The brave man, inattentive to his duty, is worth little more to his country than the coward who deserts her in the hour of danger.
Andrew JacksonRead
The great can protect themselves, but the poor and humble require the arm and shield of the law.
Interpretation
The powerful can defend themselves, while the vulnerable depend on legal protection.
This quote emphasizes the disparity between the powerful and the less fortunate in society. Andrew Jackson suggests that those with wealth and influence have the resources to safeguard themselves, while the poor and humble rely on the law to ensure their protection and rights are upheld, highlighting the importance of legal systems in providing support to the vulnerable.
In practice
During a lecture on social justice, one might use this quote to highlight the importance of legal aid for the underprivileged.
The brave man, inattentive to his duty, is worth little more to his country than the coward who deserts her in the hour of danger.
The planter, the farmer, the mechanic, and the laborer...form the great body of the people of the United States they are the bone and sinew of the country men who love liberty and desire nothing but equal rights and equal laws.
There never was a woman like her. She was gentle as a dove and brave as a lioness... The memory of my mother and her teachings were, after all, the only capital I had to start life with, and on that capital I have made my way.
The great constitutional corrective in the hands of the people against usurpation of power, or corruption by their agents is the right of suffrage; and this when used with calmness and deliberation will prove strong enough.
I feel in the depths of my soul that it is the highest, most sacred, and most irreversible part of my obligation to preserve the union of these states, although it may cost me my life.
When death comes, he respects neither age nor merit. He sweeps from the earthly existence the sick and the strong, the rich and the poor, and should teach us to live to be prepared for death.
Mere access to the courthouse doors does not by itself assure a proper functioning of the adversary process.
There can be no equal justice where the kind of trial a man gets depends on the amount of money he has.
We must put an end to the corruption and systemic racism in our justice system, and that starts by electing progressive district attorneys who will fight for real justice across the country.
Mass incarceration is the most pressing racial justice issue of our time.
The opposite of poverty is not wealth. I don't believe that. I actually think, in too many places, the opposite of poverty is justice.
Rule-following, legal precedence, and political consistency are not more important than right, justice and plain common-sense.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.