The Society is based on that great bottom law of human…
“The Society is based on that great bottom law of human right, that nothing but crime can forfeit liberty. That no condition of birth, no shade of color, no mere misfortune of circumstances, can annul that birthright charter, which God has bequeathed to every being upon whom he has stamped his own image, by making him a free moral agent, and that he who robs his fellow man of this tramples upon right, subverts justice, outrages humanity, unsettles the foundation of human safety, and sacrilegiously assumes the prerogative of God.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Freedom is inherent to all humans; only crime can revoke it, regardless of birth, color, or circumstance.
In simple terms: Everyone is born free; only wrongdoing can strip liberty.
Key Takeaway
Protect rights, oppose oppression.
Themes
freedom
justice
human rights
equality
law
Mood
determined
hopeful
serious
Type
Agents:0
Assuming:0
Birth:0
Birthright:1
Bottom:0
Charter:0
Circumstances:0
Color:0
Conditions:0
Crime:1
Fellow man:1
Fellows:0
Forfeit:0
Foundation:0
Freedom:1
Humanity:1
Humans:0
Justice:1
Law:1
Liberty:1
Men:0
Mere:0
Misfortunes:0
Moral:1
Nature of man:0
Outrage:0
Prerogative:0
Safety:0
Shade:0
Human Right:1
Great Law:0
Free Moral:0
Birthright Charter:0
Forfeit Liberty:0
When to use this quote
- activism
- legal reform
- education
- civil rights advocacy
Key Concepts
natural rights
moral agency
social contract
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we ensure justice for all?
- What structures protect against abuse of power?
A Different Perspective
Even with rights, systemic bias can still deny liberty.