""There are two types of laws: just and unjust. Every individual in a society has a responsibility to obey just laws and, even more importantly, to disobey and resist unjust laws.""

The speaker claims that there are only two type of laws that are just and unjust. Is is easier to say that is it the responsibility of an individual to disobey and resist unjust laws and only follow just laws. In a tyrannical government, it not only hard to do but also dangerous to disobey unjust laws.

To look for an example one need to look no further than the North Korea. One will seek all the unjust laws possible but it is wise for a citizen to even think of protest against the leader of North Korea. For instance, one can not meet more than two people at a time, can not use go outside the country and even cannot have the desired haircut. Even if one tried to resist and escape the country in all the imagination possible, the family of the person who flee will be executed. The repercussions are severe and not wise to disobey or resist unjust laws.

In a democracy where freedom of speech, expression, religion and business are practiced, however, it is tempting to think of resisting unjust laws. No government is fully democratic. Yet, people must resist the unjust laws. The government is still elected by people and obeying unjust laws will only make the situations severe for posterity. For example, there is always a bigotry towards lower castes in India. It took more than half a century to change the perspective of people towards caste system. Another example is racism in United States of America. It took almost two centuries but the slaves were given their rights.

Another problem with the just and unjust laws is the criterion to describe what is just and what is unjust. There is no criterion to describe what an unjust law is. It is, in reality, a person’s perspective to describe what is unjust. For example, high income tax rates might be unjust to the majority of residents of a country but they are important for the proper functioning of the government. In almost every democracy, freedom of speech is the right of every individual but remarks of individual that incite angered and hated among particular members of society is unjust. There is not any degree which can be applied to a law to characterize a unjust law.

In sum, citizens must resist unjust laws when there is no ambiguity towards the characterization of unjust laws, keeping in consideration that it would be a wise step. Resistance to unjust laws, the characterization of which depends upon the personal opinion os citizens, can be harmful for the safety of innocent persons. There should be proper characterization first and then the necessary actions should be taken.