Civil disobedience is the act of disobeying governmental commands in a peaceful, non-violent, form of protest. Throughout history, peaceful protest have had a positive impact on free society. Peaceful protest have had the biggest impact during the Civil Rights Movement. During this time, many people have led non-violent protest for their rights, including well known African-American Activist, Martin Luther King Jr.. He was most famously known for his speech, I Have a Dream.
One of the most famous examples of civil disobedience is Rosa Park’s refusal to sit in the back of the bus. An article on Newsuem.org named “Rosa Parks and Civil Disobedience”
Civil Disobedience In the dictionary civil disobedience is the refusal to comply with certain laws or to pay taxes and fines, as a peaceful form of political protest, but Thoreau and Martin Luther King have their own beliefs to civil disobedience. In Thoreau’s “Civil Disobedience” he writes about the need to prioritize one’s conscience over the dictates of laws. Martin Luther King uses civil disobedience as something that effectuates change in the government. Both Thoreau and Martin Luther King has similar yet different perspectives on civil disobedience.
Gandhi, leader of the indian independence movement. Gandhi put in a lot of hard work to gain their independence, was imprisoned many times, but has inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. In his essay he mentioned twice about how they will not obey their laws. He mentioned this when he said “We made it clear to the said Government that we would never bow to its outrageous laws” and also when he said “but so long there is yet life in these our bones, we will never comply with your arbitrary laws.” This demonstrates civil disobedience because he just told them simply and peacefully that they will not abide by those laws they've set.
Plagiarism can be an act of civil disobedience Plagiarism, one of the fundamental issues of academic life, is a basic subject to portray, yet difficult to maintain a strategic distance from. According to Merriam-Webster dictionary: plagiarism is the action of using the words or ideas of another person as if they were your own words or ideas. As defined previously, plagiarism is only taking someone else work without giving credits. I believe plagiarism cannot be an act of civil disobedience because it is not a political act and does not envision a change in the law or policies in the government. What is a civil disobedience?
For example, King’s first opportunity to display Civil Disobedience in his society was in becoming a leader of The Montgomery Bus Boycott. King did wanted to fight towards injustice but he was influenced by the Bible and from his understanding of the teachings of Jesus which showed him that the way to fight injustice was not harming other. As a matter of fact, King and Gandhi had the same view about civil disobedience, but they used civil disobedience in different injustice act. Gandhi was the preeminent leader of the Indian independence movement in British-ruled India.
Civil Disobedience and Manifest Destiny? What is Civil Disobedience exactly? Well in 1849, an American Author by the name of Henry David Thoreau wrote an inspiring piece of literature stating the injustice and unruliness of the governments ways and how America was being run. In the essay that he wrote, he states “I ask for, not at once no government, but at once a better government,” (Henry David Thoreau). What he means is that he’s not asking for there not to be a government, but for there to be a better one.
Civil Disobedience is an important moral responsibility of a citizen, however it should not get to the level of illegal activity under any circumstances, because great reform can be brought peacefully not violently. In the title named "On Civil Disobedience" by Mohandas K. Ghandi once said: “No country has ever become or will ever become, happy though victory in war”(Mohandas K. Gandhi , 148). Even that long ago, when war was at high, and people embraced it, he knew that the only thing war brought was death, and depression among civilians. This method of civil disobedience has only resulted into more wars, and no real solutions. The most efficient way to the be civilly disobedient is to be peaceful, but willing to stand up for your cause.
Civil Disobedience What is civil disobedience? What does it do? Why is it important? Is it a right thing? These few questions might pop into one 's head when they hear civil disobedience.
Herbert J. Storing, an Associate Professor of Political Science, in “The Case Against Civil Disobedience,” writes, “One of the practical consequences of this institution [civil disobedience] is to divert disobedience and even revolution into the channel of law” (97). What Storing is saying is that civil disobedience will encourage people to break the laws and they will hide under civil disobedience to avoid the law. Also, civil disobedience might split society by creating disagreements with the people, and it could create a political instability. However, Storing fails to see that those who break an unjust law, as discussed above, do not avoid the law, in fact they show respect to the law as they willingly accept the consequences. By accepting the consequences, they show that they are not acting for their own interests but for society’s.
Martin Luther King Jr. also believed in civil disobedience which helped him united the majority of African Americans to protest with him in nonviolent ways leading to great change in american societies. But not all disobedience is effective for example, before MLK many Africans wanted to make a change but their anger clouded their judgment leading to deadly riots and protests
Civil disobedience makes a statement. It is a tool that can be used to make a difference. Peaceful resistance to unjust laws helps a free society by allowing people to be heard without violence. Anyone can attack brutally, either verbally or physically, to get attention. But the best way to be noticed is to, “create such a crisis and establish such a creative tension...that it can no longer be ignored,” as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote in his letter from a Birmingham jail.
As kids people get taught what is wrong and right from a parental figure or experiences of life teach us how to react to different situations. When we finally turn adults no one is there to remind us of what’s good and what's bad so we have to use our past experiences and our knowledge to help guide us. Each adult shapes their societies for their generation and many more generations to come. Mohandas k. Gandhi and Susan B Anthony’s speech along with the article Selma to Montgomery March on history show that civil disobedience is a moral responsibility.
Civil Disobedience Thousands of dedicated people march the streets of a huge city, chanting repetitively about needing a change. They proudly hold vibrant signs and banners as they fight for what they believe in. Expressions of determination and hope are visibly spread across their faces. These people aren’t using weapons or violence to fight for their ideas; simply, they are using civil disobedience.
Civil disobedience is the deliberate action against an unjust law to invoke a positive change in government and society. Civilians have the right to refute these types of unjust laws to eliminate inequality and government’s unjust nature by following conscience before laws for moral guidance. As demonstrated in Antigone, this is depicted by the daughter of Oedipus, who disobeys Creon’s law for the greater good because of the laws unjust nature. In Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau, a naturalist, promotes this concept as well through his philosophical standpoint of the flaws of the government. Lastly, in Dr. King’s letter he qualifies the idea of civilians disobeying their government through non violent campaigns to stand up against
