Law: Gideon vs Wainright The framers formed this country with one sole document, the Constitution, which they wrote with great wisdom and foresight. This bountiful wisdom arose from the unjust treatment of King George to which the colonists were subject. Among these violations of the colonists' rights were inequitable ... of the right to mount a legal defense is further obscured by the Fourteenth Amendment which states, "No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States." As a result, many questions begin to arise which se...

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... society, and many believe that it is the code under which we should live by. However, while many hold this view, few still side with the unjust law, one that is a numerical code or power majority group compels and minority group to obey but does not make it binding on itself. During the time ... , having two types of laws which govern us creates chaos, anger and resentment is our society. It is important to emphasize the differences between a just and unjust law because it calls attention to the fact that even today; we segregate our communities and our culture. For example, although no w...

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... have succeeded, or shall we transgress them at once?"(320) Thoreau addresses the idea of defying the government when the law is unjust. Additionally, Howard Zinn said, "I began to talk about Henry David Thoreau and his decision to break the law in protest against the U.S. invasion of Mexico in1846."(4) Later, Thoreau's defiance would influence Martin Luther King to also defy ... 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 A just law is a man-made code tha...

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... believed that by appealing to the verdict or by running away he would be wronging the city [50A]. He should have instead fought against the unjust verdict, and prove to the city that it was not right to sentence someone to death for philosophizing. He didn't want to appeal or runaway ... that he was right. It has been proven in the United States that one can fight against an unjust ruling or an unjust law; like the Black Civil Rights Movement, and Women's Rights. By allowing the unjust ruling to go through, Socrates allowed the city to be able to wrong another person when the situation ...

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... quot;[Mayhew, pg. 9] Mayhew makes the point that if there is evidence that a ruler abuses their trust and power, then neither the law of reason or religion requires obedience or submission. The ruler should be dethroned, and the authority which they were vested with transferred to others. ... and the foolish and harshness of the crown (a.k.a. the King). The main thing one would come to know is that Parliament was making unjust laws (and not fixing them) and it is not sinful but just to overthrow an abusive power. The British American colonists were sufficiently ... justified in fightin...

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... David Thoreau would completely agree with Socrates" above quotation. Thoreau argues that government should be based on conscience and that citizens should cease associating with an unjust government. Thoreau writes: "How does it become a man to behave toward the American government today? I answer, that he cannot without disgrace be ... be men first, and subjects afterward." According to Thoreau, if people followed their conscience instead of the law, they would do the just thing. If people obeyed all laws, they would tend to do unjust things. In Thoreau's mind, the American people would ...

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... decisions. The question is, on what standard do we base our decisions? Nearly every society will have two different internal law codes, that of what is "just" and what is "unjust." We often solve a moral dilemma by considering the consequences, pondering either the demands of those in authority or our ... of these two factor dominate one another, the preferred factor is given a force that leads individuals to either take part in or to resist an unjust action. Authority is more than just a powerful source that gives out order; it consists of creating pressure and a reward-punishment system...

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... who opposed the war did so for moral reasons, and therefore pronounced that signing the Declaration was an act of civil disobedience and not breaking a law. In his essay "Civil Disobedience", Henry David Thoreau writes, "Unjust laws exist: shall we be content to obey them or shall we endeavor to amend them, and obey them until we have succeeded, or shall we ... transgress them at once?" (Thoreau). The purpose of civil disobedience, in other words, is to call attention to an unjust law, and crusade until it could be amended. The desire to change a law is based upon moral principles, and ...

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... which governs least,"[Thoreau] Henry David Thoreau, defines "Civil Disobedience" as "a pacific act of willful resistance, achieved by not obeying laws he considers to be unmoral and unjust [Thoreau]." History shows us that civil disobedience is merely necessary when the relatively minorities face the majorities, who enact laws that prejudice them by ignoring their moral rights, beliefs ... cases, when power is unbalanced, and the society is unstable "civil disobedience" is one of the few strategies left for citizens that brings immediate attention to any unjust or unmoral law. In general...

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... without regard to societal rules and laws, even going so far as to act in opposition to those laws that are felt to be unjust. Emerson claims that "No law can be sacred to me but that of my nature. Good and bad are but names very readily transferable to that or this; ... is to do at any time what I think right"(2). While all members of society posses the will and the inclination to do right by opposing an unjust society, only those in the upper echelon have the power to actually affect change, while avoiding the personal consequences of non-conformity. Those that have stood ... only tho...

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... the administration fears is a threat to attack the U.S. or our allies, most currently aimed at Iraq. An American campaign of preemptive strikes to overthrow the Iraqi regime would be an unjust, aggressive, imperialist war and have potentially disastrous effects on our alliances, the existing international system, and the prospect of general peace and stability in the world. When questioning the legality ... imitation and emulation and will no doubt get it (Carrie Benzschawel). America should heed the words of Immanuel Kant "So act that your principle of action might safely be made a law...

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... . Martin Luther King, Jr. had an interesting statement in his Letter from Birmingham Jail that pertains to the subject at hand. Dr. King stated that any law that degrades human personality is unjust and that any law that uplifts human personality is just (Jacobus, 159). However, the First Amendment allows for freedom of speech and protects all speech. There are statements made by ... certain organizations, groups, or people that degrade human personality or character. So, does this mean that the First Amendment is unjust to Dr. King? I believe if looked at ... of speech. Hate speech in ...

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... who has committed a hate crime is partly punished by his or her motives. This makes that hate crime laws in the United States of America are superfluous, unjust, discriminating against victims of other crimes, and in violation of the First Amendment. At first, in the US hate crime laws are superfluous. Every crime that ... can be committed can already be punished under state laws and local laws. If someone commits a crime he has broken the law and is punished for that. An example: if a man murders a black woman because she is black, he should be charged with murder in the first ... degr...

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... social problems involving race relations in the United States (Carter, 2004). The proposed federal End Racial Profiling Act of 2001 stated that racial profiling perpetuates this characterization of an unjust criminal justice system and that individuals subjected to racial profiling experience fear, anxiety, humiliation, anger, resentment and cynicism when they are unjustifiably treated as human suspects (Rivera, 2008 ... such as those on immigrants) have caused destruction on individuals, their families and communities by tearing them apart through raids and unjust detentions. Racial pro...

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... ,distinguished history. Without Civil Disobedience, the Civil Rights Movement wouldn't have gotten very far in the 60's. Civil Disobedience is the refusal to obey the laws which are seen as unjust in an effort to bring about a chnage in governmental policy. The Civil Rights Movement is the movement of the 1950's and 1960's to win equal rights for all African Americans ... was a dispersed, grass-roots campaign that attacked segregation in many different places using different tactics. Civil Disobedience Civil Disobedience like stated before is the refusal to obey a law or follow a policy ...

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... the nation becoming a growing issue. In 2006, the United Nations recognized this issue by passing a resolution that aimed to "abolish by law, as soon as possible, the death penalty and life imprisonment without possibility of release for those under the age of 18 years at the time ... of the commission of the offence." (Lamberti, 2015) This law passed, but was ineffective in practice seeing as how the problem still continued. This recurring process seems to have abandoned the system's original intention ... we need to ask ourselves what are the benefits of abolishing life sentences with...

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... to the Blacks. The claim for reparations is based on morality and equity, but is also supported in an international law known as "unjust enrichment." This law states that if one party becomes enriched as a result of a wrong done to another party, the law compels the former to make an adjustment to the latter (www.arm.arc.co.uk). The present generation should be ... held responsible for the wrong doings of their ancestors because they have gained economically, socially, and politically as a result of the unjust treatment of African slaves by their ancestors (www.arm.arc ... ...

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... or the king, was always seen as the father figure of the nation and his decisions would dictate what was best for the country. The king's unjust rule in the colonies had to be abolished and replaced with their own just government. The declaration spells out a vast number of injustices ranging from the elimination ... please within the state of nature. However, this does not mean that one can abuse another's rights. The state of nature is governed by the law of nature. His state of nature is based on complete and equal justice. Any evil that one man does is equally punishable to others i...

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... by the Wagner Act, the NLRB is also tasked with the role of overseeing laws as well as looking into and holding hearings on unjust labor practice complaints. The NLRB also takes action against employers found guilty of unjust labor practices, as well as determining the make-up of individual employee bargaining units. Additionally, the NLRB also watches over union certifications (French ... in carrying out secret-ballot elections. These elections are usually meant to determine whether employees would like union representation. The NLRB is also tasked with the role of looking into unjust ...

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... States of America as was planned by President Abraham Lincoln.(InfoPlease,2014).Even though slavery was abolished, this did not mean that the 'slaves' had equal opportunity. Severe and unjust laws were created to instil segregation especially within the South. These laws limited the civil liberties of the people that were affected by them mainly African-Americans, these laws also ... movement resembles the likes of the strategy used by Mohandas K. Gandhi. Gandhi, was arrested and placed in jail as he refused to obey the law while he was in South Africa as he saw that these laws wer...

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... It is now clear that Hitler has begun his campaign to control the seas by ruthless force and by wiping out every vestige of international law and humanity. His intention has been made clear. The American people can have no further illusions about it The sole responsibility rests upon Germany ... of Habeas Corpus, and the Fifth Amendment which states that no person should be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law, were both neglected under military action. Morally, this order had placed aside the idea conveyed in the constitution and resulted in many innocent liv...

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... would most likely result in no summons. Others may include giving someone a break because they presented a P.B.A or F.O.P card, or if the law-breaker happens to be attractive and persuasive. However, there are other kinds of selective enforcement. It is important to understand that punishment and an ... racial profiling that they were pulled over. Following the case settlement, officers were ordered to keep a record of the races of every law-breaker they encounter (1). Although the situation involving the African-American victims in Maryland is quite common, there are some instances in wh...

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... own obligations to be the voice of the people? It is one thing to exercise the right of nullification to end an unjust law but to flaunt the criminal laws that serve to protect the people from chaos just to show dissent over foreign policy may ... . A nullification instruction carries with it other dangers that can have severe effects on society as a whole. The above hypothetical involves an obvious violation of the law and the jury's unwillingness to convict. A more grave (though less likely) hypothetical situation involves the people" taking it one step further and their refusal to ... ...

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... of this movement with protests across the country, which attracted millions of Americans regardless of race, age, gender. They asked the government to quickly withdraw all troops home, end this unjust war. Above all was the protest of tens of thousands of students at Kent State University in May 1970. The Kent State Massacre was said to be nationwide influential event ... talks. On January 20, 1969, Republican Richard Nixon was inaugurated as the 37th President of the United States with plans of putting the nation out of war and re-establishing law and order in the US. Determine on achi...

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... thinks the case is. Although some may be in favor of the NFL policy regarding domestic violence, the fact that the United States law protects women's rights, and the NFL policy has negatively affected their partnerships with sponsor, proves why the NFL needs to change their domestic ... violence is, nicely put, shameful, and should not be tolerated at any level regardless of class or status. A maximum of three games is unjust, instead, the victim should decide the punishment. Some people may argue that women who get attacked by professional football players deserve the beating. It ... p...

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