Stirring the Pot with an Iron Spoon

Standing up against the government can result in crossing lines and getting in trouble,

but can also be one the most effective way to get noticed. If an opinion is not being noticed,

citizens can make it a priority to be heard because without a voice there can be no guidelines.

In government, boundaries are needed to lead its citizens towards a righteous path; however,

if a citizen leans toward another path of righteousness a voice is needed to be heard. Citizens

should not be lurking in the shadows and keeping an opinion bottled up to never be heard. If

an idea or belief gets shot down, a citizen can try again to make their idea noticed. Martin

Luther King Jr. addresses civil disobedience in “ Letter from Birmingham Jail,” as “ Injustice

anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” (173). Although civil disobedience can alter life

drastically, it does not mean to continue on the path of insanity, but to stand up for what you

believe is just.

While standing up for justice is admirable, however, it is not always easy.

In Iran, the government can take disciplinary action towards its citizens striking fear and panic

into their souls. In the book The Complete Persepolis written by Marjane Satrapi, in which she

discusses a hectic life in Iran. In chapter fourteen “The Wine,” Satrapi discusses how the

government takes disciplinary action towards the citizens who chose to rebel by having a

party. The citizens found at the party are thrown in jail or are physically abused (103-110). Although the government took action against its people, the citizens continued to sneak

around partying and revolting against the government. The citizens in Iran did not want to be

controlled by the government because the laws enforced were unjust to everyone. The laws

were ludicrous and caused chaos, which also caused a battle between government officials

and the citizens of Iran. The people of Iran did not want to be the government’s puppets; they

wanted to be their own people which included doing activities they wanted to participate in.

While protesting the citizens adapted in civil disobedience to be their own people.

Through their acts of civil disobedience, the people supported justice. I found

Satrapi’s personal experiences in her graphic novel to be inspiring. The citizens of Iran

participated in civil disobedience even though they knew their lives were at stake. Satrapi’s

experiences reminded me of my mother’s story of marching through Washington protesting

the war. When my mother was a child her father enlisted in the army because government

officials said he would be a known hero across the country during the Cold War. My mother

told me her father was never called by his name: it was either soldier, or boy. One morning

on the news, she viewed a protest in front of the White House. She did not understand the

protest until her history teacher informed her class that it was about war. When she heard the

protest was about war, she decided to go because she was agitated by the unfulfilled

promises the officials had made to her father. A unity of citizens across the nation were

formed to protest the war through marches. She was not afraid to inform citizens of the

manipulation government used to enroll people in the military. I admire my mother for voicing

her opinion to the government because it can be a lesson to others encouraging to voice an

opinion.

If a citizen is born in a different social class, then civil disobedience is called upon for

action. In Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass An American Slave, Douglass

states “ It is better that a dozen slaves suffer under the lash, than that the overseer should be

convicted, in the presence of the slaves, of having been at fault.” (65) Douglass insists it is

better for more men to suffer than for one. Being a slave means you were instructed to follow

orders; which also meant keeping your mouth shut. Civil disobedience was not open to slaves

because they were treated as property, which meant the owner of that slave could do what

their heart pleased. With civil disobedience being exempted from African Americans it made

freedom impossible. Over time slaves began to imagine being their own master and begin

to use civil disobedience. Douglass states, “If you give a nigger an inch, he will take an ell”

(78) which can mean if you give a slave a taste of freedom their going to want to lick the bowl

clean.

Civil disobedience can be a proper way to express an opinion. Although civil

disobedience may require time for a change, the outcome is ultimately life changing. In life,

taking chances in voicing an opinion may mean ruining a reputation. If citizens were to remain

taciturn, there would be unjust laws left and right. Who will step up and change life as we know

it? If people stand up for what they believe in everyday, we might have a more just

society.Civil disobedience can be used to the people’s advantage in creating a just society.

People should input their opinion to create a government designed to appeal to all citizens.

Works Cited

Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass An American Slave. New

York:Dover Publications, Inc. 1845. Print.

King Martin, Jr. Letter from Birmingham Jail Fd. Samuel Cohen. Boston: Redford St. Martins.

2009. Print.

Satrapi, Marjane. The Complete Persepolis. New York: Pantheon Books, 2007. Print.