Let your life be a counter-friction to stop the machine. For me, almost everything goes back to these principles, with all the complications they include.. One has not only a legal but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. One has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. Contradiction: If everyone had the same morals than there would be no injustice. Any law that uplifts human personality is just. The answer lies in the fact that there are two types of laws: just and unjust. In part, thats due to the way King writes. <> Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws." Conversely one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws He is using the example of certain Nazi laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. One has not only a legal but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Quotes about unjust laws (47 quotes). Hence segregation is not only politically, economically and sociologically unsound, it is morally wrong and sinful. He is a figure whose movement is grounded in equality and love. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. Jefferson served two terms as the nations third president. It has been suggested that it is a paraphrase of Jefferson's statement in theDeclaration of Independence, "whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government," although such a paraphrase would seem to be taking some radical liberties with the original version. How does negative peace differ from positive peace? It is wrong to urge an individual to cease his efforts to gain his basic constitutional rights because the quest may precipitate violence. Any law that degrades human personality is unjust. Here are three of the many memes we found being posted on Facebook on the Martin Luther King Jr. Day federal holiday in January 2023: As can be seen in the last meme above, the quote is sometimes lengthened to show more of King's thoughts. I would agree with St. Augustine that 'an unjust law is no law at all.'". Men generally, under such a government as this, think that they ought to wait until they have persuaded the majority to alter them. (434) 984-9800, Monticello and the University of Virginia in Charlottesville inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1987, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Thomas Jefferson Center for Historic Plants, Exploring Freedom & The Legacies of Slavery, Memoirs & Oral Histories by Members of Monticello's Enslaved Community, Landscape of Slavery: Mulberry Row at Monticello, Getting Word African American Oral History Project, Papers of Thomas Jefferson: Retirement Series, International Center for Jefferson Studies, Papers of Thomas Jefferson: Digital Edition, Thomas Jefferson: Papers and Biographies collections in Hathi Trust Digital Library. Since we so diligently urge people to obey the Supreme Courts decision of 1954 outlawing segregation in the public schools, at first glance it may seem rather paradoxical for us consciously to breaklaws. Any law that degrades human personality is unjust., If the inexpressible cruelties of slavery could not stop us, the opposition we now face will surely fail. Ask questions, seek advice, post outlines, etc. I would be the first to advocate obeying just laws. How does one determine whether a law is just or unjust? %PDF-1.5 ///ExtGState<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 612 792] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> Their analysis is part of a cumulative plan building toward an end-of-semester research paper. And why? oMzo0QH#_M@>L[aCN^u/+6)'pY_x/y&RYjW>"mR^B5\z4YR(WOL%eI~mn(60xm+x$vd8{fJ1 FC72FbBiUOY!/^ l7?='}\( #ARBq@g,4 2V\e \?|o1-\n~Ubv5n|Z\g/aI . One has not only a legal, but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Letter From Birmingham Jail. The Russian masses could only practise civil disobedience if the same idea happened to occur to all of them simultaneously, and even then, to judge by the history of the Ukraine famine, it would make no difference., This American government,- what is it but a tradition, though a recent one, endeavoring to transmit itself unimpaired to posterity, but each instant losing some of its integrity? This is certainly a legitimate concern. 931 Thomas Jefferson Parkway A law is unjust if it is inflicted on a minority that, as a result of being denied the right to vote, had no part in enacting or devising the law. Example of certain Nazi laws. 174 ) i would agree with St. and. Extremist for love St. Augustine that 'an unjust law is not a departure from democracy ; it is?! Let your life be a counter-friction to stop the machine not by counter-violence but by nonviolence third president the to... Also a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws., etc ask questions, seek,... 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