Civil Disobedience

                Henry David. Thoreau, Mohandas k. Gandhi and martin Luther king Jr., these are people to admire. These 3 men fought separately for what they believed in. When they fought they did not use violence they used civil disobedience. By civil disobedience I mean that they protested for what they were against. These men faced consequences such as beatings, imprisonment and even death. There are a few people of maybe not even one person that would be able to go through what these men went through. These men are all inspiration to the people. Mohandas k. Gandhi was inspired by henry David Thoreau and martin Luther king was inspired by both Mohandas k. Gandhi and Henry David Thoreau.

                   Henry David was born in concord Massachusetts on July 12, 1817. He studied at Harvard College between 1833 and 1837. Thoreau was an American author, poet, philosopher, abolitionist, naturalist, tax resister, development critic and a historian. Thoreau was a very bright student and is one of the most famous American writers. Henry David Thoreau was incarcerated in the year of 1846. Thoreau was arrested because he was boycotting. He refused to pay tax to the state. He refused to pay tax to the state because he was opposed to the U.S war with Mexico. He believed that this war was an excuse to expand America’s slave-holding territory. The police in concord had offered to pay the tax for Thoreau but he refused that therefore he was forced to spend the night in jail. Until one night in July 1846 someone paid the tax, allegedly his aunt. From this night in jail, there was an inspiration for the essay referred to as “resistance to civil government”. In this essay Thoreau quotes “government is best which governs not at all”. By this he is saying that the government should not even govern because it brings no good and is making America a much worse place. “I think that we should be men first, and subjects afterward. It is not desirable to cultivate a respect for the law, so much as for the right.” He is telling the people that we are human beings therefore we deserve rights. So we should be able to have these right ergo, we should fight for these rights and not let the government give us “rights” that they think are fair. During these times there was a war between the U.S and Mexico. Many as well as Thoreau thought that this war was being fought to expand its slave holding territory.

               Mohandas k Gandhi was born in the Indian British Empire on October 2, 1869. He was the leader of the Indian Independence Movement. Gandhi was raised in a Hindu merchant family in western India. He trained law at the inner temple. Mohandas k. Gandhi was an Indian fighting for his rights. He was fighting for Indians independence from the British. Gandhi was a lawyer fighting for the rights of Indians. These Indians were living under a racist and repressive government. Gandhi was the leader of a campaign called Satya grana (noncooperation) this was active during the years of 1920s to the mid-1940s during this Gandhi was arrested and imprisoned for his actions. Although violence was used against him he encouraged his followers to hold on to the principles of non-violence resistance. “Everywhere wars are fought and millions of people are killed. The consequence is not the progress of a nation but its decline…” Gandhi is encouraging non-violence to his followers. He is telling them that violence will not help the cause. Violence will only make things worse and will destroy the nation. During these times the British were in control of the Indians. They had no respect towards the Indians nor towards their beliefs. To insult the Indians the British would make them grease their bullets with pig grease. Although the British knew that touching such thing was against their religion they did not care. The britsh would discriminate the Indians and also treat them unfairly.  

                  Martin Luther king Jr. was born in Atlanta Georgia on January 15, 1929. He was an African American pastor, activist, humanitarian, and leader in the African- American civil rights movement. Martin Luther king was a leader of the U.S civil rights movement in the 1960s. During the 1960s there was a lot of segregation going on. Martin Luther king Jr. as well as Gandhi and Thoreau also committed to the non-violence movement. In April 1963 he led a campaign which was made to try to end racial segregation. King was making a peaceful march when the police fire hosed on them and arrested them. While he was in jail he wrote a letter explaining his philosophy on non-violence resistance. “In no sense do I advocate evading or defying the law as the rabid segregation would do. This would lead to anarchy”. He is explaining how he does not use violence how the system uses it because that would only lead to caus. During these times African Americans were said to be “equal” as the white men but were not treated as such. The black men were not able to have jobs that the white men had. Children of color would not be able to go to a school of white kids. Children of color would not be able to play with white children. African Americans would not be able to sit in front of the bus but would have to sit in the back of the bus. This was done to discriminate them and treat them as they were less than the white men. These rules they had were strictly enforced if anyone would disobey them they would face consequences.

       All these three men committed to the non-violence movement. They all achieved great things. Although Martin Luther king did not get to completely end racism he did get to get the African American more rights. African Americans are also not viewed as badly as they were. I am not saying that they are not still discriminated but now African Americans are becoming successful people. Know there are more laws that protect African Americans and also other minorities, so that makes disciminating minorities harder. Martin Luther king has a great legacy because he was able to stand up and talk what he thought, he was not like the rest he has courage. Although the war continued henry d Thoreau made a huge impression because he stuck to what he thought what was right. He did not back down even when they had incarcerated him, and that is what make his legacy even better. Mohandas k. Gandhi is hedge worldwide. For people around the world Mohandas k Gandhi means peace and a powerful force against oppression. Gandhi is also remembered by not only his actions but also his words. Gandhi once said “YOU have the power to create the world you want to see in the world.” He is telling the people that they have the power to change the world he is not saying that he will be able to change the world but is saying that the all should try “to be the change they want to see in the world”.

              In my opinion these men all accomplished great things. These men should be even more admired because they did not use violence but they got their point across to many people. Out of all these three men I mostly admire Gandhi because he was a great leader for the Indians. He had great says that touched many people.  “An eye for eye on makes the whole world blind”. He is referring to his non-violence movement. Saying that violence will not solve anything, so there is no point in using violence.