If freedom makes social progress possible, so social progress strengthens and enlarges freedom. The two are inseparable partners in the great adventure of humanity.
Robert KennedyRead
Those who challenge the law in one or another of its aspects weaken the whole legal structure of society. For one man to disobey a law he does not like is to invite others to disobey another law which he may regard as indispensable to his own livelihood - or life.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Disobeying laws can undermine the entire legal system.
Robert Kennedy's quote emphasizes the interconnectedness of laws in society. When individuals challenge or disobey laws they find unfavorable, it can lead to a broader disregard for legal structures that uphold societal order, ultimately threatening the stability and safety of the community as a whole.
Themes
LawSocietyDisobedienceLegal StructureJustice
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about civic responsibility, one might quote Kennedy to emphasize the importance of respecting laws for societal stability.
More from Robert Kennedy
All quotes →Elections remind us not only of the rights but the responsibilities of citizenship in a democracy.
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Within the United States, we have put great emphasis upon political freedoms. Because it has been our experience that these freedoms can lead to others.
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It is one thing to open job opportunities. It is another to train people to fill them, or to persuade American enterprise to seek Negro as well as white applicants.
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Our attitude towards immigration reflects our faith in the American ideal. We have always believed it possible for men and women who start at the bottom to rise as far as the talent and energy allow. Neither race nor place of birth should affect their chances.
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The Gross National Product measures neither our wit nor our courage, neither our wisdom nor our learning, neither our compassion nor our devotion to our country. It measures everything, in short, except that which makes life worthwhile, and it can tell us everything about America - except whether we are proud to be Americans.
Robert KennedyRead
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