Civil Disobedience Effective And Non Violent Government

Americans assert that three branches of government exist at the national level; however, I contend the most powerful branch of government, the unrecognized fourth branch, overrides the combined influence of congress, the courts, and the president. Civil disobedience, the fourth branch of government, is an integral part of the law creation process in the United States. Recently we have witnessed an increased frequency of civil disobedience, and it is crucial that citizens understand what it entails and how they can use it responsibly. When is civil disobedience the right course to follow in order to change laws? Bree Newsome’s act of civil disobedience flawlessly demonstrates the correct etiquette and action of civil disobedience. If we take a closer look at civil disobedience, we can better understand what it means, its goals, and its outcomes. Civil disobedience predominantly exists as direct and non-violent government defiance. Instead of voicing an opinion with a vote or a simple conversation, civil disobedience stands up for what is right using an individual’s whole influence. Therefore, some sacrifices regarding the legality of actions are made in order to preserve the integrity of the mission. In other words, why should a protester follow the law that they are trying to alter? That doesn’t make much sense, therefore civil disobedience allows unjust laws to be broken for the greater good. This method is very effective if, for example, a minority is attempting toShow MoreRelatedThe Resistance Of Civil Government1556 Words   |  7 Pagesginally titled Resistance to Civil Government, has had a wide influence on many later practitioners of civil disobedience. The driving idea behind the essay is that citizens are morally responsible for their support of aggressors, even when such support is required by law. In the essay, Thoreau explained his reasons for having refused to pay taxes as an act of protest against slavery and against the Mexican–American War. He writes, If I devote myself to other pursuits and contemplations, I mustRead MoreCivil Disobedience and Change Essay1052 Words   |  5 PagesHow has civil disobedience been used to engender change? The human race has a long history of disobedience, beginning in the early biblical texts with the story of Adam and Eve. There are also many examples of civil disobedience the permeate known human history that include various forms of civil disobedience, including mass exodus, boycott, strike, non-cooperation and conscientious objection. Henry David Thoreau was a pioneer of modern civil disobedience when he refused to pay a poll tax becauseRead MoreCivil Disobedience: Cost of Change1469 Words   |  6 Pages2013 Civil Disobedience: The cost of change More than 40,000 strong activists from the Sierra Club protested at the White House to reject the Keystone XL Pipeline proposal. They protested because they the extraction of tar sand oil and moving it from Canada to Texas will pollute the groundwater in the surface (Hammel). Civil disobedience is â€Å"the active, professed refusal to obey certain laws, demands, and commands of a government, or of an occupying international power† (Civil Disobedience). ThroughoutRead MoreThe Political Relevance And Global Impact Of Mahatma Gandhi Essay1179 Words   |  5 Pagesstrategies he used, non-violent civil disobedience and non-cooperation, not Gandhi himself, left a lasting impact on the world. Earth faces many new challenges such as regions facing economic collapse, some of the most barbaric wars, and threats to the ecosystem in the 21st century despite many advancements made. Humans have become collateral damage of the market economy. Gandhi’s principles, strategies, and critiques, as seen through satyagraha, non-cooperation and civil disobedience, continue to guideRead MoreCivil Disobedience Essay1372 Words   |  6 Pages When should civil disobedience be condoned? Should it be condoned? Civil disobedience is defined as the refusal to obey government laws, in an effort to bring upon a change in governmental policy or legislation. Civil disobedience is not an effort to dissolve the American government, because without government our society would result in chaos. Sometimes, when there is an unjust law and the government wont take the initiative to fix it, the public must act as civil disobedients to bring awarenessRead More Henry Thoreau’s Influence on Martin Luther King Jr. Essay898 Words   |  4 PagesHenry David Thoreau wrote an essay called Civil Disobedience which little did he know would influence great leaders such as Mohandas Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, and US civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1929. He graduated college with honors and developed a talent for public speaking. A man by the name of Edgar D. Nixon saw King’s public-speaking gifts as great assets in the battle for black civil rights in Montgomery, where the bus systemRead MoreEssay on The Case Against Civil Disobedience 929 Words   |  4 PagesCivil Disobedience is a deliberate violation against the law in order to invoke change against a government policy. Civil disobedience can come in the form of running a red light or j-walking, or in more noticeable methods such as riots. Coined by American author and poet Henry David Thoreau, the term has developed to define the act of disobeying a law one sees as unfit or unjust. Usually the purpose of civil disobedience is to gain public attention to a perceived injustice and appeal to or gainRead MoreCivil Disobedience in America1044 Words   |  4 Pagesbeliefs, background, and work ethics. Civil disobed ience played a large role in America. Creating protests, riots, and sit-ins, America had many examples of disobedience. In America, we value our rights as citizens and individuals. We have the right to protest as stated in the first amendment of the United States Constitution, which is called Freedom of Speech. According to the Webster Dictionary, civil disobedience is said to be â€Å"the refusal to obey government demands or commands and nonresistanceRead MoreUnjust Laws1747 Words   |  7 Pagesmeans that laws, regardless of how unfair, unjust, or immoral they may be, must be followed with no better reason that they are the law. To the thesis that we are obliged to obey even unjust laws, I will argue that the standard objections to Civil Disobedience, given by Singer, are incorrect To begin, however, I believe it is necessary to define an unjust law. According to St. Thomas Aquinas, Any law that uplifts human personality is just. Any law that degrades human personality is unjust. (KingRead MoreCivil Disobedience And The United States889 Words   |  4 PagesIt is imperative to understand that the United States of America was born through acts of civil disobedience. And because American freedoms are constantly in danger of being encroached on, it is also important that citizens are aware of the worth that civil disobedience can possess. Civil disobedience is when a person or people refuse to obey a demand or restriction by the state that conflicts with higher law and conscience. The act requires that the disobedient one accept whatever may be the consequence