Civil Disobedience makes governments more accountable for...

Civil Disobedience makes governments more accountable for their actions and has been an important catalyst for overcoming unpopular government policies. To voice his disgust with slavery, in 1849 Henry David Thoreau published his essay, Civil Disobedience, arguing that citizens must not allow their government to override their principles and have a civic duty to prevent their government from using unjust means to ends. The basis for Thoreau’s monumental essay was his refusal to pay a poll tax, which subsequently landed him a night in county jail. In his passage: â€Å"If the injustice is part of the necessary friction of the machine of government, let it go, let it go; perchance it will wear smooth—certainly the machine will wear†¦show more content†¦The Moral March on Raleigh brought an additional 70,000 to North Carolina in 2014, opposed to the mere 15,000 who previously showed in 2013. The goal of the peaceful movement was to hold the North Carolina Republi can legislature accountable for their decisions that have proven to have a detrimental affect on their constituents. Lastly, at the Suffrage Parade on March 3, 1913, lawyer Inez Milholland Boissevain led a parade of more than 5,000 marchers down Washington D.C.s Pennsylvania Avenue. With more than $14,000 raised, the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) became one of the most important events in the struggle to grant women natural born the right to vote. During the protest, many angry misogynists hurled cigarette butts, shouted insults and even threw punches at the marchers. Although the parade planners had obtained the necessary police permits for the event, the police did little to protect the marchers from the aggressive resistance. Two hundred marchers were beaten, but consistent with their commitment to peaceful protest, none of them fought back; they were catalysts for peaceful change. The NAWSA’s protest was designed to bring awareness to women’s need forShow MoreRelatedLessons in Civil Disobedience828 Words   |  4 Pagesdoes not have a black and white answer because no one is exactly alike. Everyone has their own opinion and right to voice that opinion, and there are numerous ways of doing so. As a citizen with my own beliefs, I believe I have the right to violate laws if I feel morally obligated to. The amount of progress that America has made in such a short amount of time is astonishing. In some ways it seems as if the only way to make any headway is to speak up. If I was morally opposed to a policy or law I wouldRead MorePersuasive Essay On Civil Disobedience992 Words   |  4 Pages the most important Civil Rights leader, once said â€Å"One has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.† Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the most influential individuals in United States history, and is still recognized today for his peaceful approach on change. 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