66 thoughts on “Blog #103 – What are you willing to go to jail for?”

1. Nikki Barnas October 25, 2017 at 8:08 am

   A) Would you be willing to go to jail to protest unjust laws like the Civil Rights workers had done many times during the 1950s and 60s? (Consider the ramifications of a felony or misdemeanor on your record, and its impact on your possible future career).
   I’m fifteen, and although I may fantasize about the glorified possibilities of my future, I have no real grasp on the realities of adult life. Therefore, I would willingly throw myself into peaceful demonstrations and use my privilege to benefit the African American movements, or any operation dedicated to fighting for a reasonable cause. It would give me a sense of empowerment and make me feel like I’m not wasting my adolescent years of angst, as I can apply my teenaged suppressed rage into something that would benefit people of oppression that are affected by whatever unjust law is impacting their lives. Furthermore, I could gain contemporary experiences and learn new values that would inspire me to tackle more leadership roles and further my career in advocacy. I acknowledge the consequences of a felony, but I would probably just assume that participating in a rally would only put me at risk of physical or mental violence, not a misdemeanor. As a white women, I will never experience vivid racism towards my skin color, therefore it is my responsibility to advocate for those less privileged than me so they can have the same freedom I naturally received. Despite the impact it might have on my career, there is a greater possibility that my actions create more positive effects than negative. I can verify that this is all an accurate assumption to how I would react to unjust laws; however, I know that my parents would strongly oppose me participating in any event that could damage my future or my well-being. As they have a valid reason to be, they would worry about the risks that come with putting yourself out there for something you believe in. But becoming part of something bigger than yourself offers a career itself, despite any federal consequences you collected through your opinions.

   B) After consulting the list above, which laws would you be willing to fight against? Why? (feel free to add to the list if you see any missing).
   There are numerous laws that I would risk aspects of my future to fight for, inlcuding LGBTQ rights and injustices towards people of color. I would specifically target and protest against laws on abortion or regulations that restrict it. Growing up in a Greek Orthodox Church, often the subject of abortion would be mentioned in a sermon. The priest would refer to it as murdering children and how it was above the worst of sins. Despite these vivid preachings, I heavily opposed this thought and never even considered abortion to be within any realm of murder. It’s purely the women’s choice over if her body is ready to carry a child yet. No other outside influence should a be liable factor in making this decision. Therefore, I hope to demonstrate my pro-choice perspective that inspires people to consider this view as well, even if something in their religion says differently. I would also be open to advocating for women’s pay equality, as it’s been dragged on for too long throughout American history. It frustrating that a 25 cents gap separates true liberation for women. Partnered with being underpaid, less leadership positions are available for women, or less attainable. It’s not that hard to shift a stubborn mindset to acknowledge that women don’t exist to occupy secretarial jobs.

   C) Do you agree with Dr. King’s reasoning w/ what makes a law just or unjust? Why or why not?
   Martin Luther King states, “A just law is a man made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law.” I agree with Dr. King’s claim in regards to laws discriminating against people of color. However, I feel that the phrase “the law of God” can be interpreted differently through the diversity of people and religion. This can be portrayed through LGBTQ rights, where it is dubbed a sin to love someone of your same sex in the bible. But, it is morally incorrectly to prevent people from loving each other just for violating your religious codes. Furthermore, the same outline can be applied to abortion clinics. Although it may be a violation in your church or place of worship to terminate, you can’t stop women for exercising their freedom through choosing what to do with their body.
2. Nicole Bastian October 25, 2017 at 8:11 am

   a. I would like to be able to say that I would do anything to fight for equal rights but, I would not be willing to go to jail to protest unjust laws like the Civil Rights workers had done many times during the 1950s and 60s. I don’t think I would be able to put my future on the line for a protest. Although, I do think that it is great that people stand up for what they believe in, although, I don’t think that I could be one of those people. Depending on what you are protesting for, the consequences could be worse than the unjust you were suffering before the protest. Plus, having a felony or misdemeanor on your record makes it hard for you to get a good job, which makes it hard to support a family. I aspire to have a good paying job as well as a supported family and if I were to do a protest, that may never happen.
   b. After consulting the list above, I would be willing to fight against abortion, LGBTQ rights, police brutality or other injustices directed at people of color, and women’s pay equality and other issues concerning women. I would fight against abortion because I don’t think women should be forced to take care of a baby that they’re not ready for. Chances are, if that baby is born and the mom never wanted it, it won’t have a good life. Yes, there are options such as adoption, but I’d have to imagine that putting a baby that grew inside of you for 9 months up for adoption is hard. Plus mistakes happen and teen pregnancy happens as well. When someone becomes pregnant while still a teenager, typically the dad doesn’t help very much if at all and that woman’s future of schooling is now gone/much harder to achieve. I don’t think that it is fair to the child if they are born to a mother who never wanted them. I would fight for LGBTQ rights because nobody should be told who to love or who they are. Just because someone is different doesn’t mean they’re wrong. Feelings aren’t always controllable, so by banning someone from being who they want to be or loving who they love is banning them from being truly happy. I would fight for police brutality or other injustices directed at people of color because as you think we would’ve learned from the past, all people all equal, no matter their race. Nothing about them is different from us besides the color of their skin. Lastly, I would fight for women’s pay equality and other issues concerning women because women should be treated equally to men. Genetically, men are different than women, but that doesn’t make them better.
   c. Dr. King says, “‘A just law is a man code that squared with the moral law or the law of God. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law’”. By definition, moral law is “a general rule of right living; especially :such a rule or group of rules conceived as universal and unchanging and as having the sanction of God’s will, of conscience of man’s moral nature, or of natural justice as revealed to human reason” (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/moral%20law). This being said, I would have to agree with Dr. King’s reasoning. The definition of moral law says “universal and unchanging” and if a law changes based on a characteristic such as race or isn’t universal, the law is no longer just because it is no longer in harmony with the moral law. In Dr. King’s situation, he is referring to unjust laws based on race. Dr. King is saying that if the law targets or changes for african americans, it is no longer just. I believe that Dr. King’s statement is very true, because even if you apply it to an example, such as issues dealing with race, it still makes sense and what he said was wrong is now, for the most part, changed. This meaning, we clearly agreed that it was wrong at some point because we changed things. Dr. King is talking about unjust laws in his statement and we have since changed some of those laws.
3. geoffwickersham (Post author) October 25, 2017 at 8:40 am

   Yes, I would be willing to go to jail to protest unjust laws. In the long run of things, it doesn’t matter what is and isn’t on your record. It is much higher than that. You are talking about the problem that is between right and wrong, that kind of thing can’t be debated between a record. What I’m trying to say is you are battling the intangible difference between right and wrong with a tangible consequence of having something on your record. At least to me, it matters more about what is right and wrong in life much more than the consequences one can receives. You were put onto this Earth for a reason, if you are passionate about a hot topic, then fight for it. There is no reason why you shouldn’t go for it; who cares about jail. I can promise you that if you are fighting for the right reason, jail would seem so insignificant. Think of MArtin Luther King Jr.; he fought for equal rights and went to jail dozens of times, but you don’t see people walking around saying, “oh my gosh, King went to jail dozens of times, this must have impacted his record…”. That is because it is a minor detail in the overall goodness that King fought for and worked so hard to achieve. Wrapped up, if you are fighting for the right cause and fighting hard, tangible consequences not only become inevitable, but insignificant.
   I would be willing to fight for immigration. First off, the United States of AMerica is considered the land of the free and the land of the opportunity. Hmm, seems like we are sending mixed messages then by deporting thousands of immigrants. We are supposed to be the ones that welcome the lost and confused with open arms when they have nowhere else to go. One reasoning behind deporting immigrants that makes me mad is the mindset that immigrants take American jobs. To be clear, it seems obvious to me and probably plenty others that of we had two people trying to get a job, we would give it to the best qualified and overall better nominee. So, the only reason an immigrant would be getting a job over a “normal” American would be that they can do the job better, seems like a fair process to me. People who argue this point need to realize that if you want the job so bad, be better at it than the other applicant. That’s all there is to it. On the same topic, why is it that we all need to exclude others. This goes back to elementary school on the playground. Nobody wanted to be excluded by others, it simply didn’t feel good for anybody. Apply it to the bigger world, we are excluding people simply because their journey didn’t start in the same country as the one they are trying to live in. There are almost 7.5 billion people in the World, that’s 7.5 billion ways everybody is trying to live a healthy life. People need to get over themselves and move over at the lunch table, there is plenty of room.
   I do agree with Dr. King’s reasoning on what is and what isn’t a just/unjust law. I think he is trying to elaborate on the fact that humans themselves make what we consider these “just law”, and everything that is out of sync with that thinking in automatically unjust. Who in the World actually knows right from wrong. Nobody. Nobody knows exactly that this is the the right way and no this isn’t the right way. We base our rights solely on the consensus on the rest of the beings around us at that present time and personal beliefs. Then, everything that goes against these “rights” is automatically wrong because, well, it isn’t the RIGHT way. It’s purely circular reasoning. Who’s to say?

   Nolan
4. geoffwickersham (Post author) October 25, 2017 at 8:42 am

   A) I would be willing to go to jail for some unjust laws. Specifically laws that have to do with police brutality to any and every person and laws that create technicalities that allow people to get out of jail free. I feel that there are definitely unjust laws out there like for instance immigration laws. I feel as though you can’t classify all the people of one specific area to the same standards. But the reason I would not go to jail for every unjust law is because in a way it’s an opinion as to what is just or not. Considering the ramifications of jail I would only go to jail for the unjust laws that play a huge impact in my life personally. Even if I think a certain law is unjust if it doesn’t affect me greatly or great enough I most likely would not risk aspects of my future for it.

   B) I would be willing to fight against immigration laws, certain tax laws, lack of environmental laws, lack of jobs, police brutality, and lack of equal pay for woman. I feel that people shouldn’t be discriminated against for being a certain race, religion, or sex. I also feel that we need more job opportunities and that Texas should be looked at. I also feel that our military should be looked further into. They do a great job but there is always room for improvement. Other subjects like LGBTQ and abortions I don’t feel strongly toward a certain side about. I don’t really have an opinion on those topics. As for a military draft I don’t know how I would feel because since I personally think the military is cool I wouldn’t be opposed to a draft but I feel as though I’m biased on that topic. I can’t really see too many down sides to a draft.

   C) I agree with Dr. King’s judgement of a just or unjust law almost completely. While I do believe there is a moral code to it I also believe it is dependent upon one’s self and not necessarily on one’s god. Done everyone is a different religion and some people don’t even have a religion you can’t exactly base a moral code on it and expect everyone to follow it. This is why I believe that whether a law is just or unjust is opinion based. While majority of society can think a certain way everyone thinks differently. One person likes to put the milk in before the cereal while the rest of society puts the cereal in first. Or brains are wired differently and my just law can be very different from yours. Although my definition of the just law is slightly different from King’s our theories of the unjust law are identical. But it is the meaning of the moral code part of it where we part ways.

   Alex S
5. geoffwickersham (Post author) October 25, 2017 at 9:20 am

   I would be willing to go to Jail for protesting unfair and unjust laws because of my career goals and what I would like to go into. In the 1960’s for a African-American getting involved in the Civil Rights was one of the only ways that a Black person could have became a viable political candidate or politician. I say this because in the 1960’s-1980’s most black politicians were politicians because of their involvement in the civil rights movement (John Lewis (Georgia Congressman), Jesse Jackson (Presidential candidate in 1984 & 1988.) With most black voters in the black neighborhoods being an activist is just what you did as a stepping stone to a potential political career. While for 95% of the black population there were steep consequences for their actions I think that for the 5% like me the consequences were worth it to eventually get a seat at the table when we get older.
   I think that I would protest against Police Brutality because of what it does to the people of my race and I think that it is a very important issue that needs to be taken care of. I think that it is an issue has had a lasting effect on my community and I think that it’s something that will became a bigger and bigger issue if it doesn’t get solve because I do think that it needs to get solved if we are going to do anything about the racial tensions that exist in this country even if mostly white people don’t want to talk about them. I probably would stick to Civil Rights issues and maybe dip into women’s issues like equal pay and stuff I wouldn’t protest the abortion laws or the right to choice or anything like that because I really have to agree with the issue and it has to be an issue that I feel passionate about if I am going to protest it.
   I think that one does have a duty to disobey unjust if the law is unjust and it is within reason. I don’t think that the racist laws of the 50’s & the 60’s should be followed in cause they are still laws now. I think that we have a duty to do what is right and that is my opinion on that matter.
   Devin R
6. James Laport October 25, 2017 at 11:09 am

   A. When it comes to fighting for what you believe in, many people would jump at the opportunity to fight for what we believe in. I would do the same at first but, after some consideration, I would most likely decide not to. Often times, we hear the motivational slogan, “Be the change you want to see”. But, when it comes to the civil rights movement, that was much harder than it sounded. The punishment for many protests could mean one losing their job, imprisonment,or even death from the riots that resulted from many of the protests. After seeing the product of some of these protests, I would not go to participate in protests during the civil rights movement of the 1960’s due to the ramifications that would follow.

   B. I would fight for both women’s rights and LGBTQ+ rights. The main aspects of women’s rights that I would support and fight for would be abortion and the wage gap. Abortion really shouldn’t be a very prevalent issue in our country, sadly though, many politicians make it a goal to take away the right to abortions for women. Many people are in need of abortions for multiple different reasons. Maybe a teenager made a mistake and would have to live with it the rest of their life. What if a woman was raped? What gives white men in power the right to force them to keep the baby. Or what if the woman is unable to care for the baby? What happens then? Another prevalent issue in women’s rights is the wage gap. People across the United States choose to ignore the fact that women are making less than men. Another issue I would fight for is LGBTQ+ rights. The discrimination of people who are different is shown not only for LGBTQ+, but also people of other races or religions.

   C. I agree with Dr. King’s definition of an unjust law, stating, “A just law is a man made code . that squares with the moral law or the law of God. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law.” This can be seen through President Donald Trump’s efforts to pass the Muslim ban in the U.S. He is offering to deny Muslim of war into our country. This would be unjust because he is grouping all members of the religion together, using the stereotype that all Muslims are terrorists. The moral law here would be not judging someone by a stereotype. But, sadly, racist people in power deny refuge to people trying to escape the horrors of war because of their religion.
7. Devin Woodruff (1st Hour) October 25, 2017 at 3:59 pm

   a. No, I would not be willing to protect unjust laws like the civil rights worker had done so many times during the 1950s and 60s because I wouldn’t want to test the fear of me losing my job and my only need of income for my family maybe. I would also be afraid that if I were to protect against civil rights that I might be attacked or beaten or I might even go to jail. It would heart my future career and me having a possible job in the future. Another reason why I wouldn’t choose to protest Is that I wouldn’t want to do anything that could hurt my family or mess up there future as well.

   b. After, looking at the list I would protest against jobs and the lacks of jobs that we have. We need more jobs so we can support more people and everyone can find a job if they need to without feeling like maybe they wouldn’t be able to find a job because they aren’t any jobs out there for people to get unless for have an education. Another reason why I believe people in this world need more jobs is that we as Americans families are growing and we need a way to be able to support them without having these low paid jobs or don’t even being able to find one.

   c. Yes, I do agree with what dr. king is saying because he is saying that we shouldn’t look at what people look at the outside and they judge them but we should judge them more on what’s on the inside. People judge other people by how they look or talk which is not right and why Dr. King points that out. I would also agree with his comment because he said they we are the only ones that make our choices and no one else can decide. This is saying that he believes in that we make our feature. To sum up, I agree with everything that Dr. King is saying we all deserved to get better rights and stand up for what we belie inn.
8. Dylan Cohen October 25, 2017 at 5:14 pm

   a. I would definitely be willing to go to jail for an unjust law. Specifically unjust laws because as St. Augustine stated, “an unjust law is no law at all”. If a law is unjust then it is hurting someone, which is the practical opposite of what a law is supposed to do. A law is supposed to improve quality of life for all that it governs (or at least the group as a whole). It is our duty as Americans and as mankind to follow the golden rule and see to others adhere to it. So if I don’t stand up against injustice then i’m doing just as much wrong as doing an injustice (sort of like the whole, “a vote for Bernie is a vote for Trump” thing). Even if I get arrested , get a misdemeanor, or even am tried for treason, I know that, at least in my eyes, that I am doing what is right and that eventually people will come to their senses and right their wrongs.

   b. Of the twelve listed up there, i’d be willing to stand up for

   1. Restrictions on abortion: A girl should be able to have abortion because the child will most likely be unwanted, abused, under cared for, possibly premature (due to things like underage sex and drug abuse), or even addicted to drugs. There will no doubt be women who abuse abortion laws, but we can prevent this by increasing the teaching of safe sex and in turn cut down on STDs and STIs.

   2. Wars or other military actions: If military actions are against immoral things like harmful governments, for defense, and the like, then that’s ok. But, if there is a conflict of interests like economic gain (*Cough cough* war on terrorism), territorial gain, religion, and other things, then you are breaking the golden rule and are basically willing to risk the lives of your fellow citizen, your country’s military, innocents of both countries, and all others involved which I find incredibly immoral.

   3. Immigration laws: If a person is fleeing danger and persecution, they should be able to go elsewhere, where they can improve their lives. If they don’t “do as the Romans do” and are actually breaking laws or breaking the golden rule, even if it goes against their, for example, religious beliefs, then their actions should see justice

   I would also be willing to fight against 4, 5, 7, 10, 11, 12, and 6 if it targets a specific group of people (like the poor and minorities) but I’m hoping that the first three explanations are sufficient.

   c. I’m not sure If I 100% agree with Dr. King’s reasoning because I’m not certain about what he means by human personality. But I do agree with the fact that laws go hand and hand with morals so I think that sometimes a law can be immoral for some and not for others and that’s where i think Dr. King might be wrong.

   Sorry that this is late btw
9. Emily Parker October 25, 2017 at 8:33 pm

   1.)When it comes to difficult and divisive issues, abortion always seems to be at the top of the list. Each side believing firmly that they are right, leaving no room for common ground. Eliminating or reducing abortion is something I would definitely fight for, but as a young person, I know how important a good education is. A smart approach would be to keep my tactics within the law, so I wouldn’t jeopardize my college career and my future. As an educated adult, I would have a better chance of making a solid impact on the abortion issue.

   2.)As someone who was raised in a traditional Catholic family, I am pro life, but I understand why the people on the other side of this issue hold their beliefs. The thing that really gets me about the Pro Choice argument is that they maintain that abortion should be legal to help women. So why then is this major surgery still taboo? Why do huge corporations like Planned Parenthood seem like they’re in it for profit? Do scared teenage girls who find themselves pregnant really feel like they have a choice? There are so many nuances to this topic. One example is patient education and information. For other surgeries or even something as simple as getting your ears pierced at the mall, there is loads of information to review. Yet, for abortion, it seems like no one wants to see what happens during the procedure and what is discarded as medical waste. If it was a law to provide every woman with an ultrasound before getting an abortion, she would be able to make an educated decision to end her pregnancy, or not. Part of this is also being transparent when it comes to long-term side effects. Imagine the post traumatic stress a women would feel when she has an ultrasound for a “wanted” pregnancy and comes face to face with the decision she made to have an earlier abortion? Women deserve to have all the facts.

   3.)Do I agree with what MLK is saying? Yes and no. He says “the law of God”, which is bringing religion into the situation. Although I am a Catholic Christian, other people may not be. He also says that any law uplifts a human personality is just, but I don’t completely agree with that either. I don’t agree with that just because some people have really disgusting point of views, and if their POVs became laws it would not be so great for society and very unjust.
10. Maddy Penoza October 25, 2017 at 9:30 pm

    A. I would be willing to go to Jail to protect the rights that are important to me and the other members of my country. I understand full well that this would depend on the crime and my status as a minor or lack thereof, potentially ruin any chance I have of getting a good Job or continuing my education. Additionally, I believe that the civil rights activists did the right thing, especially since, in most cases, they did not have super great career prospects, to begin with, and they understood they were fighting for something greater than themselves. While going to jail is something I would be willing to do, I would not do anything with a chance of getting sent to prison. Fortunately for protestors as a whole, you have to commit incredibly serious crimes to end up in prison.

    B. I would be willing to go quite a long way in order to protect the rights of Muslims, and any other refugees for that matter, in the world today. There is virtually no evidence that people ethnic to the countries the government sees as a threat due to a mostly Muslim population have been linked to the death of American citizens. The odds of you being killed by a refugee terrorist is one in 36 billion. Football is hundreds of millions of times more likely to kill you than a foreign refugee. I believe that a life lived off a minimum wage job, due to a criminal record, would be a small price to pay to do what I could for the people in this world who are in serious danger in their own countries.

    C. I agree with Martin Luther King’s reasoning that a just law must be in harmony with the law of God, and moral laws. I think that most lawmakers and government officials want to do the moral thing, and a majority of them want to do right by God. Establishing which laws are moral, and in harmony with the law of God is the hard part. Often times there are no clear answers. For instance, I can see why it would be necessary for the government to Draft men into war. Perhaps the government wants to protect people in a far away country, or ensure the safety of American civilians. At the same time, it is fair to pull these men (and likely women, should there be another draft) from their lives and families to fight a war they may not even support?
11. Andrew Frenkel October 25, 2017 at 10:29 pm

    A. Although I would like to think I would stand up and support what I believe in and fight for that cause I would not however go to jail for it. As many did in the 1950s and 60s they would go to jail for what they were fighting for, some never thought about the repercussions their actions had on their future. For me it’s the repercussions that would halt me from going to the extremes for my cause. If something was ever put on my permanent record that could hinder me from becoming successful in my life then I’d try to get that off my record so I could aspire to what I wished to aspire to. If there were no repercussions then I would consider going to the extremes for what I believed in and my cause.

    B. I feel as if laws on abortion is unfair especially the laws on abortion clinics. I feel as though women should ultimately be the ones who decide what happens to their bodies. The thing about abortions clinics is that some states don’t have them so women have to drive to another state to get an abortion, that’s not fair to them. I think we need to get more clinics in more states so women don’t need to travel to get a medical procedure because that’s all it is.

    C. I agree and disagree with MLK’s statement for a couple reasons. I agree because I feel as if just laws are based off the moral codes. Usually moral codes are good for most people and their wellbeing. Just laws are usually put into place to protected or give rights or other responsibilities to people. This is where I draw the line between agree and disagree. I feel as if a law is morally ok to one person it may not be to another. People have different morals which means that they’d have different views on the same law. If a law does good for most people because it is good in their morals what about the other people is that still a just law even though it is not within their morals, and that is why this question cannot be truly answered rather than disputed on whether or not individual morals come into play here.
12. Carolina Ishikura October 25, 2017 at 10:58 pm

    Though I will most likely not experience what the Civil Rights Movement from the 1960s was like, I would absolutely agree with myself that I would go to jail for fighting the unjust laws. I’m aware that I would get extreme backlash from fellow peers or my job but I am willing to sacrifice for a better future. People needed other people fighting for the injustice in the 1960s, it was extremely crucial because the future was on their hands. I would do things for the greater good in the 1960s, like I try to now. I would not mind going to jail for my supportment of Civil Rights, many protesters were arrested but they got back up and still fought. Also, I would (if I can) partner up with people similar to me like Yuri Kochiyama. When I look at images of the Black Panther supporters and the Martin Luther King supporters now, and I see people of other races, it feels very inspiring to see people being so brave. If I would be scared to go out and protest, I would just think of other people of my ethnicity who are leading activists and protesters. What I’m saying is that the impact is more positive than negative to support Civil Rights. Considering the ramifications for going to jail and supporting people such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Yuri Kochiyama I would still fight for Civil Rights. One of the worst things to do is sit there and watch people fight for something that your support but you’re too scared. It does not matter what race you are to support Civil Rights, fearing of getting killed is understandable but imagine if ALL of the Civil Rights supporters protested against the unjust laws, who knows maybe it would have had a larger impact.

    I would fight for many unjust laws that America has such as abortion, Immigration laws, LGBTQ rights, Environmental damage, actions of American companies such as sweatshops, police brutality, women’s pay, the Native Americans, and animal rights. However, my top concerns are Environmental damage, behavior of American companies, and the Native Americans. The Earth is so damaged right now through all of the actions the world has done, people never seem to realize that temperatures rising is not okay. We’ve damaged our only planet by destroying rainforests for agriculture, releasing large amounts of CO2 in our air causing air pollution, and our oceans with the amount of CO2 being released in the air making our sea acidic. Unfortunately those are only few of the effects. It concerns greatly how fast are temperatures are increasing and people are calling this a hoax. We are putting ourselves in great danger for not acting on the environment, if don’t put in the effort the help the planet we’re going to lose countries, states, and people. The behavior of American companies such as sweatshops are ridiculous. Companies like Forever21, Gap, VictoriaSecret, and Walmart are ruining the lives and the environment of third world countries. Sadly the behavior of fast fashion stores are also contributors to the growing temperatures on Earth. People in countries such as Cambodia, Bangladesh, and Haiti are living in the poorest conditions and are earning dirt money. The amount of chemicals and water used to make some articles of clothing is unreasonable, the chemicals are getting on the unprotected workers and the water is being dumped in places where it’s no longer useful. Most of the workers for these fast fashion stores are mostly women who have children and the only way to provide for them is to work everyday, so they’re driven away from their child(ren) all day to earn less than fifty cents an hour. As for the Native Americans they are living in lower than poverty conditions and are ignored constantly. It saddens me to see how they’re kindness was abused five centuries ago and this is their result. They’ve been stripped from their land and jobs and most are stuck in reservations, leaving them hopeless. Their culture is dying and unsurprisingly rising temperatures are affecting them negatively as well. Native Americans in states such as Alaska are struggling to find food because all the ice is melting making it hard for them to hunt. Overall I’ll fight for anything to save our planet.

    According to Dr. King, “‘A just law is a man code that squared with the moral law or the law of God. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law’”. I agree with Dr.King’s reasoning on what is a unjust/just law because we the people recognize when a law is unjust. But bringing God into this is somewhat controversial now because not everyone believes in the same God Dr.King did and some would be offended for bringing up religion. As for moral laws I agree with Dr.King’s perspective of it because his is about race. But for other topics, perhaps I would not. Overall I agree with everything Dr.King believes on what makes a law just and unjust only because the focal point is discrimination.
13. sofia di stefano October 26, 2017 at 10:34 am

    -I would be willing to get arrested for my civil rights because i believe standing up for what you believe in at the end might have an impact and will always effect that decisions that will be made. People stood up for their rights and many got injured or even killed but they got to what their goal was and what they believed in. Maybe it took a long time but that time they left the house to protest or stand up for their rights they showed their community that they cared about their civil rights. Standing for your rights nowadays and even years ago might lead to getting arrested and this will show up on your record which might affect your future career but i believe that its worth it and if the job is willing to listen to your story and what happened you might have a chance and if they don’t then I would think that I stood up for something I really believed in and maybe the job that doesn’t accept that isn’t the right job.
    – One law I would be willing to fight against from the ones listed is abortion. I would stand up and fight for this law because I believe as a woman that women should make their own decisions related to their body and that I want girls to be able to have an abortion in a safe and loving place that takes care of them and the procedure has to be done nicely and safely. Instead of women going into unsanitary and not safe places because there isn’t a law that stands up for their rights.
    -I think that when Dr. King said “Any law that uplifts human personality is just. Any law that degrades human personality is unjust.” he made a true and wise statement. When a law is made and the personality of humans gets worse that means the people don’t agree with it which shows it might be the wrong law. If the people are happy with the law that’s made they will be as dr king said uplifted.
14. geoffwickersham (Post author) October 30, 2017 at 7:53 am

    Yes, I am willing to go to jail because of protesting unjust laws in America; but only if I knew that i make a difference and matter when showing the world just how cruel/wrong and/or unfair the issue is to the world. I am willing to go to jail for doing what i strongly believe in, and if what i have to do something that might cause me to go to jail in order to recognize the world to the issue, then that’s what i’ll do. I say this because i’m an individual who is not afraid to stand up for what i believe in or what i think is right. People have always told that I have never been afraid to express my voice on any opinion regardless of the social situation i’m in. Due to this, I know that I would not have been afraid to or be held back from protesting unjust laws and issues in the World. It is just not my character, and i will never change my beliefs. I am aware of the ramifications of going to jail; and how it will affect both my personal and public life. Going to jail may influence employers not to chose me for the job. Or people may judge me because i went to prison, never allowing me to explain what I did. Going to jail would be a terrible experience, but i’m there because I did something that myself and many others believe is right. My life will be forever altered, but so will the lives of others. The maximum jail time I could be charged for disorderly conduct is one year. A whole year, 365 days of my life would be forever taken away from me, all because i stood up and fought for what i believe in. Another result is that I may just face some sort of fine, a minimum fine of twenty-five dollars and a maximum fine of one-thousand dollars. That is a very little effect of my life, and I would gladly take that chance in a heartbeat. To me, any risk is worth taking, as long as my goals are reached.

    After consulting the list above, which laws would you be willing to fight against? Why? (feel free to add to the list if you see any missing).

    The issues that I would be willing to fight against include abortions, Women’s pay equality and other issues concerning women, Police brutality, and finally the illegal behavior and actions of an American company, such as illegal trash dumps. I am willing to fight against abortion because i personally believe that every human deserves the chance to live. I believe it is not the choice of the Mother and/or the Father of said child, if he or she should live or not. I say this because no one knows what great and amazing things that these murdered children could have done during their life, maybe they would be the ones the find the cure for cancer, or maybe they would had become the President of the United States of America. Perhaps they would’ve become the inspiration of millions, or maybe just one person, but that one person might just change the world. I’m willing to fight abortion because to me, you aren’t just killing one child, you’re killing the whole lifeline of their family, and with each murder that occurs the world is changed forever. I would also fight for equal pay of Women and further equality. A 2015 study shows that every dollar a man would recieve, a woman would receive twenty cents less, that’s eighty cents. This just shows that men still think they are these bada** superior in the gender world, they think it’s okay that men still receive twenty percent more money than a woman per hour. That is completely and absolutely unacceptable, for we supposedly live in a world of freedom where everyone is equal, and yet our actions do not support this claim. Police brutality is even connected with the color of one man’s skin. This leads to the next issue that I am willing to fight against which is police brutality due to the color of one’s skin. Although I believe that the media does over exaggerate what some police officers have done, the situations that the officers were put into and their actions don’t always cooperate correctly with one another. For an example on August 5th, 2014, a 22 year old African American John Crawford was shot dead by police officers Williams and Darkow. Crawford did nothing wrong and yet he was killed in cold blood; this is unacceptable.

    Do you agree with Dr. King’s reasoning w/ what makes a law just or unjust? Why or why no

    Yes, I am in complete and absolute agreement with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s reasoning of what makes a law just, which states “A just law is a man made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law.” But before I explain why i agree with Dr. King’s statement, I first must explain what he is saying. What Dr. King is trying to say is that a “just” or fair law is one that aligns with the majority of people’s moral code, meaning what they believe deep down is right; and that and any law that does not agree with the morals of the people and of God, is not a just law. I agree with Dr. King’s reasoning on what makes a law just, for my morals states for the requirement of equality of everyone, this means that I truly follow a rule to treat everyone as if they were my own kin. Another moral code that have is to respect all others and their opinion, even if their completely wrong and stupid. But this goes far further than just codes. This goes to the very bottom of your soul, that gives you that slight pain in your chest when you have done something wrong, and when that deep voice inside your mind is telling that this is wrong. Dr. King is right, for a law is suppose to retain order, and make the people’s lives better. How are these laws supposed to help retain order and help are way of life if they are against what we the people believe in. You see Dr. King stated something quite obvious but at the time it was not. If the people do not agree with a law for they know that it is wrong, they will protest against the said law until it is changed and dropped. Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. -Isaiah 5:20

    Sam G.
15. Joey Llope November 8, 2017 at 9:24 pm

    a. Would you be willing to go to jail to protest unjust laws like the Civil Rights workers had done many times during the 1950s and 60s?  (Consider the ramifications of a felony or misdemeanor on your record, and its impact on your possible future career).
    It really depends on what kind of unjust laws I would be protesting. If Supreme Leader Trump just decides “I really don’t like Joey Llope, I don’t think he deserves basic rights” or if any group of people are being discriminated against, I would totally be willing to get arrested for that. that is, if what I am doing contributes anything to getting the unjust law repealed, I will be willing to get arrested. If what I am hypothetically protesting against is anything short of bringing back Jim Crow laws, I will probably not be willing to get arrested considering that going to jail would ruin my future
    b. After consulting the list above, which laws would you be willing to fight against?  Why? (feel free to add to the list if you see any missing).
    A few laws I feel negatively towards are:
    -Abortion. Once an egg is fertilized, it will become a human life in 9 months. That is what I learned in Groves so if im wrong the school system is wrong. Its not that I don’t understand why someone would want to have an abortion, but in any case the fetus did nothing wrong and I don’t think anyone should just decide weather it lives or dies. I think abortion should at least be banned after the 2nd trimester, because by then a fetus has developed most of the human traits acquired during pregnancy. in 9 states plus DC(Alaska, Vermont, New Hampshire, Colorado, New Mexico, New Jersey, West Virginia, Mississippi, Oregon) there is no restriction on when an abortion can be performed. I find it sickening that in these states if you were to kill a baby you are charged with first degree murder but if you kill it a minute before it is born it is considered a human right.
    -Our current reservation system. Right now the regulations the government floods the reservations with make it nearly impossible to bring business to a reservation. this is why there is very high unemployment in reservations, which causes poverty and a weak tax base making social services all but unavailable and public schools underfunded which contributes to an endless cycle of poverty.
    c. Do you agree with Dr. King’s reasoning w/ what makes a law just or unjust?  Why or why not?
    I entirely agree with Dr king when he says what is and isn’t a just law. the part about human personality kind of confused me but I always believed that laws should always be based off of morals.
16. Samantha Smith November 17, 2017 at 9:15 am

    a. It depends on how bad the situation is, but yes, I suppose that I would very much be willing to go to jail to protest unjust laws, just as Civil Rights workers had done so many times in the 1950s and 60s. If ever there is a situation in which a group of ideologues separate themselves (whether by race, gender, religion, political position, etc.) from everyone else and deem themselves to be superior enough to discriminate against those of whom they view to be inferior, I will gladly lay my career and reputation (and maybe even my life) on the line if it means that future generations won’t have to suffer as the previous ones did. And as depressing as it is to know that such actions could permanently jeopardize my future, I accept the fact politics is rough business.
    b. After consulting the list above, I realized that there were quite a few laws (or lack thereof) that I would be willing to fight against: LGBTQ rights, persecution against the rich, and environmental laws. In terms of LGBTQ rights, I am in full support of people that are ACTUALLY transgender, and struggle with legitimate gender dysphoria, having the same rights as everyone else, but if you want to create more laws to respect the feelings of people of all “67 genders,” I’m sorry but not even tomboys get extra privileges for being different, and I deem it ridiculous to reinvent the word ‘gender’ so you can feel more included. As for prosecution against rich people or companies, we often see the scenario in which either one does something despicable, but doesn’t suffer any consequences because they had enough money. In order to work on narrowing the ever-widening gap between the rich and the middle class, we need to have the rich be able to fail, no matter how much money they throw at you. Otherwise, they will only grow richer. Environment laws are also something I would stand up for because of the fact that we are speeding up the process of global warming and constantly interfering with nature itself. For example, many cities that depend on groundwater for their water supply have recently begun to find themselves out of resources because their groundwater reserves had dried up. This is because the concrete on city streets today doesn’t allow water to seep back underground to replenish the supply. I think that it would be highly beneficial for all of us if we take steps protect the environment, so that we can continue to use some of the resources we depend on today.
    c. I do agree with Dr. King’s reasoning about what makes a law just or unjust. It is a very simple philosophical concept. If a population of a state has values that are largely popular and agreed upon, just laws would reflect those values. However, if a law that supports values opposite to their own is enforced among them, then the law is unjust because it fails to reflect their most important values.