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

Answer: According to Martin Luther King Jr., a Just Law is one which matches moral law or God’s law. It uplifts people and respects their dignity. An Unjust Law is the opposite of Just Laws, which brings people down, makes them feel less human, or gives one group power over another. He explained that segregation laws were unjust because they damaged the soul and gave the segregator a false sense of superiority while making the segregated feel inferior.

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?

Answer: Yes, from my perception I think this is very important. If people only follow the laws without asking whether they are just or unjust, then unfair systems can continue. Knowing all the difference makes people more responsible. It pushes us to challenge bad laws and respect the good ones. For the society, it helps us grow fair and more equal. In the politics, it can be inspiration for leaders to make laws which truly serve for everyone instead of protecting only powerful.

3. Based on our discussion of Question 1, give an example each, 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).

Answer: First, an Unjust Law today could be strict voting rules in few states that make it harder for poor people or minorities to vote. This is unjust because of it limits, human dignity and gives some groups less power in democracy. Second, A just law is the Civil Rights Act, which ended segregation and gave equal rights. It uplifts human personality and respects dignity, which is what Martin Luther King Jr. says makes a law just.