Edward Snowden: Resistance To Unjust Laws

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Resistance to unjust laws has been a major part of United States History since its beginnings. The entire nation was formed out of a rebellion from the abusive English. Over time, however, less violent means have been used to express feelings toward an unjust law. Most famously is the example of Martin Luther King Jr. and others who have taken inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi, who believed "Non-violence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind." It seems that in more recent years, resistance to any law has been deemed a taboo. Perhaps the most prominent instance is that of Edward Snowden. Snowden revealed the true depth of surveillance from US Government Agencies, and was deemed a hero by some for doing so. Nevertheless, Snowden was convicted of espionage and …show more content…

Say America bakes some cookies and gives half of her children some. Now obviously the other half will proclaim that it is not fair. This is what movements of the 1900s did. They sought to make sure everyone had equal opportunity. But imagine if America baked some cookies to take to her friends, and one child told the others that America had done so. This is a simplified example of Snowden's actions. Snowden didn't help everyone to get along, he merely made the other children mad at their mother for not telling them about cookies. This is the true difference between whether an act of civil disobedience helps or hurts a society. That difference is whether the act brings people together or pushes them apart in the long run. Even a peaceful act can harm relationships between the different races, religions, parties and backgrounds in the United States. But sometimes resisting a law can do both. In more recent years, the forced removal by a lone woman of a Confederate Flag in South Carolina brought both praise and outrage. Such outcomes are not new. Muhammad Ali, the legendary boxer, received support and hate for not accepting the US

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