¶ … civil disobedience in America. The writer discusses the history of civil disobedience in America and compares it to the current use regarding the war with Iraq. The writer explores several aspects of civil disobedience and how it has changed because of the technological ability currently available. There were five sources used to complete this paper.
The use of civil disobedience in America is a traditional as apple pie. From the inception of this nation residents have used civil disobedience to voice their displeasure at government decisions and government actions. The use of civil disobedience is a right that is protected by the United States constitution. At one time civil disobedience was the only want that attention could be brought to an issue that bothered a group of residents. The television was not invented and the newspapers remained sadly local in their distribution. The gathering and participation of large numbers could bring the attention of the government that individual actions could not garner. Civil disobedience has been effective in bringing about the changes that were desired throughout the nation's history. Henry Davidson Thoreau, Martin Luther King and others have encouraged civil disobedience as a method of effecting societal and governmental policy changes. Today the nation has technological abilities that have never before been equaled. In a flash of a second the television broadcasts current events, desired goals and changes as well as other events in history. With the ability to control and spread so much instant information it would seem the need for civil disobedience had passed, but this is not the case. Civil disobedience will always be what is has always been. A peaceful and successful method by which to protest actions or ideas brought about by a government.
HISTORY
Civil disobedience in America was identified by philosopher Henry Davidson Thoreau in the 1800's. The use of civil disobedience and its benefits were outlined in his work titled the same. It is used as a means to protest actions of the government and the philosopher provided what he believed to be a blueprint for its development and use. It was used for many protests throughout the development and evolvement of this nation including the civil rights movement of the 1960's (Henry David Thoreau Civil Disobedience (http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Literature/Thoreau/CivilDisobedience.html).The civil rights protests and movements helped bring about change in the way minorities and females were treated in all areas of life including education, employment and environment. The use of civil disobedience has been acknowledged and accepted for many years. Currently America is at war with Iraq. Those who are against the war and protest its existence are taking part in various acts of civil disobedience to let their feelings be known. The fact that the media can pipe instant footage into homes is only serving to increase the strength of acts of civil disobedience because it brings wide range and immediate coverage to the plight of the protestors.
If you are cheated out of a single dollar by your neighbor, you do not rest satisfied with knowing you are cheated, or with saying that you are cheated, or even with petitioning him to pay you your due; but you take effectual steps at once to obtain the full amount, and see to it that you are never cheated again. Action from principle, the perception and the performance of right, changes things and relations; it is essentially revolutionary, and does not consist wholly with anything which was. It not only divided States and churches, it divides families; ay, it divides the individual, separating the diabolical in him from the divine (Henry David Thoreau Civil Disobedience (http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Literature/Thoreau/CivilDisobedience.html)."
The above passage explains how civil disobedience was born and what it is triggered by.
The war with Iraq...
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