# 5 – Civil Disobedience

I’ve seen quite a few things that make me want to commit an act of civil disobedience, though honestly, I have to look within myself to make sure I don’t just want the disobedience, but to actually fight for that cause. Since the time and popularity of the hippies, there has been this interesting fad of rebelliousness, individuality. You find it when American Eagle ads tell you to express yourself as an individual (by wearing their clothes), when a journal for sale at Starbucks tells you to express your thoughts to the world for the day in order to make it a better place, or when a band wants you to join them in giving a middle finger and chanting obscenities towards the recently gone Dubyah at a music festival.

The one cause that I feel the most passionate about in terms of participating in civil disobedience is the issue of gay marriage in America. It’s been such a hot button, one where nearly everyone has an opinion. The action of civil disobedience I am not sure what I would do, but I do feel like action is necessary. What I think is speaking with my friends who would oppose it and ask them further about their relationships, attractions, etc., as well as legal rights. The conversation I had in San Francisco with the man at the sushi restaurant was great in that he felt like it was right for straight people to also get involved in this movement to further civil liberties. I feel like this is something I need to speak up about and help the cause while it is still going on. I don’t want to look back and reflect upon a passive voice, but one that challenged ideas.

In the Little Rock Nine Museum, one of the Nine mentioned that it was not the few hundred students who were openly hating them that made matters worse, but it was the few supportive students who kept quiet that really killed their spirits. The call there is for civil disobedience despite the disapproval of authorities, of families, or even friends. The difference here is that I’m not really risking getting beaten up or killed, but I am only risking the misjudgment of some people who I really don’t care about in the first place. The risk is honestly less for me than it was for those white students who voiced their support at Central High School, but I’d like to think I would stick to this cause even further.

On a final note, on my recent flight to Amsterdam, I watched the movie Milk with Sean Penn, and it was the first movie in my entire life that has ever brought me to tears. It was very powerful. And it’s not odd timing that Focus Features released a movie like this at the time they did. They’re best at being social critics through beautiful movies. And this one was definitely a success. Go see it!