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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."


In society, there are laws representing the interests of the majority that are composed by the State to govern the people. However, laws can be unjust too. According to Martin Luther King, “A law is unjust if it is inflicted on a minority.” And for Thoreau, policies of the State should never be put above the individual’s needs. I strongly agree with the speaker’s claim that one is accountable to obey just laws; similarly, one has the moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.

Since laws are based on majority vote and cannot always suit everyone in different situations, and their intent is to govern, unjust laws indeed exist. After court legalized same-sex marriage in in February, 2004, more than 1,000 gay and lesbian couples streamed into city and town halls across the state seeking licenses to marry. However, it also promoted a national debate on the legality and morality of same-sex union. Some conservative groups and catholic leagues even filed the challenge to the law. The law about gay marriage is just for those gay, lesbian and those who advocated for it, but unjust to conservative people, catholic, and even President Bush who had said the ruling was deeply troubling. The same situation could go to the abortion law. The U.S. Supreme Count determined that the Constitution protects a woman’s decision whether or not to terminate her pregnancy. The Count held further that a state may not unduly burden a woman’s fundamental right to abortion. However it conflicts with the religious beliefs and moral values of many people.

Laws were and still are made to keep order in society. We should obey the laws if they are just, in order to ensure the stability of the society. However if the law conflicts with people’s moral values or beliefs, people should take direct action against it and make it amended. There is nothing new about the civil disobedience. When Martine Luther King was asked, “How can you advocate breaking some laws and obeying others?” He said, “the answer lies in the fact that there are two types of laws: just and unjust. I would be the first to advocate obeying just laws. One has not only a legal but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.” Indeed, King fought hard for African-American rights. Though his civil disobedience eventually caused himself to be put in jail, every race of American people was and still is very thankful for his efforts. His story tells us the direct action should be involved to change the unjust laws when they conflict with people’s moral values. This notion was also advocated by an American writer, philosopher and even a naturalist in history. He was Thoreau. Thoreau has proven through his wrings and teachings that direct action against laws that conflict with personal beliefs is the best course of action to take.

To sum up, society is governed by a set of laws. However, since these laws just represent the interests of the majority, there are inevitably two types of laws existing, that is: just and unjust. For ensuring the stability of society, we should obey the just laws. Otherwise, when laws conflict people’s personal beliefs and moral values, people should take direct action against them to eventually amend them.