Civil Disobedience: A Troublesome Guardian of Liberty From the time of Henry David Thoreau to the day when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat, acts of civil disobedience have been the subjects of enormous national controversy. Civil disobedience constitutes a peaceful refusal to submit to a law which a person feels is morally wrong or otherwise unjust, though still accepting the consequences the law dictates, to express their opposition. Defined thus, there is no room for arrogant contempt of the law or violent rioting in its exercise, as its critics claim. If one disobeys because the law displeases him, he may claim to be exercising civil disobedience, but such is simply disobedience. Similarly, traitors and insurrectionists who try to excuse their crimes in the name of civil disobedience do wrong. Let it be absolutely clear what civil disobedience is, and what it is…show more content… In order to be “civil,” the disobedience must be peaceful and inspired by an individual’s obligation to do what he or she believes is right or just. In most cases, civil disobedience occurs when people disobey out of devotion to a higher law or principle than legislative law, and although many falsely accuse it of propagating disregard for the law, civil disobedience safeguards a free society by bringing to its attention possible overreaches or misuses of power by its government. Whenever considering any controversial public action, it is usually found expedient to determine the morality of the action itself, regardless of its effect on society. The moral integrity of civil disobedience as an idea relies greatly on the principle that there are some Laws and Truths to which citizens hold a higher obligation than to the laws of their government. This principle is promoted in the Declaration of Independence which states “that whenever any form of Government becomes destructive of these ends[, to secure the unalienable rights of
