Quote:
Originally Posted by Keith
No to the way YOU described civil disobedience. Civil disobedience is civil. You can't commit a crime and go for 'civil disobedience' as your defense. You can appeal laws without breaking them. There are many avenues to take.
But thank you for making me evaluate my justice.
And even bigger thanks to everyone for being a part of history. Thanks for your support. It was cooler than we thought it could be, and so much fun.
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Civil Disobedience is not about civil or criminal crimes. The civil bit is about its function as a tool of the average citizen, CIVILians. In the case of a civil law, a person can sue the state or the federal government to fight a law. However criminal laws cannot be challenged by a normal citizen except in court. A person with great means can appeal a law through legislation, but that is a very slow and tedious system designed to favor the status quo. The judicial system on the other hand is designed to be able to react to matters of current affair more nimbly. This means that a law that is unconstutional can be struck down by a single individual with a solid legal argument.
It is the sole mechanism by which people of little means can stand up against oppressive laws. What robust structure would offer individuals as a tool of dissent to replace civil disobedience.