Civil Disobedience Papers
Civil Disobedience
Many people think that civil disobedience is simply a way of expressing your opposition to a law through a publicity stunt. However, civil disobedience is much more than this. Civil disobedience leads to a more positive society where people can feel open of expressing themselves against unjust laws or actions of government. The action of civil disobedience makes a free society where, in Adlai Stevenson’s words, people find it more “safe to be unpopular”.
Without civil disobedience we would still have many unjust laws in place. The United states wouldn’t even be a nation without civil disobedience. Acts of civil disobedience such as the civil rights movement contributed to the rights of many and without it many people will be living under oppression and segregation. Without these acts of civil disobedience people would not be in a position to express themselves and how they feel.
In Morris I. Leibman’s “Civil Disobedience:A threat to out law society” he tells how “specific disobedience breeds disrespect and promotes general disobedience”. This may possibly be true however, the implication of civil disobedience leads to so much more than “general disobedience”, its …show more content…
impact leads to a greater society for everyone. Leibman also says that civil disobedience “at best deplorable and at worst destructive”, but the definition of civil disobedience is peacefully protesting, not destructively.
A very recent act of civil disobedience is the protesting against the Keystone oil pipeline. Many of the people who were protesting were arrested and they knew that this was a consequence, but they wanted to show how they feel that it is unjust that they are building this oil pipeline which is harmful to the environment. Around 2,000 people were in this act of civil disobedience peacefully protesting in front of the White House. This has led to a lot of controversy whether the pipeline should be built or not. Civil disobedience is more influential than something such as a petition or a casted vote.
Protesting gains much more support, media coverage, and recognition from government officials. In Henry David Thoreau’s “Civil Disobedience” he explains how civil disobedience is more influential than anything else when he says, “Cast your whole vote, not a strip of paper merely, but your whole influence.” He also states, “I ask for, not at once no government, but at once a better government”. In this quote he explains how a better government can be achieved when the citizens of a nation take action and stand up for unfair acts of the government by civil disobedience. When the citizens of a nation stand up for what they think is wrong they are “men first, and subjects
afterward”(Thoreau). When civil disobedience is implemented in a positive and peaceful way it can grow much attention and change unfair government actions. With less unfair government actions comes a more social and free society. When there is a free society people feel that they can stand up for what they believe in. People should be able to stand up for what they feel is right, so there should be increased civil disobedience.
Many people think that civil disobedience is simply a way of expressing your opposition to a law through a publicity stunt. However, civil disobedience is much more than this. Civil disobedience leads to a more positive society where people can feel open of expressing themselves against unjust laws or actions of government. The action of civil disobedience makes a free society where, in Adlai Stevenson’s words, people find it more “safe to be unpopular”.
Without civil disobedience we would still have many unjust laws in place. The United states wouldn’t even be a nation without civil disobedience. Acts of civil disobedience such as the civil rights movement contributed to the rights of many and without it many people will be living under oppression and segregation. Without these acts of civil disobedience people would not be in a position to express themselves and how they feel.
In Morris I. Leibman’s “Civil Disobedience:A threat to out law society” he tells how “specific disobedience breeds disrespect and promotes general disobedience”. This may possibly be true however, the implication of civil disobedience leads to so much more than “general disobedience”, its …show more content…
impact leads to a greater society for everyone. Leibman also says that civil disobedience “at best deplorable and at worst destructive”, but the definition of civil disobedience is peacefully protesting, not destructively.
A very recent act of civil disobedience is the protesting against the Keystone oil pipeline. Many of the people who were protesting were arrested and they knew that this was a consequence, but they wanted to show how they feel that it is unjust that they are building this oil pipeline which is harmful to the environment. Around 2,000 people were in this act of civil disobedience peacefully protesting in front of the White House. This has led to a lot of controversy whether the pipeline should be built or not. Civil disobedience is more influential than something such as a petition or a casted vote.
Protesting gains much more support, media coverage, and recognition from government officials. In Henry David Thoreau’s “Civil Disobedience” he explains how civil disobedience is more influential than anything else when he says, “Cast your whole vote, not a strip of paper merely, but your whole influence.” He also states, “I ask for, not at once no government, but at once a better government”. In this quote he explains how a better government can be achieved when the citizens of a nation take action and stand up for unfair acts of the government by civil disobedience. When the citizens of a nation stand up for what they think is wrong they are “men first, and subjects
afterward”(Thoreau). When civil disobedience is implemented in a positive and peaceful way it can grow much attention and change unfair government actions. With less unfair government actions comes a more social and free society. When there is a free society people feel that they can stand up for what they believe in. People should be able to stand up for what they feel is right, so there should be increased civil disobedience.