1. According to Martin Luther King Jr. just laws are laws that are morally correct and should hold equality and justice which would be right in the eyes of god. Just laws are made to help people and to protect people. Unjust laws are laws that degrade human personality and according to King, any law that degrades human personality is unjust. So laws like segregation are unjust laws. Unjust laws are made to be immoral and goes directly against just laws.
2. I think that just and unjust laws make a difference as many people try to be morally correct and just so if someone were to break an unjust law there would be consequences to their actions. However in certain situations people can fight for just laws where things that would be morally correct can be seen as immoral or unjust where they are at for example people in nazi germany who helped jewish people is morally correct and just but in Hitlers ideology it was unjust.
3. An unjust law in happening in the United States is the stop and frisk laws. It is unjust because it stops people to be searched just because they may look like someone who committed a crime. Very often do these stops lead to violence and a lot of times police act outside of boundaries during these searches. An example of a just law is the civil rights act of 1964 where systemic racial discrimination was addressed and made segregation illegal across the nation. This is just because it promoted equality and equal opportunities.

1. Any just law that promotes human dignity and uplifts the human personality is just. Laws that encourage harmony and align with natural human thinking protect individuals and prevent harm. Conversely, any law that undermines human dignity and degrades the human personality is unjust. Such laws are intentionally designed to discriminate against certain groups of people. 

Race laws are unjust because they promote segregation, which distorts the soul and damages the personality. Examples of such laws include segregated bus stops and restaurants designated for specific groups of people based on skin color. Educational degrees that are only available to certain groups of people or restrictions on education for certain populations are also examples of unjust race laws. 

Religious laws often maintain the superiority of the powerful minority over the people, and limit freedom by treating individuals as servants of those in power. 

Gender laws that favor one gender over the other, with gaps in payment, benefits, and rights, are unjust. 

Political laws that discriminate against certain groups or misrepresent them during government elections are unjust. 

2. Societies should work towards achieving justice and ensuring that human rights are available to everyone, without discriminating against anyone. To achieve a fairer distribution of resources, every person should receive what they rightfully deserve. Justice requires maximizing the common good and ensuring that basic goods that are essential to human dignity are distributed equitably. This can be achieved by implementing a free market with minimal government intervention, guaranteeing equal freedom and opportunities for all individuals, and ensuring equality in the distribution of income, wealth, and other basic goods. 

3. As an example of a fair law we have the Federal Fair Housing Law that prohibits discrimination against people in access to housing for the following reasons: Race or color, national origin, religion. As an example of unfairness, we have the law that refuses to grant legal status to dreamers, young migrants who came to the United States as children, most of whom are diligent, very hard-working, and who make great contributions to the country in terms of education and payment of taxes. 

1. According to MLK, Just laws align with moral laws, religious laws. They uplift human personality. They protect people by prohibiting actions like stealing or murder. Unjust laws do not align with moral laws, religious laws. They are human law that is not rooted in natural laws. They degrade human personality. They make you feel bad or hurt you, such as racist laws. They are designed to keep the second class forbid things and make unreasonable assumptions about people, for example barring them from attending medical school based on irrelevant factors.
2. In my opinion, I think it is an important distinction between just and unjust laws. It will affect our ideology and define who we are and how we act in the society. It will affect our politics as well.
3. My example for unjust law would be immigration laws. Certain immigration policies in the United States, like using aggressive deportation methods, violate human rights. These policies lead to families being split up, violations of fair legal procedures and mistreatment of immigrants. My example for Just Law would be marriage equality. This was a big win for LGBTQ+ rights and equality in the United States. It’s like what MLK said about just laws—they treat everyone fairly and with respect, no matter their sexual orientation or gender identity.

1. According to MLK, how can we tell the difference between just and unjust laws? Understanding this questions is the most important part of this module, and I will ask it again during our second exam.

According to MLK he uses St. Augustine’s definition of law to determine what an unjust and just law is. An unjust law is a law that is out of harmony with the moral law and the law of God. An example of this in this time period is segregation. It was an unjust law because there was no real reason to segregate white and black people. There was no medical or ethical excuse as to why it wasn’t allowed. A just law on the other hand is defined as a law that serves to protect everybody equally. This just law also helps promote the happiness of citizens. 

2. In your view, is this an important distinction (between just and unjust laws), do you think it makes a difference in the way someone (as an individual, or our society as a whole) lives their lives? Can it affect our politics?

I do think this is an important distinction between just and unjust laws. If we are unable to tell if a law is just or unjust then the government will be free to pass any law they want. Furthermore, this makes a difference in how we live our lives because as opinionated human beings we use the right to vote to at least try to make a decision on who represents us. Which in some way affects what laws are passed. 

3. Based on our discussion of Question 1, give an example of an unjust and just law, in the US today. Explain what makes it unjust or just (using MLK’s definition of those two types of laws).

I think an unjust law today in the US is the right for states to ban abortions. Abortion should be a human right to women whether the government agrees with it or not. Sometimes women aren’t ready to have a family, may have difficulty raising a child or may have been assaulted. The way I see it is the government is forcing women to have children and this will have horrible repercussions in a couple of years. This law is unjust because the right to abortions does not affect any specific population. A just law I can think of that applies to today’s society is getting the COVID-19 vaccine, first and second dose. Getting the first and second dose was required but also necessary to protect people in public settings. 

Martin Luther King Jr. believed that the difference between just and unjust laws lay in their alignment with moral principles. Just laws are those that uphold moral righteousness, fairness, equality, and human dignity, while unjust laws are those that violate these principles.

The distinction between just and unjust laws informs debates over policy and legislation in the political realm, influencing public opinion, activism, and the democratic process. Individuals and advocacy groups may challenge unjust laws through legal channels, social movements, and political activism, seeking to change laws that perpetuate inequality, discrimination, or oppression.

To give examples of just and unjust laws in the US today, voter suppression laws that disproportionately target minority communities by imposing restrictive voter ID requirements or reducing polling locations are unjust. These laws violate the principles of equality and democratic participation by disenfranchising certain groups and undermining the right to vote. On the other hand, The Civil Rights Act , which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in employment and public accommodations, is a just law. This law promotes equality, protects individual rights, and aligns with principles of fairness and human dignity.

1. According to MLK, how can we tell the difference between just and unjust laws? Understanding these questions is the most important part of this module, and I will ask it again during our second exam.

• According to MLK, we can tell the difference between unjust and just laws because an unjust law is a law that degrades human personality, while a just law uplifts human personality. What does that mean? It means that unjust laws are created by the majority with the intention to devalue the minority. A just law on the other hand, is created with the intention of uplifting all parties with the intention of safety, security and advancement. 

2. In your view, is this an important distinction (between just and unjust laws), do you think it makes a difference in the way someone (as an individual, or our society as a whole) lives their lives? Can it affect our politics?

• In my opinion, I believe it is important to make the distinction between just and unjust laws. How we shape our views on laws, question them and follow them, is all based on our own moral view of the court system. Most people go throughout life not breaking any laws, because they are only faced with an option of morals and not an option of justice. This affects people’s daily life and view on abiding by the law, morally a person knows they should not drink and drive so they won’t. On the other hand, the court system will arrest us as we attend PEACEFUL protests or sit-ins, though it is our literal constitutional right, they are still arresting people peacefully protesting, because their issue is the protest itself, they never cared for whether it was peaceful or not. This can really alter people’s perception of morality, especially in politics. 

3. Based on our discussion of Question 1, give an example of an unjust and just law, in the US today. Explain what makes it unjust or just (using MLK’s definition of those two types of laws).

• An example of  just law would be no smoking on airplanes, this is because the reality of it is, you can smoke once you land or before you enter the airport. The smoke in a closed environment can not only affect other passengers but also the flight crew, who fly all day. This is a just law because it protects all parties, though the person who may want to smoke might be upset, science outweighs feelings, especially in regards to the law. An example of an unjust law would be the use and need of monetary bail. A defendant should not have to sit and rot in jail for an alleged crime just because he is poor and cannot afford the bail, rather than the richer counterparts who are able to pay the bail and stay in the embrace of their family and friends beforehand.

1. According to MLK a just law is a man made code that squared with the moral law or the law of God . An unjust law is a human law that is not rooted in eternal law and natural law. The difference is a law that uplifts human personality is just.
2. It makes a difference in someone’s lives their lives in society because anyone who breaks the unjust law has to accept the penalty . Nobody wants to face bad consequences, therefore an individual would obey or disobey by the rules.
3. An an example of a just law is Medicaid and Medicare. This is a just law because it benefits humans. Sickness is a natural cause that happened to any human . It is a good assist that the government is providing healthcare . An unjust law today is money bail . Being imprisoned is a penalty. The cost for someone’s freedom whether the circumstances is a large price to pay .

1. Martin Luther King Jr. states that a just law should always be followed, and those laws are laws that uplifts human personality, and “squares with the moral law or the law of God.” He defines an unjust law is a law that degrades and damages human personality, distorts the soul, and gives someone the feeling of inferiority. Unjust laws are morally unsound should not be followed.
2. I agree with MLK’s distinction between just and unjust laws. People should not always comply with something just because it is “the law.” Laws should be looked at, reviewed often, and changed to meet the evolving needs of society.
3. An example of a just law would be that someone should not operate a vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol. This law is morally sound and protects an individual as well as others. An unjust law is that women are denied abortions under any and all circumstances (looking at you, Texas). This law is unjust because it does not always protect and individual and can directly goes against the best interest of the person that is pregnant. This law can cause mental health damage, physical damage, and even death, as well as many, many other issues.

1. According to Martin Luther King Jr the difference between just and unjust laws is for what I can understand with in our liberty. We can define a just law as a man made code that fallows the moral law or the law of God and uplifts human personality and well-being. As in other side an unjust law is a human law that is not an eternal law and natural law and, in this case, degrades and enclose human personality and well-being.
2. I would be led to believe that MLK distinction between just and unjust laws is accurate specially in the fact of impact in human personality and well-being that are also evolving. I think it makes a huge difference in the way someone lives islive since it’s about doing with is good for you and the people next to you or just something good for an exclusive minority.
3. As an example of a just law, we can take the speed limitation on the roads that were made only to ensure the security of all in roads. And for an unjust law we could take that in some states, an individual can lose is driver’s license if he cannot afford to pay is court debt, even for minor offenses that have nothing to do with traffic safety. A valid driver’s license can be important in getting or maintaining a job and this law can disturb it without having nothing to do with your driving.

1) According to Martin Luther King Jr., the difference between just and unjust laws lies in their conformity to moral principles. Just laws are those that align with moral and ethical standards, promoting equality, fairness, and human dignity. Unjust laws, on the other hand, are those that violate these principles, perpetuating inequality, discrimination, and injustice.

2) This distinction is crucial as it directly impacts individuals and society as a whole. Just laws provide a framework for a harmonious and equitable society where individuals can live with dignity and equality under the law. Conversely, unjust laws breed resentment, disenfranchisement, and social unrest, undermining the fabric of democracy and eroding trust in the legal system.

3) An example of an unjust law in the US today could be laws that disproportionately target marginalized communities, such as racially discriminatory voter suppression laws. These laws restrict access to voting for certain groups, perpetuating systemic inequalities and undermining democratic principles. In contrast, an example of a just law could be the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in various aspects of public life. This law aligns with principles of equality and justice, advancing civil rights and promoting inclusivity in society.