Civil Disobedience: A Dangerous Influence on Society Civil disobedience is extremely significant in progressing American democracy: it was the impetus that drove our founding fathers to resist England, it aided Susan B. Anthony and Alice Paul in struggle for women’s suffrage, and aided abolitionists and civil rights advocates for nearly 150 years. However, when civil disobedience movements lack peaceful leadership they often turn violent, decreasing respect for authority and democracy. Once a movement gains a violent momentum, it immediately ceases to be effective, instead causing more division between the opposing groups--often times harming innocents who are perceived as “part of the system.” Two powerful examples that demonstrate the dangers
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Presently, one of the most heated topics is the on-going struggle surrounding police brutality toward minorities. As a result of the killings of African-American individuals, such as Michael Brown and, more recently Keith Lamont Scott, many groups steeped in civil disobedience have arisen. These groups, largely consisting of minorities, have banded together to protest biased law enforcement practices and the violence coinciding within them. Groups such as Black Lives Matter started with peaceful resistance movements like protesting. This action in and of itself was not a problem, but soon became one in both Charlotte and Ferguson as the protests, due to lack of leadership, turned violent, and eventually became full-blown riots. In both cases, community businesses and homes were looted, property was destroyed, and many people were injured. Due to lack of direction and oversimplification in explaining the causes of systematic racism, police officers have become the scapegoat of the Black Lives Matter movement--much like the Vietnam veterans in the late
Presently, one of the most heated topics is the on-going struggle surrounding police brutality toward minorities. As a result of the killings of African-American individuals, such as Michael Brown and, more recently Keith Lamont Scott, many groups steeped in civil disobedience have arisen. These groups, largely consisting of minorities, have banded together to protest biased law enforcement practices and the violence coinciding within them. Groups such as Black Lives Matter started with peaceful resistance movements like protesting. This action in and of itself was not a problem, but soon became one in both Charlotte and Ferguson as the protests, due to lack of leadership, turned violent, and eventually became full-blown riots. In both cases, community businesses and homes were looted, property was destroyed, and many people were injured. Due to lack of direction and oversimplification in explaining the causes of systematic racism, police officers have become the scapegoat of the Black Lives Matter movement--much like the Vietnam veterans in the late