The right to protest government action was given to us by our forefathers in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. This right allows the people to come together and speak out for what they believe in, even when it is against the government, without fear of retribution. However, that protection does not extend to violent acts that are committed in forceful protests, and will also not protect against punishment when an individual breaks a law as form of civil disobedience. Nonetheless, civil disobedience may at times be justified to challenge government action. Such peaceful protests call attention to the cause in a way that establishes credibility due to the lack of aggression pursued by the people.
Henry David Thoreau stated, “Unjust …show more content…
A perfect example of necessary civil disobedience was the struggle for civil rights in the 1960s. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. made civil disobedience a key facet of his leadership during the Civil Rights Movement, and in so doing he brought national attention to his cause. Other “average” citizens followed suit, such as Rosa Parks. Ms. Parks acted out nonviolently but refused to give up her seat to a white man on a bus, and in the process broke a law. These individuals, and many others like them, fought for their beliefs through nonviolent protest, and suffered the consequences for their action through arrest. However, their actions brought intense attention to the struggle for civil rights, and ultimately helped created needed pressure for change. It is highly questionable whether the fight for civil rights would have progressed as it did were it not for the actions of Dr. King, Ms. Parks and countless others who engaged in nonviolent acts of defiance. King and Ms. Parks forced the hands of the government, causing action to take place and changing the laws more quickly than would have otherwise been the
Henry David Thoreau stated, “Unjust …show more content…
A perfect example of necessary civil disobedience was the struggle for civil rights in the 1960s. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. made civil disobedience a key facet of his leadership during the Civil Rights Movement, and in so doing he brought national attention to his cause. Other “average” citizens followed suit, such as Rosa Parks. Ms. Parks acted out nonviolently but refused to give up her seat to a white man on a bus, and in the process broke a law. These individuals, and many others like them, fought for their beliefs through nonviolent protest, and suffered the consequences for their action through arrest. However, their actions brought intense attention to the struggle for civil rights, and ultimately helped created needed pressure for change. It is highly questionable whether the fight for civil rights would have progressed as it did were it not for the actions of Dr. King, Ms. Parks and countless others who engaged in nonviolent acts of defiance. King and Ms. Parks forced the hands of the government, causing action to take place and changing the laws more quickly than would have otherwise been the