Therefore, the general will of the people requires that laws be amended to reflect morality and justice. Only through civil disobedience can this be achieved; blindly obeying unjust laws will only enforce unjustified public opinion. Although some argue that the general will of the people can be accurately portrayed by a government entity without
This essay will explain and analyze two essays by individuals who express entirely different opinions of civil disobedience. In his essay, “Civil Disobedience: Destroyer of Democracy”, Lewis H. Van Dusen strongly discourages the use of civil disobedience as a means for change. He feels that this act of disobedience directly contradicts our democratic system. The other individual being compared in this essay is Henry David Thoreau; who in his essay, “Civil Disobedience”, supports the act of peacefully challenging or protesting unjust laws. He impugns us to do what is morally right, and to not be afraid to take a stand against injustice.
This common message, not only between the two works in discussion but in many others, is that of the duty of the people themselves to disobey unjust laws and demands of the government in question. In most forms of civil disobedience, the main driving force is that of the participating individual’s disagreement with the common law of the government, sometimes referred to as human law, and their personal moral beliefs which are sometimes referred to as divine or natural law. Sophocles’ “Antigone” provides a clear example of such a conflict in beliefs where in the
He emphasized the magnitude and significance of individuality vs. conformity. What separated him from other people is that he was very much against violence. If you look at our nation’s history, it’s nothing but violence: wars, rebellions, etc. Even today people think that the only way to get what you want is through violence and intimidation. Words are looked at as just words with no value what so ever.
Many believe that a government without limits will turn into a government that acts in ways that will disregard the rights of all in all circumstances (Zalman, M. (2008). Those who support the crime control model, however, indicate that these protections hinder law enforcement investigation and allow defendants more privacy than victims are allowed “Crime control emphasizes an efficient criminal process through early determination of guilt by law enforcement agents” and the Fourth Amendment prevents this (Cornell,
A man has an obligation to act according to the commands of his conscience, even if it goes against majority opinion, the reigning leadership, or the laws of society. In cases where the government supports unjust laws Thoreau's idea of service to one's country ironically takes the form of resistance against it. Resistance is the highest form of patriotism because it demonstrates a desire not to overthrow government but to build a better one in the long term. Thoreau just wants to eliminate the ideas that make it a bad government not the entire government itself. Thoreau then talks about the issue of change through democratic ways.
They believe we as human beings are prone to sin. We have a proclivity to do terrible things or to be tempted to so (p.30, 2008). They believe our freedom or success of government is dependent on virtue. They further added that only moral people would remain free. On those premise it is asserted that religion play an important part in nurturing the virtue needed for a free society.
Thoreau’s “Resistance to Civil Government”, has many similarities with Martin Luther King Junior’s letter. They both express that authority took control and did not allow them to move how they wanted to. Thoreau states that if one follows the Government’s
Retrieved from EBSCOhost. In this article, the author William Smith defines civil disobedience as the “public, non-violent and conscientious infringement of the law that is carried out to express the opposition to the law and policy” The author’s main aim of writing the article was to encourage the reflection of the civil disobedience by taking a prescriptive account on how the police forces can contain civil disobedience. The author expertly looks at the several key issues that are related to the civil disobedience. The author states that there are no substantial measures should be undertaken to contain the civil disobedience. In conclusion, he recommends the following; the police should the good of accommodation of the civil disobedience, and that the police should recognize their role in protecting the rights of the third parties while maintaining adequate levels of the public order.
Illegal votes minimize citizen’s rights in the Constitution and it undermines our democracy that was established and preached by the founding fathers; therefore a solution for this loophole should be quickly tied and these actions no longer tolerable or allowed under the 14th amendment. As citizens of the US, we have a right stated in the 1st amendment to be able to express our opinions; our values and beliefs should be directly represented through the voting process. Although future elections are predicted to be heavily influenced by this growing minority population, politicians are beginning to apprehend the negative brunt illegal immigration has bestowed upon our country as this could be a small factor in the current struggling economy. Congressman Tom Tancredo has vast prospective ideas on how to reform our immigration system. By working across the aisle a feasible and successful solution to the straining liability and encumbrances may be obtained to make our country incorrupt and hospitable to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness to the citizens of the United State of