaration of Independence, “Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed”. The people of a nation shape its functioning and identity, and one of the most enduring methods of reform in all nations has been civil disobedience. Civil disobedience can be defined as a peaceful act performed by a group to bring about the change they wish to see in the world. Civil disobedience has been a prominent feature of societies, and has the capacity to result in incredibly positive changes. This is evidenced in the freedom riders’ stand against segregation, Thoreau’s stand against societal change and norms, current movements towards gender equality in eastern countries.

In Alabama, there used to be a segregation law where African Americans had to sit in the back of the bus. If a white person happens to be on a bus where the seats are full, an African American would have to stand and allow that person to have the seat instead. In December 1955, Rosa Parks refused in a calm manner when the bus driver asked her and other passengers of colour to give up their seats, she was then arrested and sent to jail. After this, Martin Luther King Jr. arranged a bus boycott. After 13 months of boycotting, the U.S. Supreme Court to finally ruled the bus segregation law as unconstitutional, the act of civil disobedience was ultimately successful.

The United States Constitution grants citizens the right to peacefully protest and petition the government; however, some people believe that civil disobedience should be expunged from the list of rights people have. I believe this would go against the notion of the United States being the "home of the free", freedom is only freedom when there are no restrictions. Yes, civil disobedience does case complications between the people and the government, but wasn't the government made " for the people, but the people"? Do they not have the right to live under laws they approve of?

Civil disobedience has been responsible for some of the most important steps forward in our nation's history, and will continue to be a positive force for change well into the future. The greatest example of this came during the Civil Rights movement. Beginning with Rosa Parks' gallant stand on the bus in Montgomery, the Civil Rights Movement was a perfect example of the power of standing up against