When Disobedience is Acceptable
In the year 2000, one can go to most any high school football game and observe a ritual that is becoming more and more widespread and symbolic in meaning to its participants. Before the football game begins, the Star Spangled Banner is played and sung, the flag is raised, and each school's band plays their Alma Mater. But where in years past there would have been a stadium-wide prayer for the safety and happiness of players, students, and fans, there is naught but silence. During the few moments where a prayer would have been given, one can see small groups of high school students trickling down out of the bleachers and onto the track, where they come together in a circular huddle to make a statement. An array of groups is represented; one can see cheerleaders in their suits, band members in their uniforms, even students in their plainclothes melding together in this group to have their pre-game prayer. Although the law has made it known that prayers before high school football games are unacceptable, these students are taking a stand and making their opinions known through civil disobedience. The issue of prayer at high school football games is but one of many issues today that calls individ
King, Jr., Martin Luther. "Letter from Birmingham Jail." A World of Ideas. Ed. Lee A. Thoreau, Henry David. "Civil Disobedience." A World of Ideas. Ed. Lee A. Jacobus. Henry David Thoreau obviously had strong feelings about the concept of civil disobedience; he titled his lecture/essay "Civil Disobedience." Thoreau begins his essay by saying, "I heartily accept the motto- 'That government is best which governs least,' and I should like to see it acted up to more rapidly and systematically. Carried out, it finally amounts to this, which also I believe- 'That government is best which governs not at all'; and when men are prepared for it, that will be the kind of government which they will have" (127). In his opinion, government doesn't help to further the cause of making America a greater nation; in fact, many times government impedes progress. He says, "It does not keep the country free. It does not settle the West. It does not educate. The character inherent in the American people has done all that has been accomplished; and it would have done somewhat more if the government had not sometimes gotten in its way" (127-128). Thus, Thoreau exhorts, there is nothing wrong with challenging that which we call our government; there is no fault in being civilly disobedient. He feels that a respect for justice and what is intrinsically and morally right should come before a respect for the law. He proposes, "It is not desirable to cultivate a respect for the law, so much as for the right. The only obligation which I have a right to assume is to do at any time what I think is right...Law never made men a whit more just; and, by means of their respect for it, even the well-disposed are daily made the agents of injustice" (128). Thoreau also addresses what usually happens to those who take part in civil disobedience in saying "A very few, as heroes, patriots, martyrs, reformers in the great sense, and men, serve the state with their consciences also and so necessarily resist it for the most part; and they are commonly treated as enemies by it" (129). He also shows that even though one might believe in what is right, not taking direct action in the pursuit of what is right is hypocrisy. To illustrate this, he writes, "The sol
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Approximate Word count = 1506
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
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