Throughout human existence there have been defining moments in our history where the resistance and zealous disobedience of an oppressed population has led to a transformed society. Slavery, oppression and forced subjugation of minorities have been hidden truths in our tiny history. The above fact that an ethnocentric elite always manages to oppress the belittled majority is a truth not easily ignored. King argues that the virtue of freedom is not “voluntarily granted by the oppressor; it must be requested by the oppressed." Citizens are obliged to fight for their fundamental rights; Widener's "Tank Man," Thoreau's "On the Duty of Civil Disobedience," and the Arab Spring confirm King's assertion that freedom is a virtue that can only be acquired through resistance and insubordination. Jeff Widener's photograph, "Tank Man," depicts the strength of an individual and the ability of a single courageous act to push an already anxious populace into a revolution. Widener accentuates the individual behind the resistance of a tyrannical government. The "Tank Man" and his ability to halt the progress of a larger-than-life entity incite the belief that ordinary men are capable of sparking revolutions. Widener's illustration explains that one man's choice of civil disobedience leads to the revolution that became the Tiananmen Square Massacre, the fight for freedom from an autocratic government. The image of an average man, peacefully halting the progress of his oppressive government, describes King's thesis that the oppressed must demand their freedom. It was the simple and placid, yet powerful, act of defiance of the “Tank Man” that inspired the entire country to revolt. One man's desire for freedom created a r... middle of paper... democratic institutions", the long-awaited freedom of the Middle East is the direct effect of the popular demand for freedom and freedom (Myre, NPR). In an oppressive government, the only way to obtain freedom is to demand it. A tyrannical government maintains its power through fear and repression of fundamental rights, such as freedom The above illustrates that the struggle for individual rights and freedom is the motivation that drives citizens to follow the path of civil disobedience. Righteous anger is the fuel of the resistance movement, and the anger of an oppressed population can provoke the Revolution of a Century. Works Cited Myre, Greg. “The Promising Arab Spring Turns into a Turbulent Arab Summer.” NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO, PUBLIC RADIO, July 3, 2013. Web. December 17th. 2013.