The True Meaning of Civil Disobedience By: Kyle Davidson, Down and Out Press.

Challenging Injustice with Love, Truth, and Resistance

Defining the True Meaning of Civil Disobedience — and Its Relation to the January 6th Attack on Democracy

On January 6, 2021, the American Capitol in Washington, D.C., became the site of violent aggression by several thousand agitators who sought to re-instate Donald Trump as President. Trump’s actions and speeches leading up to the event indicated his intent for a self-coup and refusal to relinquish power if he lost the election—which he did.

Trump’s rhetoric stirred America’s privileged class of whites, who have long relied on policing, propaganda, economic control, slavery, imprisonment, terrorism, and unjust laws to maintain their dominance over impoverished minorities, both domestically and abroad.

These agitators acted under the false guise of civil disobedience, embodying none of its principles. Rather than resisting injustice with moral conviction, their actions were driven by bigotry and a desire to further entrench oppressive laws and rulers. In contrast to the values of love and humanitarianism championed by Martin Luther King Jr., these agitators sought to preserve and perpetuate inequality, fear, and hatred—not promote justice and dignity for all.

What Is Civil Disobedience?

True civil disobedience has many definitions. As described in Jeffrey Brand’s Philosophy of Law, referencing both John Rawls and Carl Cohen:

“Controversy surrounds the definition of ‘civil disobedience.’ Rawls defines it as ‘a public, nonviolent, conscientious yet political act contrary to law usually done with the aim of bringing about a change in the law or policies of the government’ (1971: 364). Carl Cohen defines it as ‘an act of protest, deliberately unlawful, conscientiously and publicly performed’ (1971: 39).”

January 6th failed to meet any of these criteria. It was neither morally grounded nor nonviolent. Instead, it was an act of aggression against democracy itself.

Legacy of Civil Disobedience

America’s progress came largely through true civil disobedience practiced by moral figures such as Martin Luther King Jr., Henry David Thoreau, and Mahatma Gandhi. King’s approach embraced nonviolence and accepted the consequences of breaking unjust laws.

As King wrote in his famous Letter from Birmingham Jail:

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

He also observed:

“An unjust law is a code that a numerical or power majority group compels a minority group to obey but does not make binding on itself.”

These rioters sought to reassert unjust laws and structures in favor of a privileged majority—not to liberate anyone.

Trump’s Rhetoric and the Myth of Oppression

Trump’s promises emboldened his supporters by invoking the fantasy of a vanishing white ethnostate. They were not resisting oppression—they were defending privilege.

As NPR reported:

“Some 49% of Americans consider the events of Jan. 6 to be an insurrection and a threat to U.S. democracy.”
— Domenico Montanaro, NPR

Not Civil Disobedience — But Sedition

“Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.”
— Martin Luther King Jr.

The rioters were not oppressed. As Fr. Peter Daly wrote for National Catholic Reporter:

“Their actions were not a demand for equality, but a call to further violence and hate against minorities and the vulnerable.”

Their ideology was rooted in fascism. They rejected democracy—not to change the law morally, but to overturn it for authoritarian power.

Update: Trump’s Pardons of Rioters

In early 2025, Trump issued sweeping pardons for more than 1,500 individuals charged or convicted in connection with January 6. These included members of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, some of whom had received federal convictions for conspiracy and assault.

According to The Guardian:

“Former federal prosecutors condemned the move as legitimizing political violence and setting a dangerous precedent.”

As Time reported, several pardoned rioters now speak at conservative events, framing themselves as patriots.

Media and Ideological Radicalization

Throughout Trump’s presidency, white nationalist conspiracies like Replacement Theory were broadcast by platforms such as Fox News and QAnon.

As The Conversation noted:

“Replacement theory has become a standard element of white nationalism that motivates violence in the U.S. and across the globe.”
— Lawrence & May, 2022

Racial Double Standards

As Politico highlighted:

“The law used to prosecute the Capitol rioters... is now being criticized as part of a broader double standard in how authorities respond to unrest.”

Those defending white supremacy receive leniency, while Black Lives Matter protesters face disproportionate force.

The Real Meaning of Resistance

“It is not desirable to cultivate a respect for the law, so much as for the right.”
— Henry David Thoreau, 1849

“Under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for a just man is also a prison.”

Real civil disobedience accepts suffering as a consequence for resisting injustice—not as a tool for domination.

King emphasized love over hate:

“Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis... that a community is forced to confront the issue.”
“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.”

Final Reflection

The agitators of January 6th were not patriots, nor were they civil rights defenders. They were defenders of white supremacy, injustice, and authoritarianism.

True civil disobedience demands moral courage, sacrifice, love, and justice for all. That’s the legacy we must uphold—not the lie of violent rebellion in defense of privilege.

Works Cited

1. Brand, Jeffrey. Philosophy of Law: Introducing Jurisprudence. 1st ed., Bloomsbury Academic, 2014. Chapter 4, §2.

2. King, Martin Luther Jr. Letter from Birmingham Jail (1963)

3. Montanaro, Domenico. "The Justice Department is Struggling to Bring Capitol Riot Cases to Trial. Here’s Why." NPR, July 27, 2021.

4. McGlone, Fr. Peter Daly. "What Happened at the Capitol Was Not Civil Disobedience." National Catholic Reporter, Jan. 12, 2021.

5. Shuttlesworth, F. L., and Smith, N. H. "Birmingham Manifesto" (1963)

6. Lawrence, John, and David C. May. "Replacement Theory Isn’t New." The Conversation, May 17, 2022.

7. Ollstein, Alice Miranda. "Law Used to Prosecute Capitol Rioters Under Fire." Politico, Feb. 2, 2021.

8. Thoreau, Henry David. Civil Disobedience. 1849.