Henry Muhammad Ali Civil Disobedience

Civil disobedience is widely known to play an important role in the formation and progression of the civilized world. Resistance to unjust laws, if done peacefully, impacts the free society positively because it urges a government to distribute freedoms generously while simultaneously maintaining balance within the legal system. Henry David Thoreau stated, "That government is best which governs least" in his essay titled Civil Disobedience. He explained the vital role civil disobedience plays in society while demonstrating how it can be easily distorted to mean that a good government doesn’t govern at all. Thoreau’s case was pertinent to the predicament of slavery during his time, highlighting the “moral tinge” to the idea of fair government. …show more content…
Ali’s refusal of his military draft notice during the Vietnam War sparked controversy and he was quickly labeled a “draft dodger”. Ali stated that he did not dodge the draft, but rather opposed the war. During this time, racism towards African Americans was still prevalent, and he knew he would be treated unfairly. He was also a believer in non-aggression and did not want to participate in killing. Muhammad wisely demonstrated civil disobedience by refusing to comply with something he did not believe in, even going so far as to say, “Just take me to jail”. Ali was stripped of his boxing title and sentenced to five years in prison, yet he remained firm in his belief. Ali was hated by many for this decision, but today many praise him for his bravery to stand against the war that is now characterized as a …show more content…
To create a benevolent culture of solidarity and community value, we must separate the flaws and extinguish them in a way that reflects our intentions positively. Violence only creates more violence, and if the desired end is peace, then the means should also reflect peace. As Martin Luther King Jr. said in his Letter from a Birmingham Jail, “We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.” The legality of laws should always be challenged because they cannot always be inherently right. In Nazi Germany, it was illegal to hide Jews in your home to prevent them from suffering horrid deaths. One might say that such laws would never slide in today’s world, but that person must be assured that “today’s world” is constantly changing, and it is our duty to impact that change for the