Taking Action: America Needs to Step It Up

Throughout Thoreau's piece, On the Duty of Civil Disobedience, Thoreau claims that the people and citizens of America must take action to accomplish what they want to happen. Thoreau imparts that it is the duty of a good citizen to be skeptical of the government and to take action when there are injustices present. He states that "if [the injustice of the government] is of such a nature that it requires you to be the agent of injustice to another, then, I say, break the law. Let your life be a counter friction to stop the machine" (Thoreau 1022). 

This may seem hard to apply in the present day, but it is evident in everyday life. Acting upon thoughts is not only a political matter, it can be applied to daily life. Just walking down the hallway in school, I sometimes notice pieces of scrap paper or trash scattered in the hallway and people just passing by, ignoring the mess. At those times, I just think about how someone should really clean that up, but I rarely act upon my thoughts. Maybe it is due to laziness, or the instinct to not stick out from a sea of people, but the lack of action from the majority of people is disconcerting because as a majority, we should be working together to improve society.

Thoreau's philosophy is especially important now. With the upcoming election, the people's voices and viewpoints can actually be heard. It is important that people vote in the approaching election so they can act upon their viewpoints and thoughts. While many people complain that they dislike both candidates and thus will not vote, I find it ironic that they are complaining about politics or the actions of the government. As a citizen, we have to right to vote and to speak our minds. When you disagree with the majority opinion, it is up to you, as a citizen, to foster change and development. If you disagree with a viewpoint, why not start a protest? If you dislike both candidates, why not vote for another candidate from a smaller party instead? Or even run for candidacy yourself?

It is precisely the inactivity and lack of responsibility of the American citizens that has led to our current situation today; the majority is aware of the inadequacies of both candidates and needs to acknowledge that only with action, is any change possible.