Rosa Parks And A Just Act Of Defiance VS. The Unjust Rebellion Against Prohibition

Rosa Parks was and is a great American that in her action of defying authority by not giving up hear seat when commanded to perform such a demeaning task . She stood up for the promise uttered in the Declaration of Independence that all human beings are created equal and therefore was more loyal to America than those who stood against her. Her action was in tune with the right of liberty as it was not licenseous in nature.

The same can not be said of those whom defied prohibition. Prohibition limited legal social alcohol to beer of .05 percent or less. It achieved its goals of reducing alcohol consumption, deaths from cirrhosis of the liver, and admittance to hospitals of alcohol caused depression. The negative came from those whom defied the law and purchased it from dealers. The illegal trade and the competition the unregulated competition therein caused violent crimes to rise. Those that defied the ban, were betraying the ideals on which the United States was founded and which are enumerated in the general welfare clause of the Constitution. The Virginia Bill of Rights states it best.

15. That no free government, or the blessing of liberty, can be preserved to any people but by a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, frugality, and virtue, and by frequent recurrence to fundamental principles.

I personally believe that Prohibition was a case of throwing the baby out with the bath water. One is that at the present time beer which was legal is a major cause of alcohol related deaths. Two is that binge drinking is a major cause of alcohol related highway deaths. Three is that light drinking no matter what the percent alcohol content of the drink is can actually be beneficial. So in truth you just need to keep heavy and medium drinking under control, not all drinking over a certain proof, as was attempted during prohibition. During World War II the United States used a rationing system for certain products. This system could be reactivated, modernized and applied to alcohol. The upper consumption level could be set to a level the general population would be willing to bear so as discourage heavy drinking and possibly moderate drinking. The government would then sell the ration cards to the public of drinking age at reasonable processing fee. The card could function much like a debit card and allow a certain number of “drinks” a day based on volume and alcohol content. Of course individuals would try and perhaps succeed in scamming the system, which is to be expected and discouraged.

Rosa Parks by one act of defiance helped to win freedom for many while those tyrants who defied prohibition have caused many to be killed and abused both physically and mentally. For the sake of America and the ideals that made it great all human beings have to be treated equal and enjoy the right to liberty but that liberty in order to be true must not endanger the right of life and health of themselves or anyone else.