What Is The Most Effective Means Of Protesting An Unjust Law
Short Paper 1
Philosophy Human Person
Civil Disobedience
What is the most effective means of protesting an unjust law?
by
Maria Cristina Coello
June 19, 2014
Summer 2014
No matter how much society fights against injustice and inequality, there is always something that corrupts laws into unjust ones. Often these “unjust” laws affect directly to a certain type of group or individuals just because of characteristics or social class. The minority groups affected by the special treatment given by the law to them for their characteristics should not be tolerated at all. Perhaps these types of unfortunate groups already fought and weren't heard but they might not fight with the most effective means of protesting against the unjust laws that affect their lives. But who knows which the most effective means of protesting are? Much of what I know about means of protesting has come from three different philosophers: Socrates, Dr. King and Malcolm. The means of protesting of these three marvelous thinkers are completely opposite. However, I brought up the argument that if we put together the means of protesting of these philosophers and effectuate them in specific steps would help solve some of the many problems with unjust laws giving us the most effective mean of protesting. So, we could tackle an unjust law with a strategy made by a mix of three types of means of protesting developed in the following order: persuasion by Socrates, non-violence by Dr. King and direct action or any means necessary by Malcolm X. Consequently, I will explain why I think the three means of protesting should be developed together in certain order but first I will make an introduction of the philosophers and their way of thinking about which is the most effective means of protesting for them.
“Socrates (469-399 B.C.) is at once the most exemplary and the strangest of the Greek philosophers, His style of teaching—immortalized as the Socratic Method—involved not conveying knowledge but
Philosophy Human Person
Civil Disobedience
What is the most effective means of protesting an unjust law?
by
Maria Cristina Coello
June 19, 2014
Summer 2014
No matter how much society fights against injustice and inequality, there is always something that corrupts laws into unjust ones. Often these “unjust” laws affect directly to a certain type of group or individuals just because of characteristics or social class. The minority groups affected by the special treatment given by the law to them for their characteristics should not be tolerated at all. Perhaps these types of unfortunate groups already fought and weren't heard but they might not fight with the most effective means of protesting against the unjust laws that affect their lives. But who knows which the most effective means of protesting are? Much of what I know about means of protesting has come from three different philosophers: Socrates, Dr. King and Malcolm. The means of protesting of these three marvelous thinkers are completely opposite. However, I brought up the argument that if we put together the means of protesting of these philosophers and effectuate them in specific steps would help solve some of the many problems with unjust laws giving us the most effective mean of protesting. So, we could tackle an unjust law with a strategy made by a mix of three types of means of protesting developed in the following order: persuasion by Socrates, non-violence by Dr. King and direct action or any means necessary by Malcolm X. Consequently, I will explain why I think the three means of protesting should be developed together in certain order but first I will make an introduction of the philosophers and their way of thinking about which is the most effective means of protesting for them.
“Socrates (469-399 B.C.) is at once the most exemplary and the strangest of the Greek philosophers, His style of teaching—immortalized as the Socratic Method—involved not conveying knowledge but