A Duty to Resist: When Disobedience Should Be Uncivil

Introduction

• Audiobook by Candice Delmas, narrated by Alison Ryan
• Explores themes of civil and uncivil disobedience and political obligation

Political Obligations and Freedom Riders

• Discusses the Freedom Riders of 1961, a group of activists fighting racial segregation in the U.S. South
• CORE organized Freedom Rides to challenge segregation laws
• Despite violent opposition, including attacks from the KKK, the Riders persisted in their efforts
• Led to Attorney General Robert Kennedy enforcing the Supreme Court's ruling on interstate travel

The Duty to Resist Injustice

• The book argues for moral duties to resist injustice, sometimes through uncivil disobedience
• Key Figures and Ideas:
  • Henry David Thoreau: Advocacy of resistance to unjust government
  • Mahatma Gandhi: Moral duty of non-cooperation
  • Martin Luther King Jr.: Moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws
• Modern examples include Black Lives Matter, Saudi women's driving protests, and Edward Snowden

Philosophical Foundations

• Examines traditional political obligation theories, which emphasize compliance with law
• Proposes rethinking obligations to include disobedience under unjust conditions
• Key Concepts:
  • Natural duty of justice
  • Principle of fairness
  • Samaritan duty
  • Political association

Types of Disobedience

• Civil Disobedience: Conscientious, public, nonviolent actions
• Uncivil Disobedience: Covert, potentially violent actions that may not follow traditional norms
• Examples: Suffragettes, José Beauvais, Anonymous

Resistance as Political Obligation

• Resistance, including unlawful acts, should be seen as part of political duties
• Engaging in principled disobedience can be a moral requirement
• Key Themes:
  • Justice
  • Fairness
  • Resistance against structural injustice

Conclusion

• Emphasizes the need for citizens to meet demands of justice through resistance
• Calls for a reevaluation of political obligations, utilizing the same grounds used for obedience to support disobedience
• Encourages examining the framework of political resistance, including uncivil disobedience, as essential to justice

Key Figures and Movements

• Freedom Riders, Black Lives Matter, Gandhian philosophy, Martin Luther King Jr., Edward Snowden

Chapter 1: Principled Disobedience

• Examines various forms of disobedient acts, both civil and uncivil
• Discusses the limitations of traditional civil disobedience
• Calls for a broader understanding of resistance and disobedience