issue17

civilppUID: 2999177

17
There are two types of laws: just and unjust. Every individual in a society has a responsibility to obey just laws and, even more importantly, to disobey and resist unjust laws

I fundamentally agree with the speaker that disobedience the unjust laws playing a significant role in society recently. However, it is worth of more concerning about the obedience the just law; otherwise, our society will sink into disturbances and chaos with the undue changes of the laws.

I concede that disobedience of the unjust laws can bring merits to our society. First to start, the judicial authority does not more than welcome to the disapproval of the laws, so they can update and check their published law according to different needs from the people, which often results in amounts improvements. What's more important, the newly-published laws designed according to the voice from the society may keep balance of ultimate interest with more beneficiaries. For example, if were not for the campaign of civil disobedience in Northern Ireland in 1978 demanding the equal rights in housing and voting for Catholic and women, it is impossible to have private business and government implemented laws and
rules protecting their rights today.

However, we cannot act against the unjust laws at any time if we feel being treated unfairly for reasons bellow. Not all the rights of citizens can be properly protected, so that no one can ensure the perfection of a law that it will benefit every person in this country. After all, laws are made for the majorities not for minorities. Therefore, may be the laws in one's mind meaning fair to him will end up unfair to others in the same society. In this case, opposing to unjust laws may seem reasonable but irrational in fact. For example, the Southern gentry often color their antebellum life with entertainment and elegance based on the slavery which was an unjust law to slaves deprived from human rights. Therefore, the Emancipation proclamation was published to ensure the justice of laws that laws should be made protected the basic right of human beings not for certain people's privilege. From this case, it seems that the Emancipation proclamation may not fair for the Southern gentry while it indeed proves the legal rights among all the people. Sometimes it is not always the unjust laws in your mind that doesn't protect you or invades your properties, the result turning out maybe is it cannot meet your own need that will be malignant to others.

Obedience to just laws is more profitable for a society as a whole. As a citizen, we regard following the rules and legislation not only a responsibility, but also a contribution to the stability of our country we love most. Since only based on the stability can a country attributing more energy and providing financial support to development of economy, science and any other fields that strengthen the national power, which will be in turn beneficial to its people and its international status.

To sum up, without the disobedience to the unjust laws, the laws may lose its justice regardless the majorities' ultimate interest, while a nation's prosperity also calls for obedience to the just laws. Otherwise, it is safe to say there will be endless complaints and fight between individuals and the public, thus causing unexpected disturbance and chaos of the society.