This is the way I understand this: In Thoreau’s opinion, the government is corrupted, it’s not doing anything for the people. He does not want anything to do with it. He thinks that since the government is already unjust it should not be respected or followed. Thoreau presents some examples of the government being unjust such as slavery and taxes. He does not agree with paying taxes, so he just didn’t. Thoreau suggest not to following the law, ignoring the government, and basically protesting in a nonviolent way. I do agree with Thoreau on a way, the proper way to respond to an unjust government is by protesting on well-organized and informed protests. Like right now, the way we are dealing it with our newer elected president. Many people are in disagree with the way we are been represented, the way the government is ignoring us, and the passing of new bills that only benefit the government and its supporters. Different groups are getting together to become stronger. And we should continue doing this until our rights for liberty and justice are met.
Thoreau believes that we should disobey unjust laws. He believes that it is our duty as people of conscience to mount civil disobedience to laws that are unjust although the majority voted these laws into being. As he states in the excerpt, “…and to resist, the government, when its tyranny or its inefficiency are great and unendurable.” We all have the right to be treated with humility and dignity. We should not turn a blind eye to injustices or we could be recognized as part of the problem. Waiting for the majority to be persuaded that there is an injustice that needs to be rectified only creates more victims. Thoreau believes that all honest men should, in his words, “rebel and revolutionize.” I agree with Thoreau. If we wait for unjust laws to be righted, there would be an untold amount of victims by the time things run their course. The government is inexpedient and at times its inexpediency creates larger problems than if moral and ethical persons stand up and resist the injustices that are being done. There are countless examples of this, but I’ll refrain as to not be too political in this forum. Many of the great changes that have affected the majority of a peoples positively, happened because of charismatic, creative, and courageous person standing up to the injustices that have been identified, and pushing for change through civil disobedience.
Thoreau states that we do not need to abide by the unjust laws. He was imprisoned once and wants us to not just go with everything the crowds are doing but to take notice and care about this land we live in. He essentially says that we should not take no for an answer if the government is acting unjustly. Take a stand for what is right and do not back down. In my opinion, he is completely correct. governments, at times, act unjustly and should not be able to stomp around on American citizens. There must be a checklist put in place when the government is acting unjustly. Only after these options have been tried we should be able to disobey laws. This in my opinion is a last resort of course. Small government is great, it keeps everything on track but when too much government is in place they began to get power hungry. This is not good and this is what Thoreau is trying to explain I believe.
From my understand Thoreau believes the government is unfair. The government tries to solve problems but creates more in the process. We supposedly are part of being voters but we leave the power to the majority. He also things that unjust law exist and says whether we should obey them or make change. The government is losing its integrity. The majority only gets to decide from right or wrong. He thinks a way to respond when a government acts unjust is to rebel and not leave everything in the hands of the government. I think a proper way to respond when a government acts unjust is to get people to join a cause and show that there is inequality. The people need to rebel and make change by insisting on passing bills that not just allows the majority or rich to make decisions. There's conflict because the rich make the laws to suit them but not the rest of us and us the people have the power to change that if we unite.
Thoreau talks about how we need to do something if we see unjust things happening. We shouldn't wait around and wait for the majority to finally figure out what is right. It is a waist of time for us to have to petition the government to try to get what is right. We need to act and disobey if it means doing what is right. For me, if the government acts unjustly I think we also need do something. I certainly don't think we should just sit around. I agree with Thoreau in some ways. However, I think it is important to not break the laws unless it is a last resort. For the most part, laws were made by the people that thought they were doing the right thing. I think disobeying would be last resort. I disagree with Thoreau about petitioning. I don't think it is a waste of time and I think we should try before blatantly breaking the rules.
I think Thoreau is trying to say that we must do something when unjust is occurring. We can not just sit and wait for the government to take action. He says we are voters, but the majority has the power. I totally agree with him. The lower class can vote, but the high class has the last say. The rich people make the laws that seem right for them, but forget about the rest of the people. I also agree that people should be allowed to disobey the laws. When there is a law that will not be good for a lot of people, I think it is ok to protest. To form a group of supporters and go out to protest. Though, Thoreau also mentions that he has been in jail. It is ok to disobey laws, but not in a matter of hurting people or the community you live in.
In Thoreau's opinion, the proper response when a government acts unjustly is, instead of spending so much time and effort in convincing the majority population to do the right thing, a single person that shows his civil disobedience is all it takes for other people to start noticing the unjust law. In my opinion, I also agree with Thoreau's view on opposing the government if it is unjust. A majority of the population chooses to conform or hop on bandwagons instead of choosing to do what she or he think is morally right. If just one single person is brave enough to step up, to show to other people that there is nothing to be afraid of, I believe the act of bravery will be spread to others that will encourage them to act the same way as well.
In Thoreau's opinion, people have every right to take a stand to the government's unjust laws. He argues that governments are doing more harm than good with its corruption and injustice movement. He firmly believes that individuals should not permit any government to allow such injustice to continue to occur and therefore, we must take action and protest against any violation, regardless if that means disobeying such laws to achieve righteousness. Thoreau uses one of his examples on taxes, in which people should work together by refusing to pay taxes to demonstrate injustice. I completely agree with Thoreau's opinion, people should respond back to governments acting unjustly. Every individual has a right to live in a world where no corruption should be tolerated. Therefore, it is our responsibility as citizens to take a stand for what we believe is immoral and unjust.
This is one of those very tricky questions. For Thoreau, a person has the right to stand up again the government if it is acting unjustly. He goes on to state that he believes individuals shouldn't allow the government to continue with corruption and can take action however they see fit. I believe that there is truth to this but not when it comes to harming people. Martin Luther King Jr was an excellent example of protesting and getting your voice heard without ever harming another individual. Other people came after him that did not follow as suit, but I believe if you stick to what your goal is in protesting and do not hurt others, your voice will be heard.
In Thoreau's opinion, what is the proper response when a government acts unjustly?
In your opinion, what is the proper response when a government acts unjustly?
According to Thoreau's opinion, the proper way to response to unjustly government acts is to not follow the government's order. He believes this because he feels that the government doesn't abide to the people's need. An example he gave was to not pay taxes. I agree, we should not help the government if it doesn't help us. People shouldn't pay taxes if their city isn't being helped. For example, not being provided with water when they have a water usage cut. But, this could be done with a leader who can attain the correct amount of people and lead them to protest. In other words, I believe that violence shouldn't be used because innocent people could be harmed.
In Thoreau's opinion the government is corrupt. Thoreau believes that supporting the government makes you part of the machine. All the unjust things that the government does like war, slavery, land displacement can be directly linked to you by supporting the government. Thoreau believes that the government does not care about you. Why should you support a government with taxes that doesn't care about your own needs or opinions? I think a proper response to when a government acts unjustly is to resist. I think the citizens must band together and unite under a leader who is the voice of change. This will not be an easy effort and will require a concerted effort from the majority of citizens to end ignorance and abolish unjust governments.
In Thoreau's opinion I believe he basically says that governments have its ways of being unjustly. He says that he believes the government is best which governs not at all. He says how some but not all governments are expedient. I believe that when a government acts unjustly its when a specific group believes in judgement or when it comes to a specific situation either dealing with taxes or politics.I believe that and I'm for a change in government situations so when people fight together for a change its for a good cause. I believe that together we all have a voice and have the power to make a difference in something that needs to be changed
I believe Thoreau's opinion is that the government is unethical and shady. The message I received from the excerpt was that if you agree with them, it makes you guilty of what they're doing. I believe that it's good when people get together and stand up for what they believe in, as long as they're not destroying anything innocent in the process. Thoreau is saying that the right thing to do is to not follow what they say and do. He wants everyone to stand up for themselves and not believe everything they say. I feel that Martin Luther King Jr is a good example of this because he stood up for what he believed in, in a positive way.
Hi Brianna, I like the way you used Dr. King Jr as an example for what change can like when we stand up in a united way, with a positive message. I agree that we should not be governed so militantly, that we do not have the right to stand up against it, and we should seek to change things through becoming a united voice.
According to Thoreau's he believes that the government is unjust or corrupt. We as a people of this country should stand up for our rights and let our voices be heard. He believes on what John Locke believes on, that we are created equally and we gave the government to the power to govern us, but if this government overstep the boundaries that we have the right to overthrow it. The problem that was stated or the idea that stands out the most in the authors piece is that, men are subjective to what the government wants, even though it is unjust. He used the juxtaposition of a man being equal to a stone or a wood. This idea shows that we do not have rights and the government uses us as just tools and not as a human beings. The government gives an order and the military do it even though it is unjust. I believe that the government should stay back, the system will repair it self. I believe on a laissez faire government. The idea is that things will get better when the people is in charge.
Thoreau’s opinion about the government is that it is better if they did not govern at all. He does not agree with certain things and he has the right to do so. He said that if the government would step away, the American people would accomplish a lot more then what they have accomplished. If there are unjust laws and we do not agree with them as Americans we have the right to disagree and not follow them. Thoreau states that he has the right to assume what is right to think and do and that is something that the government cant take from the American people. In my opinion I think that the government is unjust and it only does what is beneficial to political parties. I do not know much about politics but I do disagree with certain things and I know that they can be unjust to their own benefit. We were all created equally and that’s how we should be treated. My proper response when a government acts unjust, is to disagree and know that its ok to say no. That is our right just like Thoreau said we should be able to resist against the government especially if its unjust.
Thoreau opinion on the government is that is it unjust and corrupt. He's saying that is citizens need to do something and not sit around and wait for the government to handle everything for us. Especially since the government doesn't do that much for us anyways as much as they make it seem. The government is known for making things worse because even though we have freedom of speech and other "free" rights, they still have a lot of control over us and with all these shootings they're going to try and instill martial law for all 50 states of the U.S. My response to a unjust government is disagreeing and basing my opinions off of factual information and not being biased or anything. We have the rights to have a say so in whatever it is so sometimes I'm gonna disagree with the government.
Thoreau believes that the government is corrupt, and has laws in place that should not be followed by the citizens (such as slavery and taxes). He writes that when a government acts unjustly, it is the right of the citizens to stand up and fight against that. While I do agree with Thoeau, that citizens should rebel against unjust laws, I feel that it must be done in a united way in order to have a large enough impact to create awareness and change. For example, the recent protests that have occurred are really inspiring to me, that the backlash of the American people against the government will be large enough to bring awareness to the issues that Americans are speaking out against.
When I read Thoreau’s excerpt, I realized that Thoreau wrote a lot of true facts regarding civil disobedience. I think Thoreau stated that the government was unjust, because the government treated some people a little too harshly. The past government probably contained a lot of harsh regulations, punishments, and certain misinterpretations. Thoreau tried to state that people should do the correct actions for them, no matter how wrong the government may be. He meant that people should not conform/respond, when the government acts unjustly. In my opinion, people should do the correct actions for them, and respond to the government in an appropriate manner (without any offense). In certain cases, lawyers can be very helpful (especially, if the situation is greatly affecting you in an extremely terrible way). If a person does not know what to do about an unjust government, he or she should treat everyone fairly, leave his/her location to go to another location, pray to God, or choose not to respond in certain situations. There are times people should respond, and there are times when they should not respond. I realized that discussing about unjust governments is confusing to me, and I hope all is well. Overall, I enjoyed writing the weekly blogs and the WAWYR (Writing about What You Read) blogs. Thank you very much for this writing experience. Have a nice summer break as well!
In Thoreau opinion, the government is very corrupt. He is saying that no one has a voice because the majority of the people chose someone to govern and they have to abide by their rules. Everyone thinks differently so they might not like what the government is proposing. He is saying that the people should go against what the government is saying and do what they think is right even if it’s going to cost them. He wants people to stand up for what they believe in. He is saying that groups of people should take a stance and protest together so the government can understand. I think that when the government is acting unjust we should stand up for what we believe in. I do think that protests make a difference. I have personally never participated in one, but I think they can be powerful. I think people, as a community, should join together and have one voice. We should stand up and tell the government that what they are doing is not what they should be doing. That the reason that they are in power is not what put them there to start off with. The government needs to see that they aren’t the ones in control, we are. We aren’t just going to sit here and watch them destroy us, we need to fight for us and for the future generations that are coming. If they can see the difference we make, then the world can be a better place.
Thoreau believes that we should not abide by the government if they are acting unfairly. We should do what is best for ourselves as individuals. He believes that we should take our own actions and do what we need to do because sometimes the government just takes too long and does not really do anything for us. In my opinion, I think that when a government acts unjustly, it is our duty to do something as well. If the government is not going to do anything, we should take the necessary and proper actions that we need to in order to be heard. So I guess that I heavily agree with Thoreau and his opinions and about we should do if the government is acting unjustly.
In Thoreau’s opinion, his idea of reacting to the government is to empower one another and resist. If the government acted in any way to disrupt people’s freedom, they have the power within themselves to rally. Thoreau also stated that the idea of a government ran by a certain man would not be just to provide to everyone. He recommended an environment which should be ran by all men and be decided by the people. His criticism for people in power was that they have control of men and have stripped them from their free will. His example of the military, states that there is so much power within groups and men have no ability to think for their reason. He also states that there should be a time when soldiers and people alike, stand for something that they feel is right. Instead of being from the country that invades, and destroys communities, be one that stands against that fight. My response would be like Thoreau’s idea and that would be to empower the people. When we join forces for the greater cause and focus on everyone’s wellbeing instead of just a small group.
We can gather that in Thoreau’s opinion the government is corrupt. He believes that since/if the government acts unjustly, we the people have the right act out against it. Thoreau thinks that we shouldn’t turn our back to injustices in the system or we in turn become a part of the problem. He believes that we as citizens need to act out against the government when they act unjustly. I agree with Thoreau to an extent. We can’t sit by and just let the government run things how they want and let it negatively affect us. However, we also don’t need riots and chaos throughout the country either. There’s a fine line that needs to be explored when it comes to the government. People need to work together in the right ways in order to make changes happen.
After reading Thoreau’s opinion, I got to the conclusion that he is against the government being unjust. He believes all citizens should stand up for their rights and disobey the laws if the government itself is not doing anything for the people. I agree with him because the government should treat all people equally and if they are not doing that we should stand for our rights. As he believes people should rebel to make a difference because if they do not things will remain the same and even get worst. To me if the government acts unjust I believe we should let the world know and create protests together as citizens to make a difference. I believe the government is here to provide the people with help and if it is failing that then like Thoreau said, there should be no government. I believe that if people unite in protests they can make a change with the government being unjust.
He generally wasn't someone who like the government but he saw it as necessary in someways. He believed that the focus of the government was to maintain rights and that people have a right to dislike and challenge their government. If the government is being unjust then people are allowed to do what is necessary to change it, however extreme. In my opinion in order to change the government if it is acts unjustly people need to come together and rise up against it. People need to make in order to gain more power to change it more immediately.
Thoreau believes that there should be no government, he states that the government is inexpedient. He thinks that people are treated unfairly and compares the government to a machine. He says that if the government acts unjust we should no longer justify it and rebel and revolutionize it. I would have to agree with what he says, government can be unfair and we should do something about.
Thoreau has quite a different response to an unjust government. He believes that we shouldn't allow a government to overrule the citizens and that they have the ability to change what is going on. If there is a sense of unjust then the citizens will change it. I believe that when the government acts unjust they should be held accountable for their actions and the citizens take charge. As a society we can make a difference. The government will be taken care of in a sense that the people will get what they want.
I believe in Thoreau's opinion unjust laws have been placed since the start when Columbus discovered America. We have invaded a land,as well as enslaved people. I feel like he is saying what is the difference between the Indians and Africans and the Americans. We fought the unjust laws England had places in us but , now we have a government that is doing the same and worse. He asked the reader why we haven't fought for our rights. We're entitled to them. But he's right. We're scared. We don't want to get in trouble with the law. Because it would be worse for us, especially now a days. He said that when he didn't pay his taxes he only had to stay one night in jail. Now a days it would probably be more like years plus a fine. In my opinion if the law is unjust the only thing to do is try to tell as many people that will listen. Protest but not act violently because that would just me put in jail. We could use the sources such as social media, news stations, start a petition and get people involved and behind the cause and try to get the law passed or at least recognized.
Thoreau's opinion when the government acts unjust, citizens should not tolerate nor submit to the law by making a revolution and rebelling against the government but in a peaceful way. He sees the government as a corrupt system in which freedom is restricted for their own power and benefit. He makes a point that if we do not agree with something that the government does, we should act as honest men and resist by following our own conscious to what we think is right. In my opinion when the government acts unjust we should unite together in one conscious to resist such laws. It is important to unite together as one army of honest men against corruption from the government, since one man alone cannot change the system of corruption. Thus, I think protests, and ballots to vote laws or people out can be effective if we also unite with people that are important to the governmental system; such as the power elite of government officials and powerful corporations who may also agree with the people in protesting; since they contribute significant influence to the way that government is run.
In Thoreau's opinion, it is a given that he believes the government is corrupt. He talks about prioritizing one's conscience/morals over the laws the government makes. To him, people must always do what they believe is right instead of following laws that the majority groups have created. When a government acts unjustly, Thoreau believes the proper response is to refuse to follow said law and separate themselves from government. He states that man only has one job: to not participate in a corrupt government. He also argues that voting and petitioning is not the way to try to make change. I believe when a government acts unjustly, we should all come together and unite. We must make our voices heard and rise up. The government must know that we are the ones who have the most power when we come together.
From m understanding Thoreau believes the government is unjust, unfair, and corrupt in it's ways. He believes the men and women within the government are not looking out for what is best for the citizens. Stating comments about taxes and even slavery, Thoreau made these points to drive home his thoughts on how the government is not out for the better good of it's citizens. I think that we as the majority should react when the government does things against its people. By protesting properly and in a civil way we can get our opinions heard.
Thoreau believes the government does not keep injustice from occurring because there are so many hoops to jump through. It takes too much time to convince others of one person’s wrong that the criminals usually end up going unpunished. Because of this, he believes people should have the right to act when they see something unjust occurring, and that they should exercise that right. Justice should be swift and local. While Thoreau makes many great points, the truth is that there is no one perfect solution. Of course, our legal system is not great and sometimes it fails us. However, if the power were solely in the hands of the people, there would only be chaos. Punishment would fall upon whoever wrongs us, no matter the size of the crime.
- An episode of a show I viewed included civil disobedience. It was in regard a racial issue and the way these people who demanded justice "rebelled" was by sitting out for their university's sport's teams. Basketball, baseball, track, tennis, swim, all sat out for a game so that their student body can be heard. They did this without corruption or hurting anyone. Their voice was loud even though they croaked no word, their demands roared and touched the president of the university to bring justice to the racial issue that occurred on campus with I ugh physically touching him. In result the demands were met and the students received justice. This reminded me of what Thoreau's was telling the reader. He believes the proper response when a government acts unjustly is to keep out chin up, and demand what we want. Loudly, proudly and strongly demand what we want; excluding violence or danger and we will eventually get closer to our goal. We have a voice and a mind of our own and the majority should not shun the minority. Instead of the majority intimidating the minority, it should be the opposite. I agree with Thoreau's point of view, as long as we aren't causing physical and emotional harm, as long as we stand up for what's moral and just then demanding for what's right is never wrong. This excerpt gave me a sense of power to never conform or settle for less and demand for what's right.
I believe that Thoreau believes that instead of getting a government or a higher power to change their ways, all it takes is one person to "revolt" to start a much larger effect. he believes that there should not be a government, and that he believes government are not keeping justice like they should. Government's are corrupt and bend the law and the power to their will to get whatever they wanted in their favor. When it comes to the taxes part and only spending one night in jail, right now would be like a felony. There are only two things for certain in this life, death and taxes.
Thoreau’s opinion, calls the the government corrupt and states that they are not doing anything good for the people. He believes the government should not be respected or followed because of how corrupt and unjust it is to its people. Thoreau presents some examples of the government being unjust such as slavery and taxes. He does not agree with paying taxes part some decides not to pay them himself. Thoreau's way of fighting back is to not to follow the law, ignore the government, and basically protesting in a nonviolent way. I personally think he is right is most if this arguments because it tends to happen at some point during the rule of a particular government. I am a firm supporting of fighting back in peaceful ways because we all deserve to be heard. We all were given a voice and rights in order to be recognized as citizens and if at some point in life we feel as is we are being treated unjustly than we should definitely find the most proper way to fight for our rights. I think this entire expert is telling us that we have the right to fight in a civil matter in order to stop the government from abusing its power.
Thoreau believes the government is corrupt, unjust, and unfair. Thoreau says it is the duty of all citizens to disobey unjust government policies. They should express their opposition through acts of civil disobedience, such as refusing to pay taxes. He also believes that the citizens are not a priority to the government. I would have to agree with Thoreau's believes! When the government acts unjustly, it should be held accountable for its actions. We the people should unite and become one. We should look for a solution for the problem, and if a solution isn't found, then a replacement should be fine!
Thoreau chose to remain solid on maintaining a strong moral compass, and because he did so, he was a free man though he was jailed. Free because -in my opinion- he did not compromise his standards and ethics, his conscience was clear, and he was not a prisoner of himself. One's conscience can do more to a man/woman than any prison can, if one holds them self to high standards of moral and ethical conduct.
When government acts unjustly one can pursue justice through the courts, ultimately the Supreme Court if it gets that far. We the People have exercised our right to vote in/out politicians hoping our vote would change things, but the more We the People try to fix our unjust government and the acts it commits, the more it usurps the constitution and the rule of law creating an undefeatable entity unless a revolution occurs. Yes, I believe it will take a full-bore revolution to tear it all down and start from scratch to right the ship that is our government. With the most recent course our government has taken beginning with Bush 41, it has been a slow and steady takeover, taking on the role of the ever vigilant tortoise. Government keeps getting larger, and our freedoms continue to be infringed upon. Being an individual fed up with the antics and chicanery of Team Red/Team Blue -on a local,state, and federal level- that I moved to the mountains so I have as little contact with "it" as possible. That is my solution to getting away from unjust acts of government – be it local, state, and federal. Considering the consequences those that have tried in the methods used to get the attention of government, and We the People, -like the man who flew an ultra-lite plane onto the White House grounds- a proper response is to remove one's self from the arena to avoid a confrontation, scrutiny, and prison. A coward's way out? More like the practical response for the sake of preservation, especially with an entity as powerful, unscrupulous, and corrupt like the U.S. Government. Live to fight another day.
!!!!NO MEETING THIS SATURDAY!!!! (we will meet later in the semester)
EMAIL: bschmoll@csub.edu
Greetings,
This course has some weekly assignments that you must keep up on. There are also a few other papers and books to read throughout the semester. But if you keep up with the weekly assignments on here, your writing will improve and you will put yourself in a great position to do well in this class!
These are time sensitive. You do not receive credit if you write them after the deadline(Saturday) each week. Furthermore, if you are in the habit of writing everything on Saturday you will not receive full credit. Why? There would be no time for others to interact with your writing. Write early; write often! Right? Right!
HERE IS THE WORK THAT MUST BE COMPLETED EACH WEEK...
FIRST, there's a blog entry (about 250 words) which will have you respond to a hopefully thought-provoking question. Each week, you must do the blog entry with enough time left in the week to be able to enter into dialogue online with your classmates. Write, reply, write more, reply more, and then write and reply more.
SECOND, there's a reading. There’s no blog entry associated with this. Just read.
THIRD, there's a written response to the reading. Your reading and writing on the blog must be completed by the SATURDAY (by midnight) of the week in which the reading falls. This entry should be a long paragraph. YOU DO NOT NEED TO RESPOND TO OTHER STUDENTS IN PART THREE EACH WEEK.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis is the way I understand this: In Thoreau’s opinion, the government is corrupted, it’s not doing anything for the people. He does not want anything to do with it. He thinks that since the government is already unjust it should not be respected or followed. Thoreau presents some examples of the government being unjust such as slavery and taxes. He does not agree with paying taxes, so he just didn’t. Thoreau suggest not to following the law, ignoring the government, and basically protesting in a nonviolent way.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with Thoreau on a way, the proper way to respond to an unjust government is by protesting on well-organized and informed protests. Like right now, the way we are dealing it with our newer elected president. Many people are in disagree with the way we are been represented, the way the government is ignoring us, and the passing of new bills that only benefit the government and its supporters. Different groups are getting together to become stronger. And we should continue doing this until our rights for liberty and justice are met.
Thoreau believes that we should disobey unjust laws. He believes that it is our duty as people of conscience to mount civil disobedience to laws that are unjust although the majority voted these laws into being. As he states in the excerpt, “…and to resist, the government, when its tyranny or its inefficiency are great and unendurable.” We all have the right to be treated with humility and dignity. We should not turn a blind eye to injustices or we could be recognized as part of the problem. Waiting for the majority to be persuaded that there is an injustice that needs to be rectified only creates more victims. Thoreau believes that all honest men should, in his words, “rebel and revolutionize.” I agree with Thoreau. If we wait for unjust laws to be righted, there would be an untold amount of victims by the time things run their course. The government is inexpedient and at times its inexpediency creates larger problems than if moral and ethical persons stand up and resist the injustices that are being done. There are countless examples of this, but I’ll refrain as to not be too political in this forum. Many of the great changes that have affected the majority of a peoples positively, happened because of charismatic, creative, and courageous person standing up to the injustices that have been identified, and pushing for change through civil disobedience.
ReplyDeleteThoreau states that we do not need to abide by the unjust laws. He was imprisoned once and wants us to not just go with everything the crowds are doing but to take notice and care about this land we live in. He essentially says that we should not take no for an answer if the government is acting unjustly. Take a stand for what is right and do not back down. In my opinion, he is completely correct. governments, at times, act unjustly and should not be able to stomp around on American citizens. There must be a checklist put in place when the government is acting unjustly. Only after these options have been tried we should be able to disobey laws. This in my opinion is a last resort of course. Small government is great, it keeps everything on track but when too much government is in place they began to get power hungry. This is not good and this is what Thoreau is trying to explain I believe.
ReplyDeleteFrom my understand Thoreau believes the government is unfair. The government tries to solve problems but creates more in the process. We supposedly are part of being voters but we leave the power to the majority. He also things that unjust law exist and says whether we should obey them or make change. The government is losing its integrity. The majority only gets to decide from right or wrong. He thinks a way to respond when a government acts unjust is to rebel and not leave everything in the hands of the government. I think a proper way to respond when a government acts unjust is to get people to join a cause and show that there is inequality. The people need to rebel and make change by insisting on passing bills that not just allows the majority or rich to make decisions. There's conflict because the rich make the laws to suit them but not the rest of us and us the people have the power to change that if we unite.
ReplyDeleteThoreau talks about how we need to do something if we see unjust things happening. We shouldn't wait around and wait for the majority to finally figure out what is right. It is a waist of time for us to have to petition the government to try to get what is right. We need to act and disobey if it means doing what is right. For me, if the government acts unjustly I think we also need do something. I certainly don't think we should just sit around. I agree with Thoreau in some ways. However, I think it is important to not break the laws unless it is a last resort. For the most part, laws were made by the people that thought they were doing the right thing. I think disobeying would be last resort. I disagree with Thoreau about petitioning. I don't think it is a waste of time and I think we should try before blatantly breaking the rules.
ReplyDeleteI think Thoreau is trying to say that we must do something when unjust is occurring. We can not just sit and wait for the government to take action. He says we are voters, but the majority has the power. I totally agree with him. The lower class can vote, but the high class has the last say. The rich people make the laws that seem right for them, but forget about the rest of the people. I also agree that people should be allowed to disobey the laws. When there is a law that will not be good for a lot of people, I think it is ok to protest. To form a group of supporters and go out to protest. Though, Thoreau also mentions that he has been in jail. It is ok to disobey laws, but not in a matter of hurting people or the community you live in.
ReplyDeleteIn Thoreau's opinion, the proper response when a government acts unjustly is, instead of spending so much time and effort in convincing the majority population to do the right thing, a single person that shows his civil disobedience is all it takes for other people to start noticing the unjust law. In my opinion, I also agree with Thoreau's view on opposing the government if it is unjust. A majority of the population chooses to conform or hop on bandwagons instead of choosing to do what she or he think is morally right. If just one single person is brave enough to step up, to show to other people that there is nothing to be afraid of, I believe the act of bravery will be spread to others that will encourage them to act the same way as well.
ReplyDeleteIn Thoreau's opinion, people have every right to take a stand to the government's unjust laws. He argues that governments are doing more harm than good with its corruption and injustice movement. He firmly believes that individuals should not permit any government to allow such injustice to continue to occur and therefore, we must take action and protest against any violation, regardless if that means disobeying such laws to achieve righteousness. Thoreau uses one of his examples on taxes, in which people should work together by refusing to pay taxes to demonstrate injustice. I completely agree with Thoreau's opinion, people should respond back to governments acting unjustly. Every individual has a right to live in a world where no corruption should be tolerated. Therefore, it is our responsibility as citizens to take a stand for what we believe is immoral and unjust.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of those very tricky questions. For Thoreau, a person has the right to stand up again the government if it is acting unjustly. He goes on to state that he believes individuals shouldn't allow the government to continue with corruption and can take action however they see fit. I believe that there is truth to this but not when it comes to harming people. Martin Luther King Jr was an excellent example of protesting and getting your voice heard without ever harming another individual. Other people came after him that did not follow as suit, but I believe if you stick to what your goal is in protesting and do not hurt others, your voice will be heard.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteIn Thoreau's opinion, what is the proper response when a government acts unjustly?
In your opinion, what is the proper response when a government acts unjustly?
According to Thoreau's opinion, the proper way to response to unjustly government acts is to not follow the government's order. He believes this because he feels that the government doesn't abide to the people's need. An example he gave was to not pay taxes. I agree, we should not help the government if it doesn't help us. People shouldn't pay taxes if their city isn't being helped. For example, not being provided with water when they have a water usage cut. But, this could be done with a leader who can attain the correct amount of people and lead them to protest. In other words, I believe that violence shouldn't be used because innocent people could be harmed.
In Thoreau's opinion the government is corrupt. Thoreau believes that supporting the government makes you part of the machine. All the unjust things that the government does like war, slavery, land displacement can be directly linked to you by supporting the government. Thoreau believes that the government does not care about you. Why should you support a government with taxes that doesn't care about your own needs or opinions? I think a proper response to when a government acts unjustly is to resist. I think the citizens must band together and unite under a leader who is the voice of change. This will not be an easy effort and will require a concerted effort from the majority of citizens to end ignorance and abolish unjust governments.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIn Thoreau's opinion I believe he basically says that governments have its ways of being unjustly. He says that he believes the government is best which governs not at all. He says how some but not all governments are expedient. I believe that when a government acts unjustly its when a specific group believes in judgement or when it comes to a specific situation either dealing with taxes or politics.I believe that and I'm for a change in government situations so when people fight together for a change its for a good cause. I believe that together we all have a voice and have the power to make a difference in something that needs to be changed
ReplyDeleteI believe Thoreau's opinion is that the government is unethical and shady. The message I received from the excerpt was that if you agree with them, it makes you guilty of what they're doing. I believe that it's good when people get together and stand up for what they believe in, as long as they're not destroying anything innocent in the process. Thoreau is saying that the right thing to do is to not follow what they say and do. He wants everyone to stand up for themselves and not believe everything they say. I feel that Martin Luther King Jr is a good example of this because he stood up for what he believed in, in a positive way.
ReplyDeleteHi Brianna,
DeleteI like the way you used Dr. King Jr as an example for what change can like when we stand up in a united way, with a positive message. I agree that we should not be governed so militantly, that we do not have the right to stand up against it, and we should seek to change things through becoming a united voice.
According to Thoreau's he believes that the government is unjust or corrupt. We as a people of this country should stand up for our rights and let our voices be heard. He believes on what John Locke believes on, that we are created equally and we gave the government to the power to govern us, but if this government overstep the boundaries that we have the right to overthrow it. The problem that was stated or the idea that stands out the most in the authors piece is that, men are subjective to what the government wants, even though it is unjust. He used the juxtaposition of a man being equal to a stone or a wood. This idea shows that we do not have rights and the government uses us as just tools and not as a human beings. The government gives an order and the military do it even though it is unjust. I believe that the government should stay back, the system will repair it self. I believe on a laissez faire government. The idea is that things will get better when the people is in charge.
ReplyDeleteThoreau’s opinion about the government is that it is better if they did not govern at all. He does not agree with certain things and he has the right to do so. He said that if the government would step away, the American people would accomplish a lot more then what they have accomplished. If there are unjust laws and we do not agree with them as Americans we have the right to disagree and not follow them. Thoreau states that he has the right to assume what is right to think and do and that is something that the government cant take from the American people. In my opinion I think that the government is unjust and it only does what is beneficial to political parties. I do not know much about politics but I do disagree with certain things and I know that they can be unjust to their own benefit. We were all created equally and that’s how we should be treated. My proper response when a government acts unjust, is to disagree and know that its ok to say no. That is our right just like Thoreau said we should be able to resist against the government especially if its unjust.
ReplyDeleteThoreau opinion on the government is that is it unjust and corrupt. He's saying that is citizens need to do something and not sit around and wait for the government to handle everything for us. Especially since the government doesn't do that much for us anyways as much as they make it seem. The government is known for making things worse because even though we have freedom of speech and other "free" rights, they still have a lot of control over us and with all these shootings they're going to try and instill martial law for all 50 states of the U.S. My response to a unjust government is disagreeing and basing my opinions off of factual information and not being biased or anything. We have the rights to have a say so in whatever it is so sometimes I'm gonna disagree with the government.
ReplyDeleteThoreau believes that the government is corrupt, and has laws in place that should not be followed by the citizens (such as slavery and taxes). He writes that when a government acts unjustly, it is the right of the citizens to stand up and fight against that. While I do agree with Thoeau, that citizens should rebel against unjust laws, I feel that it must be done in a united way in order to have a large enough impact to create awareness and change. For example, the recent protests that have occurred are really inspiring to me, that the backlash of the American people against the government will be large enough to bring awareness to the issues that Americans are speaking out against.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWhen I read Thoreau’s excerpt, I realized that Thoreau wrote a lot of true facts regarding civil disobedience. I think Thoreau stated that the government was unjust, because the government treated some people a little too harshly. The past government probably contained a lot of harsh regulations, punishments, and certain misinterpretations. Thoreau tried to state that people should do the correct actions for them, no matter how wrong the government may be. He meant that people should not conform/respond, when the government acts unjustly. In my opinion, people should do the correct actions for them, and respond to the government in an appropriate manner (without any offense). In certain cases, lawyers can be very helpful (especially, if the situation is greatly affecting you in an extremely terrible way). If a person does not know what to do about an unjust government, he or she should treat everyone fairly, leave his/her location to go to another location, pray to God, or choose not to respond in certain situations. There are times people should respond, and there are times when they should not respond. I realized that discussing about unjust governments is confusing to me, and I hope all is well. Overall, I enjoyed writing the weekly blogs and the WAWYR (Writing about What You Read) blogs. Thank you very much for this writing experience. Have a nice summer break as well!
ReplyDeleteRoshaan S.
In Thoreau opinion, the government is very corrupt. He is saying that no one has a voice because the majority of the people chose someone to govern and they have to abide by their rules. Everyone thinks differently so they might not like what the government is proposing. He is saying that the people should go against what the government is saying and do what they think is right even if it’s going to cost them. He wants people to stand up for what they believe in. He is saying that groups of people should take a stance and protest together so the government can understand. I think that when the government is acting unjust we should stand up for what we believe in. I do think that protests make a difference. I have personally never participated in one, but I think they can be powerful. I think people, as a community, should join together and have one voice. We should stand up and tell the government that what they are doing is not what they should be doing. That the reason that they are in power is not what put them there to start off with. The government needs to see that they aren’t the ones in control, we are. We aren’t just going to sit here and watch them destroy us, we need to fight for us and for the future generations that are coming. If they can see the difference we make, then the world can be a better place.
ReplyDeleteThoreau believes that we should not abide by the government if they are acting unfairly. We should do what is best for ourselves as individuals. He believes that we should take our own actions and do what we need to do because sometimes the government just takes too long and does not really do anything for us.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, I think that when a government acts unjustly, it is our duty to do something as well. If the government is not going to do anything, we should take the necessary and proper actions that we need to in order to be heard. So I guess that I heavily agree with Thoreau and his opinions and about we should do if the government is acting unjustly.
In Thoreau’s opinion, his idea of reacting to the government is to empower one another and resist. If the government acted in any way to disrupt people’s freedom, they have the power within themselves to rally. Thoreau also stated that the idea of a government ran by a certain man would not be just to provide to everyone. He recommended an environment which should be ran by all men and be decided by the people. His criticism for people in power was that they have control of men and have stripped them from their free will. His example of the military, states that there is so much power within groups and men have no ability to think for their reason. He also states that there should be a time when soldiers and people alike, stand for something that they feel is right. Instead of being from the country that invades, and destroys communities, be one that stands against that fight. My response would be like Thoreau’s idea and that would be to empower the people. When we join forces for the greater cause and focus on everyone’s wellbeing instead of just a small group.
ReplyDeleteWe can gather that in Thoreau’s opinion the government is corrupt. He believes that since/if the government acts unjustly, we the people have the right act out against it. Thoreau thinks that we shouldn’t turn our back to injustices in the system or we in turn become a part of the problem. He believes that we as citizens need to act out against the government when they act unjustly. I agree with Thoreau to an extent. We can’t sit by and just let the government run things how they want and let it negatively affect us. However, we also don’t need riots and chaos throughout the country either. There’s a fine line that needs to be explored when it comes to the government. People need to work together in the right ways in order to make changes happen.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading Thoreau’s opinion, I got to the conclusion that he is against the government being unjust. He believes all citizens should stand up for their rights and disobey the laws if the government itself is not doing anything for the people. I agree with him because the government should treat all people equally and if they are not doing that we should stand for our rights. As he believes people should rebel to make a difference because if they do not things will remain the same and even get worst. To me if the government acts unjust I believe we should let the world know and create protests together as citizens to make a difference. I believe the government is here to provide the people with help and if it is failing that then like Thoreau said, there should be no government. I believe that if people unite in protests they can make a change with the government being unjust.
ReplyDeleteHe generally wasn't someone who like the government but he saw it as necessary in someways. He believed that the focus of the government was to maintain rights and that people have a right to dislike and challenge their government. If the government is being unjust then people are allowed to do what is necessary to change it, however extreme. In my opinion in order to change the government if it is acts unjustly people need to come together and rise up against it. People need to make in order to gain more power to change it more immediately.
ReplyDeleteThoreau believes that there should be no government, he states that the government is inexpedient. He thinks that people are treated unfairly and compares the government to a machine. He says that if the government acts unjust we should no longer justify it and rebel and revolutionize it. I would have to agree with what he says, government can be unfair and we should do something about.
ReplyDeleteThoreau has quite a different response to an unjust government. He believes that we shouldn't allow a government to overrule the citizens and that they have the ability to change what is going on. If there is a sense of unjust then the citizens will change it. I believe that when the government acts unjust they should be held accountable for their actions and the citizens take charge. As a society we can make a difference. The government will be taken care of in a sense that the people will get what they want.
ReplyDeleteI believe in Thoreau's opinion unjust laws have been placed since the start when Columbus discovered America. We have invaded a land,as well as enslaved people. I feel like he is saying what is the difference between the Indians and Africans and the Americans. We fought the unjust laws England had places in us but , now we have a government that is doing the same and worse. He asked the reader why we haven't fought for our rights. We're entitled to them. But he's right. We're scared. We don't want to get in trouble with the law. Because it would be worse for us, especially now a days. He said that when he didn't pay his taxes he only had to stay one night in jail. Now a days it would probably be more like years plus a fine. In my opinion if the law is unjust the only thing to do is try to tell as many people that will listen. Protest but not act violently because that would just me put in jail. We could use the sources such as social media, news stations, start a petition and get people involved and behind the cause and try to get the law passed or at least recognized.
ReplyDeleteThoreau's opinion when the government acts unjust, citizens should not tolerate nor submit to the law by making a revolution and rebelling against the government but in a peaceful way. He sees the government as a corrupt system in which freedom is restricted for their own power and benefit. He makes a point that if we do not agree with something that the government does, we should act as honest men and resist by following our own conscious to what we think is right. In my opinion when the government acts unjust we should unite together in one conscious to resist such laws. It is important to unite together as one army of honest men against corruption from the government, since one man alone cannot change the system of corruption. Thus, I think protests, and ballots to vote laws or people out can be effective if we also unite with people that are important to the governmental system; such as the power elite of government officials and powerful corporations who may also agree with the people in protesting; since they contribute significant influence to the way that government is run.
ReplyDeleteIn Thoreau's opinion, it is a given that he believes the government is corrupt. He talks about prioritizing one's conscience/morals over the laws the government makes. To him, people must always do what they believe is right instead of following laws that the majority groups have created. When a government acts unjustly, Thoreau believes the proper response is to refuse to follow said law and separate themselves from government. He states that man only has one job: to not participate in a corrupt government. He also argues that voting and petitioning is not the way to try to make change.
ReplyDeleteI believe when a government acts unjustly, we should all come together and unite. We must make our voices heard and rise up. The government must know that we are the ones who have the most power when we come together.
From m understanding Thoreau believes the government is unjust, unfair, and corrupt in it's ways. He believes the men and women within the government are not looking out for what is best for the citizens. Stating comments about taxes and even slavery, Thoreau made these points to drive home his thoughts on how the government is not out for the better good of it's citizens.
ReplyDeleteI think that we as the majority should react when the government does things against its people. By protesting properly and in a civil way we can get our opinions heard.
Thoreau believes the government does not keep injustice from occurring because there are so many hoops to jump through. It takes too much time to convince others of one person’s wrong that the criminals usually end up going unpunished. Because of this, he believes people should have the right to act when they see something unjust occurring, and that they should exercise that right. Justice should be swift and local. While Thoreau makes many great points, the truth is that there is no one perfect solution. Of course, our legal system is not great and sometimes it fails us. However, if the power were solely in the hands of the people, there would only be chaos. Punishment would fall upon whoever wrongs us, no matter the size of the crime.
ReplyDelete- An episode of a show I viewed included civil disobedience. It was in regard a racial issue and the way these people who demanded justice "rebelled" was by sitting out for their university's sport's teams. Basketball, baseball, track, tennis, swim, all sat out for a game so that their student body can be heard. They did this without corruption or hurting anyone. Their voice was loud even though they croaked no word, their demands roared and touched the president of the university to bring justice to the racial issue that occurred on campus with I ugh physically touching him. In result the demands were met and the students received justice.
ReplyDeleteThis reminded me of what Thoreau's was telling the reader. He believes the proper response when a government acts unjustly is to keep out chin up, and demand what we want. Loudly, proudly and strongly demand what we want; excluding violence or danger and we will eventually get closer to our goal.
We have a voice and a mind of our own and the majority should not shun the minority. Instead of the majority intimidating the minority, it should be the opposite.
I agree with Thoreau's point of view, as long as we aren't causing physical and emotional harm, as long as we stand up for what's moral and just then demanding for what's right is never wrong. This excerpt gave me a sense of power to never conform or settle for less and demand for what's right.
I believe that Thoreau believes that instead of getting a government or a higher power to change their ways, all it takes is one person to "revolt" to start a much larger effect. he believes that there should not be a government, and that he believes government are not keeping justice like they should. Government's are corrupt and bend the law and the power to their will to get whatever they wanted in their favor. When it comes to the taxes part and only spending one night in jail, right now would be like a felony. There are only two things for certain in this life, death and taxes.
ReplyDeleteThoreau’s opinion, calls the the government corrupt and states that they are not doing anything good for the people. He believes the government should not be respected or followed because of how corrupt and unjust it is to its people. Thoreau presents some examples of the government being unjust such as slavery and taxes. He does not agree with paying taxes part some decides not to pay them himself. Thoreau's way of fighting back is to not to follow the law, ignore the government, and basically protesting in a nonviolent way. I personally think he is right is most if this arguments because it tends to happen at some point during the rule of a particular government. I am a firm supporting of fighting back in peaceful ways because we all deserve to be heard. We all were given a voice and rights in order to be recognized as citizens and if at some point in life we feel as is we are being treated unjustly than we should definitely find the most proper way to fight for our rights. I think this entire expert is telling us that we have the right to fight in a civil matter in order to stop the government from abusing its power.
ReplyDeleteThoreau believes the government is corrupt, unjust, and unfair. Thoreau says it is the duty of all citizens to disobey unjust government policies. They should express their opposition through acts of civil disobedience, such as refusing to pay taxes. He also believes that the citizens are not a priority to the government.
ReplyDeleteI would have to agree with Thoreau's believes! When the government acts unjustly, it should be held accountable for its actions. We the people should unite and become one. We should look for a solution for the problem, and if a solution isn't found, then a replacement should be fine!
Thoreau chose to remain solid on maintaining a strong moral compass, and because he did so, he was a free man though he was jailed. Free because -in my opinion- he did not compromise his standards and ethics, his conscience was clear, and he was not a prisoner of himself. One's conscience can do more to a man/woman than any prison can, if one holds them self to high standards of moral and ethical conduct.
ReplyDeleteWhen government acts unjustly one can pursue justice through the courts, ultimately the Supreme Court if it gets that far. We the People have exercised our right to vote in/out politicians hoping our vote would change things, but the more We the People try to fix our unjust government and the acts it commits, the more it usurps the constitution and the rule of law creating an undefeatable entity unless a revolution occurs. Yes, I believe it will take a full-bore revolution to tear it all down and start from scratch to right the ship that is our government. With the most recent course our government has taken beginning with Bush 41, it has been a slow and steady takeover, taking on the role of the ever vigilant tortoise. Government keeps getting larger, and our freedoms continue to be infringed upon. Being an individual fed up with the antics and chicanery of Team Red/Team Blue -on a local,state, and federal level- that I moved to the mountains so I have as little contact with "it" as possible. That is my solution to getting away from unjust acts of government – be it local, state, and federal. Considering the consequences those that have tried in the methods used to get the attention of government, and We the People, -like the man who flew an ultra-lite plane onto the White House grounds- a proper response is to remove one's self from the arena to avoid a confrontation, scrutiny, and prison. A coward's way out? More like the practical response for the sake of preservation, especially with an entity as powerful, unscrupulous, and corrupt like the U.S. Government. Live to fight another day.