Moral Courage

King emphasizes the fact that one must follow just laws to avoid anarchy and respect the rights of other human beings. However, he and others have a “moral responsibility” to fight against unjust laws for the benefit of society. He states that individual “who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for law” as they are adjusting the basic intent of the law to realign with its moral law through the form of civil disobedience. It is important to note that this view is not ‘new’ or radical according to King. Legality is a very arbitrary term within a historical context as King points out that what the Nazi’s did was legal while what the “Hungarian freedom fighters did in Hungary was "illegal.

We were meant to follow a certain believe, that's what makes us who we are. For example, in Moliere's Tartuffe, Tartuffe acted in the name of every ethical belief imaginable, yet lived by not one of them. Tartuffe was without a doubt a man of nonexistent morality. Which better proves my point, "people are born with morals." Just as some people are born to be leaders, people are also born to live as honest ethical human beings.

Most people do not really understand the full importance of ethical thinking; there may be a different code of ethics throughout society but nevertheless the purpose remains the same. I believe the primary purpose of ethics is obviously to be able to distinguish good from bad behavior. Being able to make this distinction will pave the way for success or failure in a person’s life as to whether they can make conformed decisions. Everyone practices morals in some way whether they know it or not, they are implemented into every given situation. Ethics were put into place to be able to do the right thing in certain circumstances in order to maintain an honest and fair society.

The way you show your integrity, character, and morals or how they are effect you in either a negative or positive way. There are many causes to how your values are. So as you know, integrity is very important and it is important to have it. First of all, people may ask, “What are morals, character, and integrity,” but they should know that they are mainly the same thing. Character means moral or ethical strength, or as H. Jackson Browne once said, “Our character is what we do when we think no one is looking.” John Wooden said that everyone should, “Be more concerned with your character than your reputation because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.” Morals are rules or habits of conduct with reference of standards of right and wrong.

As he states, "this I hold firm;/ Virtue may be assail'd but never hurt,/ Surpris'd by unjust force but not enthrall'd," because it is founded upon the "will and arm of Heav'n" (588-600). Milton's argument in the "Areopagitica" holds true to these ideas also, that we must have confidence in virtue and its ability to triumph over all trials and temptations because-if it is truly of God-it will stand predominant over all evils. In outlining his argument, Milton reminds his audience over and over of the duty they have to trust in the virtue of their fellow men; just as God allowed Adam to have the choice to err, so must the state give men the right to choose, to try their own ideas of virtue. The Spirit describes: Great Comus . .

For one's courage to truly effect a situation, one must convince others to show the same type of courage. The perfect embodiment of moral courage in the face of serious personal danger is Martin Luther King Jr. King stood up to bigotry through his words and actions. He showed courage without simply thinking that danger may exist, but knowing that danger would exist. He felt that the only way to truly stand up and make a difference is to be punished for just actions. This will inspire followers to show the same impressive courage.

Integrity stands for more than honesty, and it is about standing up for what you believe, it is about leadership, and it is about defining you as a person. Integrity is based on personal beliefs and seeing them through and being able to complete a task, to put it together regardless of the complication of said task. The novel To Kill a Mockingbird is a profound example of integrity in action in the real world and moreover, shows its importance. Being a person of integrity shows that you practice what you preach yet also shows that you are what you preach and it is a significant and advantageous quality to

"Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string." Emerson, along with the Transcendental Movement, believed in the vitality of self-reliance. One must have confidence and belief in oneself. "…the only right is what is after my constitution; the only wrong what is against it." Once one has reliance upon oneself, he can generate his own set of ideals and morals, not just the ideals bestowed upon him by society. In obeying these principles of life, he has created a constitution of his own. This constitution is the guiding light of his life; it leads the way to truth and ultimate liberation and provides the right path to follow.

Moral courage, as defined in ADRP 6-22, is the willingness to stand firm on values, principles, and convictions. It enables all leaders to stand up for what they believe is right, regardless of the consequences. Leaders, who take full responsibility for their decisions and actions even when things go wrong, display moral courage. In most cases, one who displays moral courage is usually taking a stand against something that they know is wrong. Normally, it is not the popular decision.

Comparing the Civil Disobedience of Martin Luther King Jr., Henry David Thoreau, and Mohandas Gandhi From the onset of man fighting for freedom or his beliefs, the question has always been whether one person can make a difference using words rather than wars. Philosophically, the concept of civil disobedience would appear to be an ineffective weapon against political injustice; history however has proven it to repeatedly be one of the most powerful weapons of the common man. Martin Luther King Jr. looked at the way African Americans were treated in the United States and saw an inequality. By refusing to pay his taxes and subsequently being imprisoned for a night, Henry David Thoreau demonstrated his intolerance for the American government. Under British rule, India remained oppressed until Mohandas Gandhi, with his doctrine of non-violence lead the country to freedom.