Civil Disobedience Paper Essay Example
Adil Akbar
Mrs. Herrin
English II Pre AP-1
07 November 2011
The Incognito Exterminator of Society The philosophy and tactics of civil disobedience have been used as early as 441 B.C. with Antigone and other religious groups. We must remember, however, this philosophy has also been used as recently as The Anti Vietnam War Movement. Civil disobedience is exercised by citizens that want to better society and they are at fault. Also, despite common belief, civil disobedience is not always non-violent. While citizens should work to improve citizens’ rights and create a better society, breaking the laws can lead to violence and corrupt a society through civil disobedience. Citizens should not result to violence or break the laws to help create a better society. It has been proven that “Violence as a way of achieving racial justice is both impractical and immoral” (King Jr. 409). King’s theory of violence as an impractical way of achieving justice is extremely useful because it sheds insight on the difficult problem of achieving one’s goal through non violence. Many societies have fallen or gotten into civil wars due to people disobeying laws through violence. Also citizens “Must remember that friends made at the risk of wrecking our ship are not real friends at all” (1.28). Citizens that use violence during civil disobedience are a cancer. There are only two ways to get rid of cancer. Heating it with radiation until it goes away, put to jail until death, or cutting it off, banishing them from the city. Finally even people that exercise non-violent disobedience “Help sow the dragon-teeth of violent civil riots” (Van Dusen 390). Although I agree with Van Dusen up to a point, I can hardly accept his overall conclusion that non-violent civil disobeyers plant the seeds for future violent disobeyers. Those unfamiliar with this school of thought may be interested to know that it basically boils down to civil disobedience
Mrs. Herrin
English II Pre AP-1
07 November 2011
The Incognito Exterminator of Society The philosophy and tactics of civil disobedience have been used as early as 441 B.C. with Antigone and other religious groups. We must remember, however, this philosophy has also been used as recently as The Anti Vietnam War Movement. Civil disobedience is exercised by citizens that want to better society and they are at fault. Also, despite common belief, civil disobedience is not always non-violent. While citizens should work to improve citizens’ rights and create a better society, breaking the laws can lead to violence and corrupt a society through civil disobedience. Citizens should not result to violence or break the laws to help create a better society. It has been proven that “Violence as a way of achieving racial justice is both impractical and immoral” (King Jr. 409). King’s theory of violence as an impractical way of achieving justice is extremely useful because it sheds insight on the difficult problem of achieving one’s goal through non violence. Many societies have fallen or gotten into civil wars due to people disobeying laws through violence. Also citizens “Must remember that friends made at the risk of wrecking our ship are not real friends at all” (1.28). Citizens that use violence during civil disobedience are a cancer. There are only two ways to get rid of cancer. Heating it with radiation until it goes away, put to jail until death, or cutting it off, banishing them from the city. Finally even people that exercise non-violent disobedience “Help sow the dragon-teeth of violent civil riots” (Van Dusen 390). Although I agree with Van Dusen up to a point, I can hardly accept his overall conclusion that non-violent civil disobeyers plant the seeds for future violent disobeyers. Those unfamiliar with this school of thought may be interested to know that it basically boils down to civil disobedience