Comparison of Thoreau and King
Throughout the history of the United States, there have been many times when citizens have felt the need to revolt against their government. "...A little rebellion now and then is a good thing...It is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government". Henry David Thoreau, a Transcendentalist from the mid-19th century and Martin Luther King Jr., the Civil Rights movement leader of a century later both believed in the necessity of "medicine" for government. Although they showed disagreement of opinion on issues regarding voting, both writers agreed on the necessity to reform the government and the means of accomplishing it. In King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail" and Thoreau's "Civil Disobedience," both agreed on injustice of majority to rule over minority, both resisted the government passively, and both wanted a better government immediately; they differed in the fact that Thoreau says to resist the government by any means necessary and King wants to do so in a nonviolent manner . The majority is not necessarily right, but they have always been the ones in power because they are the strongest and the most influential, with their policies based upon expediency. Therefore, all the laws are written by the majority, almost al
Both men inspired reforms and also much overturning of unjust laws and customs in our country. If the alternative is to keep all just men in prison, or give up war and slavery, the State will not hesitate which to choose. He states, "A sixth of the population of a nation which has undertaken to be the refuge of liberty are slaves". The only obligation which I have a right to assume, is to do at any time what I think right"(638). He advocates social equality and racial justice, believing "Anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider anywhere within its bounds" (657), and passively fighting against unjust laws forced upon the minority. Even though Thoreau agreed with King on the issues, he also made contradictory statements directly against what he supported. Thoreau expresses an eagerness to conform to the laws of the land as long as there is no moral principle to be violated. The passage, "Your money is your life, why should I haste to give it my money?" (648) illustrates how strongly he felt. If King was an extremist, then he was an extremist for love. He wrote "If the injustice is part of the necessary friction of the machine of government, let it go. l are in favor of the majority, and all are enforced by the majority. Thoreau didn't have the legions of followers King did, but he still made a long-term impact. Let every man known what kind of government would command his respect, and that will be one step toward obtaining it.
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