Why Is Civil Disobedience Important In The Civil Rights Movement

In summation, civil disobedience is a tool that has been used to improve our freedoms through the decades. It has allowed for peaceful ways for the people to stand up for something they believe in. As Henry David Thoreau said, “The only obligation which I have a right to assume is to do at any time, what I think is right.” That is what makes a society free, the ability to disagree with others,

Throughout the 1800s in America, slavery was a controversy between the north and the south. A Slave was one who was the property of another human being under law and was forced to obey them. The North felt that slavery was unfair and inhumane, whereas in the South, they felt as though slavery was crucial to their success. African American slaves were not allowed many rights: they were not allowed to testify in court against a white person, could not receive an education, or even sign contracts. Due to the brutality they faced each day, many slaves escaped with hopes to find freedom. The Underground Railroad, a system utilized by many runaway slaves to help them escape from the South to Canada, played a large role in the downfall of slavery and eventual abolition in the United States following the Civil War.

In Thoreau 's essay Civil Disobedience he makes the point that bystanders are just as bad as criminals and that people should stand against unjust crimes even if it means going against the law. And to some extent I do agree because in the past people have broken unjust laws and have created change. A well-known example would be when Rosa Parks sat on the bus in the "White-only" seating area, which lead to important events that helped push the Civil Rights movement forward. But I think that it depends on which laws they choose to break and how far they choose to go with it.

The Underground Railroad was an intricate system of households and farmhouses alike that were all connected throughout many towns and villages in the mid 1800s. It was formed by the common goal of people taking a stand against the law and helping thousands of black slaves escape from the south to gain their rightful freedom in the north. This happened because many people began to see slaves as human beings with value, rather than brutes that were valued less than a human. Throughout the mid 1800s, there were many cases of runaway slaves attempting to escape to freedom without anywhere to hide or anyone to help. A lot of people realized that this was a very impactful movement so they began to open up their minds and homes to these fugitive slaves as an attempt to help them make it into the north. Many people helped these runaway slaves because they believed it was morally right, that black oppression was a crime; slaves held value and deserved to keep their family together and lead a life as any other man or woman would, and former slaves shed light on these critical issues.

Civil disobedience can negatively affect a free society under false pretenses because it can affect the way someone believes something is right or wrong due to the information that is given ot that is stirred up on social media. Another way it impacts society is because there are aggressive protestors that become dangerous. Protesters aren’t the only ones being disruptive, police officers also participate in the disruptive actions. There were also some aggressors that didn’t want to accept their consequences, but their actions differed from what they wanted. In the twentieth century people believe that violence can be the answer to a situation, but it can actually cause a division in our society. This division will build rage that will affect the nation more severely in the

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.

Civil disobedience is defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as "a refusal to obey governmental commands especially as a nonviolent means of protest."(Jacobus) We can see an example of this in U.S. history, when this theory was applied during the Civil Right Movement. The laws back then restricted African Americans from being able to attend public schools or use public restrooms that were designated as "white only." Even though they had paid taxes like everyone else, these types of segregation laws targeted minorities and made them second-rate citizens. Martin Luther King, who was sincere in exposing

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 history Civil Disobedience has had nothing but positive impacts for our nation. The people are trying to improve the government the only way they know how. In 1847 Henry David Thoreau, a philosopher, wrote in his essay on civil disobedience “I ask, for not at once no government, but at once a better government.” A great example for a leap for rights would be the Montgomery Bus Boycott. On December 5th of 1955, African Americans took a vow not to take the bus as a silent and peaceful protest for segregation seating, this lasted 381 days. Finally, the U.S Supreme Court integrated their bus system. The boycott was only the start of the American Civil Rights Movement. Segregation was a big problem that we don't see much these days because people

To this day there are people fighting for the rights of people of colour in groups such as Black Lives Matter and for the rights people in the LGBT+ community. Some people who are advocates for these things can and do use civil disobedience as a way to raise awareness and protest. Acts of civil disobedience can attract much more attention than a regular protest, which can help shed light on these important issues. Misogyny, racism, xenophobia and homophobia are all still very real issues in today's society, and civil disobedience (if used properly) can be as powerful of a weapon now as it was fifty years ago to fight for the equality of all

Similar to protests, rebellions evoke change in the system through peace. If words are not enough, often times citizens take matters into their own hands. The Montgomery Bus Boycott and the 1963 March on Washington are both famous examples. Without violence, the famous bus boycott drew the attention of the Supreme Court. In 1956, the Supreme Court ruled that the laws segregating African Americans on Montgomery buses were unconstitutional; consequently, this was a large victory for the African Americans, and propelled their case for equal rights. In 1963, the world was no so peaceful for African Americans. Violent attacks on peaceful demonstrators were consuming the deep south, and this called for a mass protest march into Washington D.C. This peaceful demonstration drew the attention of John F. Kennedy, and provoked him to pass a federal civil rights bill later that year. The success of peaceful rebellions is explicitly shown through these two examples, which both brought on major changes. Civil disobedience is like a construction site. It is long and occasionally messy, but the outcome that results is without a doubt worth the initial troubles. The refusal to comply with unjust laws is what drives the United

Civil disobedience positively impacts a free society for several reasons. Not everything the government does will be accepted by those who know their rights. Protesting peacefully can bring a nation together and get the unimaginable accomplished just by unity. For example, Dr. King practiced protesting without the use of violence and today he is known as the most influential civil rights activist to ever live. He led peaceful marches with thousands of comrades, holding signs condemning the nation of all of the racial injustice.Change just can't happen over night, one must persevere and stand up for what is right no matter what people say. Without people like Dr. King we would still be living in a very much racist white driven world. We must

This act was protesting against King George lll's ruling the 13 colonies and unfair taxation on goods. The colonies have also told the king about how they are their own country and demanded independence. Civil disobedience has helped shaped our country and has given America the independence it deserved from Great Britain. Many would argue that civil disobedience has given a negative impact on our society and will further crumble the nation. However, this idea is false.

In a “free” society, civil disobedience has been a part of human history more than once. The question is: does it impact society positively or negatively? The answer is: positively. In defense of many human lives under unfair laws and acts, it takes strong, willful people to stand up to higher authority, and for themselves. Think about it, without the work of the civilized courageous protesting, how would citizens in a society make the world they live in better, for future generations of life? The peaceful resistance brings the non-violence fight for change that the people deserve, and shows the present generation the struggles of past societies.

The question whether or not civil disobedience is justifiable in a democracy has been a controversial matter among thinkers and politicians. Views vary from almost absolute support to the legitimacy of civil disobedience in democratic societies to conservative support and to the rejection of the idea.