Unjust laws in U.S

Unjust laws in U.S

Unjust laws in U.S

Today in the United States there abound thousands of unjust laws restricting harmless and even productive actions on the part of millions of essentially good, conscientious private citizens. Economic regulations inhibit our freedom to produce and trade with others and prevent many citizens from amplifying the wealth of virtually everybody. Campaign finance laws such as McCain-Feingold prevent us from donating our money to candidates who we believe will bring positive changes to government. These laws thus perpetuate the injustices of the status quo. Government agencies from the Internal Revenue Service to municipal governments require us to waste hours of time on obscure and useless paperwork instead of using that time to create something productive. Policies such as affirmative action actively punish currently living individuals for crimes that happened centuries ago. (Stephen Elias and Susan Levinkind, 2005)

But how do we, as private citizens seeking justice, approach these unjust laws? What is the best way to act in order to ensure that the harms of these laws are minimized and that they are eventually repealed - without bringing harm on oneself or those for whom one cares? The first and most obvious response is to proclaim the injustice of such governmental mandates and restrictions whenever possible. Fortunately, speech in the United States is still largely free, and one cannot be governmentally penalized for expressing views that disapprove of the political status quo. If you consider any law unjust, spread the word by writing and speaking about it where you have a chance of getting a receptive audience. Engage in private discussions and publish your thoughts online; both methods cost virtually no money and might even enhance your reputation as a valuable voice in the political and social discussions of our time. (Stephen Elias and Susan Levinkind, 2005)

Second, it is essential to recognize the counterproductive nature of openly violating unjust laws and thereby bringing harm upon oneself. Martin Luther King managed to engage in effective civil disobedience because of their prominence as public figures - which enabled them to turn an unjust arrest into an opportunity to promote their causes via large media channels. Most people do not have this resort. If they are arrested, fined, or otherwise inconvenienced by the government, few people will find out and fewer still will decry the injustice. Moreover, a person who has been penalized by the government is no longer as effective at combating injustices as he might once have been. (Stephen Elias and Susan Levinkind, 2005)

Yet it is important to recognize two distinct classes of unjust laws. One kind only brings direct harms on the individual himself. Filling out government paperwork is an example of this. Certainly, this wastes hours of time and carries substantial opportunity costs. But it does not actively deprive anyone else of existing property, health, or freedoms. Since the costs to oneself of not obeying these unjust laws - the costs of paying huge fines or going to jail - ...