Muhammad Ali Vietnam War Essay
A famous boxer and practitioner of peaceful resistance to laws once refused to join the draft for the Vietnam War. Muhammad Ali knew that he was violating the law, but he did not perpetuate that he was above the law; he knew the consequences and was fully prepared to accept them. He was arrested and convicted to 5 years in prison, and he underwent years of public backlash against his decision. However, it was the same war that caused the downfall of Lyndon B. Johnson, who-once revered and respected for his work in social programs to help his country-became bombarded with mockery and a daily dose of “Hey hey LBJ, how many kids did you kill today?” What comes out of this example is that the initial disbelief that civil disobedience will not
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With recent, record-breaking protests such as the ones on the weekend of January 20-22 (as well as pre-existing ones such as the North Dakota Access Pipeline protests), more and more people are participating in the phenomenon that is peaceful resistance and protest, and, as officials say about the Women’s March during the weekend (to connect with an example), “not a single arrest was made” (Seipel, “The Hill”). Again, there are direct results, as the NDAP protests caused alternate considerations by the Army regarding the pipeline (Brodwin, “Business Insider”). The United States was a country created on the basis of revolution; the Declaration of Independence is the archetype document of resistance; even the Resistance in Star Wars is viewed as good with their attempts at disobedience. Thomas Jefferson sought for the balance of the inherent right of revolution with the need to conform to the set laws that exist to protect the well-being of all; with civil disobedience, Jefferson’s ideals are ensured. No one is claiming to be above the law, nor are they attempting to usurp the standing government. The people only want the efficient, peaceful change and positive transition that can only come from the peaceful resistance to laws. Peaceful resistance to laws positively impacts society as it brings about the change without violence and needless bloodshed and fighting and challenges thinking from different viewpoints in a mental and emotional standpoint that
With recent, record-breaking protests such as the ones on the weekend of January 20-22 (as well as pre-existing ones such as the North Dakota Access Pipeline protests), more and more people are participating in the phenomenon that is peaceful resistance and protest, and, as officials say about the Women’s March during the weekend (to connect with an example), “not a single arrest was made” (Seipel, “The Hill”). Again, there are direct results, as the NDAP protests caused alternate considerations by the Army regarding the pipeline (Brodwin, “Business Insider”). The United States was a country created on the basis of revolution; the Declaration of Independence is the archetype document of resistance; even the Resistance in Star Wars is viewed as good with their attempts at disobedience. Thomas Jefferson sought for the balance of the inherent right of revolution with the need to conform to the set laws that exist to protect the well-being of all; with civil disobedience, Jefferson’s ideals are ensured. No one is claiming to be above the law, nor are they attempting to usurp the standing government. The people only want the efficient, peaceful change and positive transition that can only come from the peaceful resistance to laws. Peaceful resistance to laws positively impacts society as it brings about the change without violence and needless bloodshed and fighting and challenges thinking from different viewpoints in a mental and emotional standpoint that