In the 19th century, many non-white people suffered, living a difficult life. Each individual race suffered differently, but what they all had in common was the cruelty they were put through. Racial groups such as Indians, African Americans, Hispanics, many of the people who came to the United States as immigrants; or enter any country as foreigners. There are many more races that are not mentioned in my writing who suffered, but the three I use are the most important because they they all participated in a form of civil disobedience. Civil disobedience impacted the way we all live today, although my generation and I will not notice the change because we grew up fine not having to worry about segregating ourselves by race. I am glad we did not have to go through what many others did because during the Civil Rights Movement if you were not white, you did not belong, which makes this era one of the worst.
Mohanda K. Ghandi seeked freedom for him and his Indian people from British rule. "As a young lawyer, Ghandi fought for the rights of Indians living under the racist and repressive government of South Africa." Ghandi was not someone who could be taken advantage of by the law, because he was a lawyer and was intelligent with his tactics. "Though Ghandi was often arrested and imprisoned for his actions, he urged his followers to hold the principles of nonviolent resistance even in the face of violent tactics by those in power." Ghandi was one of the first who began protesting non-violently, including Martin Luther King and Caesar Chavez. This was a very powerful tactic, although at the time some members of their campaigns questioned it, it led to how we live now. In the speech On Nonviolent Resistance Ghandi states "Send us to prison and we will live there as in paradise... we will calmly endure all and not hurt a hair of your body." Ghandi is saying that he will face any punishments granted to him during the Civil Rights Movement without acting in violence, but one thing he will not tolerate is comply with the morbid laws of the British government.
During the 1960's, U.S Civil Rights movement, Martin Luther King and many African Americans went through what Ghandi and his Indian people went through. "While King and his supporters were on a peaceful march toward city hall, the police turned fire hoses on them and then arrested them." Afterwards was sentenced for marching without a permit. Like Ghandi, Martin Luther King suffered from the law during their movement. Police found any little thing to convict them, and take them into jail. Although the suffering between blacks and Indians were different because African Americans would get beaten by police brutally. Inspired by Ghandi's non-violent campaign, Martin Luther King did not respond with violence when he and his people were assaulted. In Letter from Birmingham City Jail King says "A just law is a man-made law or the law of God. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law... a code inflicted upon a minority which that minority had no part in enacting or creating because they did not have the unhampered right to vote." After being asked "How can you advocate breaking some laws and obeying others?", that was King's response in his letter. Basically Martin Luther King is saying that the reason he does not agree with many laws is because they are laws made by white people because they have the power to since they could vote, so they create laws opposing the other races, since they feel they have the power to do so because they are white.
If today there was a situation where an act of civil disobedience took place it would be different than it was during 1960's. Today our government and Congress not only have white people as leaders, but a variety of races. No race would be favored or treated unfair, so if today a form of civil disobedience took places decisions would be made fairly, however it would be more strict with trying to make everyone pleased. In the previous paragraph Martin Luther King said "just laws were proper ones while unjust was for the people who had power", in this case that would not be the same today because our President will make decisions to what the people please, so he/she can win another term.
During the 1960's, U.S Civil Rights movement, Martin Luther King and many African Americans went through what Ghandi and his Indian people went through. "While King and his supporters were on a peaceful march toward city hall, the police turned fire hoses on them and then arrested them." Afterwards was sentenced for marching without a permit. Like Ghandi, Martin Luther King suffered from the law during their movement. Police found any little thing to convict them, and take them into jail. Although the suffering between blacks and Indians were different because African Americans would get beaten by police brutally. Inspired by Ghandi's non-violent campaign, Martin Luther King did not respond with violence when he and his people were assaulted. In Letter from Birmingham City Jail King says "A just law is a man-made law or the law of God. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law... a code inflicted upon a minority which that minority had no part in enacting or creating because they did not have the unhampered right to vote." After being asked "How can you advocate breaking some laws and obeying others?", that was King's response in his letter. Basically Martin Luther King is saying that the reason he does not agree with many laws is because they are laws made by white people because they have the power to since they could vote, so they create laws opposing the other races, since they feel they have the power to do so because they are white.
If today there was a situation where an act of civil disobedience took place it would be different than it was during 1960's. Today our government and Congress not only have white people as leaders, but a variety of races. No race would be favored or treated unfair, so if today a form of civil disobedience took places decisions would be made fairly, however it would be more strict with trying to make everyone pleased. In the previous paragraph Martin Luther King said "just laws were proper ones while unjust was for the people who had power", in this case that would not be the same today because our President will make decisions to what the people please, so he/she can win another term.
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