How does one maintain freedom? How does one obtain freedom to begin with? The definition of a free society is constantly evolving and changing. Our nation claimed to be the land of the free when it was legal to purchase another human being, when certain individuals did not possess the right to vote in a supposed democratic society, and when two people could walk into the same restaurant and yet only one of them would be served. Today, any educated person can recognize the injustice present in these examples, yet many forget how this injustice was overcome. The truth can be found in the words of Martin Luther King Jr., “We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.” Without peaceful resistance to laws, the current society in which we live would cease to exist. Peaceful resistance to laws positively impacts a free society by improving safety conditions, sparking social progress, and unifying citizens.
Nonviolent resistance occurs because people feel threatened or mistreated. Safety can be defined as a basic human need. Fear and unhappiness is reality for those whose safety is negatively affected by certain laws. …show more content…
The nation, though it is strong, is not perfect. We as citizens must continue to strive for freedom for all, and we can work towards this goal through nonviolent means. Even the words of Henry David Thoreau can be applied to today: “There will never be a really free and enlightened State until the State comes to recognize the individual as a higher and independent power, from which all its own power and authority are derived, and treats him accordingly.” The free, American society that exists today is composed of citizens, and this free society can only be preserved and improved if those citizens utilize their
Nonviolent resistance occurs because people feel threatened or mistreated. Safety can be defined as a basic human need. Fear and unhappiness is reality for those whose safety is negatively affected by certain laws. …show more content…
The nation, though it is strong, is not perfect. We as citizens must continue to strive for freedom for all, and we can work towards this goal through nonviolent means. Even the words of Henry David Thoreau can be applied to today: “There will never be a really free and enlightened State until the State comes to recognize the individual as a higher and independent power, from which all its own power and authority are derived, and treats him accordingly.” The free, American society that exists today is composed of citizens, and this free society can only be preserved and improved if those citizens utilize their