Throughout history, the tension between following the law or standing up for one’s own moral standards has created a powerful tool for social change. Much of the American civil rights movement in the middle of the twentieth century applied the concept of peaceful civil disobedience to achieve massive improvements in civil rights. For instance, consider the silkscreen print Confrontation on the Bridge by Jacob Lawrence, an African-American artist who is famous for his portrayal of African-American historical subjects and contemporary life, which depicts the famous Alabama civil rights march of 1965 in which black civil rights activists nonviolently marched for voting rights from Selma to Montgomery and were harmed by local police officers for
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Nevertheless, one could argue that if a law is unjust, it does not matter if one follows it due to its unfair nature. Because civil disobedience is a non-violent action, peaceful actions have no intent to harm, but rather to urge the government to correct the injustices present. The United States has been a country of freedoms since its beginning and the writing of its founding documents, and many have used said rights to correct injustices in society, such as Henry David Thoreau, one of the most revered American philosophers. An article published by Harvard graduate Charles A. Madison analyzes Henry David Thoreau and his views on the practice of civil disobedience. Thoreau himself was a civil disobedient and often did not pay his taxes in protest; yet, even though he broke the law and was punished for it, he is still remembered more for his disobedient acts and upholding his moral compass than his famous writings and poems (Madison). Because he is revered more for practicing civil disobedience morally than his famous writings, one can conclude that his acts of civil disobedience created a lasting legacy that is still remembered in the present …show more content…
While the consequences of civil disobedience can be daunting, courageous individuals understand that not doing anything when faced with injustice comes at a greater cost. An article published in a peer-reviewed journal discusses moral courage and intelligent disobedience in the context of the military, and comments on the necessity of moral courage when practicing civil disobedience, analyzing evidence that a General in the United States Army supported members of the military who defied an order from their superior for the right reasons because they believe that moral courage and knowing when to disobey is the most important quality a person can have and is essential in the military; especially because while it is the right thing to do, it results in adverse consequences (Chale Thomas. It takes tremendous courage to disobey the law, especially when it may result in imprisonment or other punishment. Knowing when to disobey and having the courage to do so under the right circumstances is a rare but vital trait when practicing civil
Nevertheless, one could argue that if a law is unjust, it does not matter if one follows it due to its unfair nature. Because civil disobedience is a non-violent action, peaceful actions have no intent to harm, but rather to urge the government to correct the injustices present. The United States has been a country of freedoms since its beginning and the writing of its founding documents, and many have used said rights to correct injustices in society, such as Henry David Thoreau, one of the most revered American philosophers. An article published by Harvard graduate Charles A. Madison analyzes Henry David Thoreau and his views on the practice of civil disobedience. Thoreau himself was a civil disobedient and often did not pay his taxes in protest; yet, even though he broke the law and was punished for it, he is still remembered more for his disobedient acts and upholding his moral compass than his famous writings and poems (Madison). Because he is revered more for practicing civil disobedience morally than his famous writings, one can conclude that his acts of civil disobedience created a lasting legacy that is still remembered in the present …show more content…
While the consequences of civil disobedience can be daunting, courageous individuals understand that not doing anything when faced with injustice comes at a greater cost. An article published in a peer-reviewed journal discusses moral courage and intelligent disobedience in the context of the military, and comments on the necessity of moral courage when practicing civil disobedience, analyzing evidence that a General in the United States Army supported members of the military who defied an order from their superior for the right reasons because they believe that moral courage and knowing when to disobey is the most important quality a person can have and is essential in the military; especially because while it is the right thing to do, it results in adverse consequences (Chale Thomas. It takes tremendous courage to disobey the law, especially when it may result in imprisonment or other punishment. Knowing when to disobey and having the courage to do so under the right circumstances is a rare but vital trait when practicing civil