Peaceful Resistance Research Paper

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Peaceful resistance, is a right given to us in the Constitution of the United States of America. In the Constitution we are guaranteed the right to peacefully assemble in the First Amendment within the Bill of Rights, if we choose to do so. The Bill of Rights are essential amendments that were created in order to protect citizens from an oppressive government. While I for one do not always agree with the protests, as some may not always have all the facts, or even know what they are protesting, but as citizens it is our duty to respect and honor the laws that protect us. Our constitution guarantees us several rights, and if we support some we must support all because it is the law of the land. We must continue to support peoples right to peacefully …show more content…
Often times people peacefully protest in order to bring awareness to an issue. For example, in 1955 Rosa Parks committed an act of civil disobedience on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama because she did not agree with the Jim Crow laws. The Jim Crow laws enforced racial segregation. Rosa Parks would not support a law, that she felt suppressed her and other African Americans. When the bus filled up in the “whites only” section, Parks was asked to, but refused. She did not cause any violent trouble, she simply refused to follow an unjust law, and decided to stand her ground. Even though Rosa Parks was arrested, her incident brought upon a 381-day boycott of public buses that was led by Martin Luther King Jr. Rosa Parks’ case made it all the way to the Supreme Court. The case ended with the court deciding that bus segregation was unconstitutional. Parks became a key leader, and known to be one of the people to start the civil rights movement. While all of us in high school may not be able to directly relate to the event, we can look back on it and understand the purpose and significance of why it needed to happen. African-Americans were being treated as unequal, and all it took was for one person to go against what was legally right, and remain strong for what was morally