Is Violence in Pursuit of Happiness Justified Essay example

How are the people, oppressed by others and by the government, supposed to react? Certainly, they do not enjoy being treated unjustly, however, they should still obey the laws. Is it to the laws of the land that command total submission or to his convictions by which he is convinced that the system is totally unjust? Therefore, how should citizens defend their liberties, without using violence or disobeying the law, if they think it’s unjust? If an individual obeys the law, he would automatically be thought of supporting the unjust system but in case he does not, he would be accused of disobeying the law. There are various controversies about whether violence is justified when liberty is threatened. Throughout history, people have had†¦show more content†¦Consequently, he who moulds public sentiment goes deeper than he who enacts statutes or pronounces decisions,† Abraham Lincoln. Therefore, the attention of the population and the government must be drawn to wi n their sympathy and guide the country towards justice. However, during the 19th and 20th centuries, in the United States, many changes were to take place in order to meet justice. Common problems like, slavery, racism and oppression caused various controversies about how the black population should react to these different types of injustice. People like Malcolm X and Martin Luther King fought for vindication of natural rights of African Americans. Martin Luther King and Malcolm X both participate in civil disobedience acts, such as protests against slavery althought they had somewhat different orientations on protesting. The King claimed that passifism is useless and would only create more injustice coming from the government and violence should not take place during protests, because violence never brings any benefit, but only scares the citizens and loses its authority from the government. So he supports the non-violence movements. On the contrary, Malcolm X suggests that if blacks are treated unjustly, they should react like any normal intelligent human beings would do--fight back. To say the least thus, the common question whether one must obey the laws is increasingly imortant during the periods of unjustShow MoreRelatedEssay on Utilitarianism742 Words   |  3 PagesUtilitarianism states that when a moral dilemma arises, one should take action that causes favorable results or reduces less favorable results. If these les s favorable results, or pain, occur from this action, it can be justified if it is produced to prevent more pain or produce happiness. Stating the Utilitarian view can summarize these basic principles: the greatest good for the greatest number. Utilitarians are to believe that if they follow this philosophy, that no matter what action they take,Read MoreCurfews Dont Work812 Words   |  4 PagesCurfews Strict rules create rebellious teens. 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