The Importance Of Resistance To Unjust Laws

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What makes a country or society free? Is it that you can pray for any deity you wish, or ridicule your leaders without fear of punishment? As a people our government only has the powers we give it. We elect the people who will attempt to run the government in similar ways that we would. We passively watch these people make laws that can benefit or harm us. If a beneficial law is passed we go on with our lives, however if a harmful law is passed do we have a way to fight against it and reverse it? This is what truly makes a country or society free, the ability to reject a law or rule through peaceful resistance in order to create a change and evolve. In the United States, the people have the freedom to question the validity of laws that have been passed through the Supreme Court. It is here that the unjust laws of …show more content…

describes civil disobedience as “One who breaks an unjust law… openly, lovingly, and with a willingness to accept the penally” (The Case against Civil Disobedience 242). To openly disobey a law is to not hide behind another person or deny that the law was not followed. The people have to take the responsibility to protest and fight against something they find unjust in order to make an impact on society. Resistance to these unjust laws only happen out of love. People have experienced something and do not want others to have to experience it, or people are going through an experience caused by an unjust law and want to stop it. This love and openness contributes to the willingness to accept all punishments that come because of the disobedience of the unjust law. If a person is resisting something out of love, he or she should not be upset or distraught by the idea that he or she could be punished for their actions. The willingness to accept the punishment is what gives civil disobedience it’s power to be effective in creating change. Change is started by the people who are willing to do anything, even be punished, to see it

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