The Government's Arguments Against Civil Disobedience

Civil disobedience is an issue that has been present in society for many of years. The United States of America is known to be a free society, “A society where people shall have the right to exercise unlimited freedom in their own lives, freedom to live in whatever manner they choose, freedom to pursue their own goals, so long as they do not forcibly interfere with the equal rights of others to do the same(afreesociety.blogspot.com).” Civil disobedience forcibly interferes with other peoples rights to a free society. Peaceful resistance to laws is a better alternative rather than violence and protest. The defiance towards one’s government has a negative impact because it weakens the government’s role in society. Citizens should be guaranteed the freedom of speech, but when the speech becomes destructive is when a line must be drawn. Civil disobedience causes people’s views of the government to lessen, “No act of civil disobedience can be morally justified, because every such act is immoral at base, in supposing the superiority of individual to social interests. The civil disobedient acts out of self-regard, in deliberate defiance of the will of his community, and that can never be right(Seven Arguments Against Civil Disobedience).” Civil disobedience is an unconventional act that is detrimental to others. The law

A person can behave in a way that only benefits them, “Let every man make known what kind of government would command his respect, and that will be one step toward obtaining it(Civil Disobedience Thoreau).” but they do not take into account how they are taking away the rights of others. The government puts laws in place to protect the nation and have a sense of structure. The Bill of Rights provides individuals with their own rights, yet citizens take advantage of their rights and are greedy so that they are not satisfied with what the government has provided. The government cannot easily be