A lawyer’s either a social engineer or … a parasite on society … A social engineer [is] a highly skilled, perceptive, sensitive lawyer who [understands] the Constitution of the United States and [knows] how to explore its uses in the solving of problems of local communities and in bettering conditions of the underprivileged citizens.
Interpretation
Lawyers have a dual role in society: they can be either beneficial or harmful.
This quote by Charles Hamilton Houston reflects the significant responsibility of lawyers in society, highlighting that they can either work as social engineers to uplift communities by applying the law to address social issues, or they can become parasites by exploiting the legal system for personal gain. It emphasizes the importance of having lawyers who are committed to understanding and utilizing the Constitution for the greater good and improving the lives of disadvantaged individuals.
In practice
In a discussion about the role of lawyers in community service events.
The hate and scorn showered on us Negro officers by our fellow Americans convinced me that there was no sense in my dying for a world ruled by them. I made up my mind that if I got through this war I would study law and use my time fighting for men who could not strike back.
Without education, there is no hope for our people and without hope, our future is lost
The race problem in the United States is the type of unpleasant problem which we would rather do without but which refuses to be buried.
We beg you to save young America from the blight of race prejudice. Do not bind the children within the narrow circles of your own lives.
A lawyer is either a social engineer or he is a parasite on society.
OH, East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet, Till Earth and Sky stand presently at God’s great Judgment Seat; But there is neither East nor West, Border, nor Breed, nor Birth, When two strong men stand face to face, tho’ they come from the ends of the earth!
The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself.
Persuasion is clearly a sort of demonstration, since we are most fully persuaded when we consider a thing to have been demonstrated.
You forget that the fruits belong to all and that the land belongs to no one.
When I sleep every night, what am I called or not called? And when I wake, who am I if I was not I while I slept?
The Bible must be the invention either of good men or angels, bad men or devils, or of God. However, it was not written by good men, because good men would not tell lies by saying 'Thus saith the Lord;' it was not written by bad men because they would not write about doing good duty, while condemning sin, and themselves to hell; thus, it must be written by divine inspiration
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.