Civil Disobedience

Thoreau outlines the roles and responsibilities of people in response to individuals, communities, and the government in "Civil Disobedience". But what situations today where people are working for change in the name of justice and fairness worth civil disobedience. Due to recent activities in LA some people would say that the answer to that question is fair working conditions and better pay. Walmart workers in LA on November 6th, 2013 decided to hold a protest outside the Walmart Chinatown LA. 500 Walmart workers came in from all over LA to protest Walmart and fifty were arrested. Participants called for an end to low wages, unpredictable part-time hours, and retaliation for speaking out. It is said that instead of hiring full time workers Walmart instead has hired people part time and they can be fired at any time. The main demand though was for higher wages. One man testified that he can barely make ends meet for his family and has to participate in clinical trials and sell his blood plasma in order to pay his rent since Walmart pays him so little.Protesters say that Walmart makes enough money annually to give all full time workers $25,000 a year, and that the Walton's fortune is equivalent to  that of the bottom forty-two percent of American families.

Thoreau said “Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them.”
― Henry David Thoreau, Civil Disobedience
This quote speaks of the people that are protesting. They lived in quiet desperation doing as they needed to get buy and they would have died still tight in money had they not stood up against their oppressors and let their grievances be known.

“The mass of men serve the state thus, not as men mainly, but as machines, with their bodies”
― Henry David Thoreau, Civil Disobedience
This quote describes the way that the workers think that Walmart views them as. They are machines that work and when they cannot function or become to much of a pain they can be tossed aside like scrap. Walmart is not treating their employees like people but as a means to an end and it must stop.


Corrupt businesses like Walmart cannot be allowed to take from people what we rightfully deserve and the workers protesting have every right to ask for what they want. Fair wadges is worth civil disobedience. With this protest we have seen the truth and truth is worth the civil disobedience and difficulties that may come with it. Thoreau knew this so do as you will and find what you are willing to fight for.