Progressive Ponderings: Civil Disobedience

06/17/2005

by Joe Mayers

Civil Disobedience seems particularly relevant today as various talking
heads express their contempt for “Deep Throat,” Mark Felt. Notice that many
of these critics spent time in prison. What their message really states is
“obedience to our leader takes precedence over law, justice, democracy.”

Years after Watergate, Oliver North, while admitting he had defied Congress
and had broken the law, stated that if the Commander-In-Chief issues an
order, obedience overrides all other considerations. The country was so
enthralled with his frankness and loyalty to his leader that it never
bothered to prosecute. In fact, in the minds of many Americans he is
considered a hero.

Going back further into history, after World War II, as news of the trials
of German war criminals spread across the globe, we listened as one after
another German officer rationalized his behavior during the holocaust as
“just following orders,”

From the Middle Ages to the American Revolution the Christian churches
preached a doctrine of “the divine right of kings.” This creed claimed that
the kings’ authority came directly from God and must be obeyed in all
things. We seem to be dangerously close to that same doctrine today when
Bush is credited as God’s special instrument by some people. Thus,
criticism, rebellion, and civil disobedience are not only anti-American and
unpatriotic, but also evil.

Historically, challenges have been made to this myth that obedience to any
member of humankind is the greatest of virtues. Civil disobedience is
responsible for democracy! Our American forefathers’ defiance of the English
king and the subsequent revolutionary war were great civil disobedience
events. The freeing of slaves, women’s suffrage, civil rights gains, labor
rights and unions, and sexual equality were all accompanied by acts of civil
disobedience.

If we study history honestly, we realize that more atrocities against
fellow humans have been committed out of obedience than ever occurred from
civil or religious disobedience. The demand for obedience to a ruler:

- favors hierarchy over “all men are created equal,”

- is always espoused by those in power,

- assumes that rulers and laws are all just,

- confuses law and order with justice,

- demands war to keep and advance power,

- is the source of power for all dictatorial governments and
organizations,

- denies freedom,

- preaches “you’re either with us or against us,”

- uses a “means,” government, as if it were an end,

- justifies imperialism,

None of our civil disobedience heroes advocated wholesale disobedience. They
probably obeyed their superiors and the law ninety-nine percent of the time. They acted only when conditions became so unjust or intolerable that only extreme action offered a remedy.

Perhaps Daniel Berrigan expressed it best. He, along with others, became
known as the “Catonsville Nine.” They entered the draft board offices in
that city and publicly burned draft records as a protest against the Vietnam
War. Part of what he said was, “Our apologies, good friends, for the
fracture of good order, the burning of paper instead of children…”