Civil Disobedience: Henry David Thoreau, Rosa Parks, Jr.

Civil disobedience as a whole acts as a means of positive change in a free society. The First Amendment of the Constitution stands as a protectant to our freedom of speech and expression. In over words, civil disobedience exists as a product of our rights as an American citizen. Without this peaceful resistance to unjust laws, we would be tied down to regulations that serve to endanger and infringe upon the freedom our founding fathers fought for. Though out history, civil heros such as Henry David Thoreau, Rosa Parks, and Martin Luther King Jr serve to reflect the positive impact and enhanced freedom brought to life by civil disobedience.

As early as 1849, people were beginning to find fault in their government and its means of controlling its citizens. In Civil Disobedience, Henry David Thoreau brings to light the faults in the leading powers of
America, citing the moto "That government is best which governs least" while also proclaiming "That government is best which governs not at all". He goes on to detail how people should be able to fight against unjust laws. Thoreau also heightens this claim by detailing how government lacks apt to provide for reform, fails to cherish its wise minority, and serves to always crucify Christ, and excommunicate Copernicus and Luther, and pronounce Washington and Franklin rebels. By the end of Civil Disobedience, Thoreau that states will only reach true freedom when they come to understand the power of any individual. In his final paragraph, he even dares to dream of a world where civil disobedience works to create justice for every man, regardless of how the law previously perceived him.

Henry David Thoreau was not the only standout in history to speak of the positive effect of civil disobedience.
Martin Luther King Jr, a man made famous by his use of civil disobedience throughout the civil rights movement, displays his viewpoints on the method in Letter from a Birmingham Jail. In the fourth paragraph of the letter, he claims that "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere", heightening the importance of civil disobedience when it comes to unjust and unfair laws. Later in the letter, he states: "Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue. It seeks so to dramatize the issue that it can no longer be ignored". King's powerful statements accompanied by the severity of the issues of his time reflect the dire need for civil disobedience when it comes to the evolution of a country and its government. His message and actions exist as a perfect example of how actions such as boycotts, sit-ins. and all other forms of peaceful protest can correlate towards positive
change.

Rosa Parks stands as another prime example of the importance of peaceful protest and denying the rule of unjust laws. By refusing to give up her seat near the front of the bus to a white man, and in turn follow the unjust laws of her society, she became the "mother of the civil rights movement" and a symbol of civil disobedience. While against the law, her actions caused no physical harm to anyone and untimely served to spur the movement that led towards equal rights for everyone, regardless of skin color.

While some may view civil disobedience as a hindrance or an attack against the government whose job it is to protect us; in reality, it is an important part of out history and an execution of our rights. Even recently, we can see civil disobedience working through events such as the Women's March on Washington and other similar demonstrations. Civil disobedience acts as the key to democracy. It gives the people a voice and a say in what should be considered fair in a country. Without it, citizens would be trapped under the thumb of a government with the ability to encumber any group of people it pleases.