Unit 2 #7 When is breaking the law justified?

Through out history, there are many governments and rulers that have done their people wrong. Most of the time the citizens of the corrupt countries could not to anything about it, That's what makes the American revolution so special. The colonists told Britain that they were not going to take it anymore. When is breaking the law justified? When the government is not up holding its citizens natural rights.

John Locks ideas on liberalism greatly influenced the political minds behind the revolution. His theory of the "social contract" implied the natural right of people to overthrow their government, should those leaders betray the historic rights of Englishmen. The colonists were getting tired of the empire and its rules and regulations, The Navigation Acts and The Stamp Acts and The Townshed acts were not fair at all. There was no way we were going to be a British cash crop forever. The colonies formed the Continental Congress as a provisional national government. We fought back at lexington and we declared our Independence. The British were not going to give up with out a fight, so war was declared. We fought really hard and with the help of the french, We WON. with the signing of the Treaty of Paris the British gave us all land west of the Mississippi.

The U.S. government has come along way since the American revolution, but the ideas of the revolution have greatly influenced our government. Now government wrongdoings are known as scandals. Just recently the government operated Police force has been accused of using unneeded violent force even if the suspect is not violent or resistant towards the officer. One officer broke a woman's cheekbone while hitting the suspect, he did not face any discipline for his crime. six months after the woman was hurt, witnesses said the same cop kicked a man in the face as he was trying to surrender. Once again the officer was not disciplined.

After a P-I Investigation was conducted they found out that the Seattle police force had not disciplined any officers for unnecessary force in over 18 months. During this time there was over 161 complaints of force. This raises the question of "Is the department more interested in protecting officers from being held accountable for their actions, or protect their citizens from harm?" Well legally, It is not the officers job to protect you. Their job is to uphold the law. There was a federal Law suit. The girl that had broken her cheekbone got her money, but there was still no discipline of the officer. The chief never issued a final disciplinary act.

So when is breaking the law justified? When the government does not uphold its citizens natural rights. weather its because of taxation with out representation or unnecessary force, when your governments is mistreating you, you have the right to stand up and say "We are not going to take this."