--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Procedure is the bone structure of a…" description: "\"Procedure is the bone structure of a democratic society. Our scheme of law affords great latitude for dissent and opposition. It compels wide tolerance..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5da/abe-fortas-39475_acceptance_procedure-is-the-bone-structure-of-a-dem_304786.jpg" --- # Procedure is the bone structure of a democratic society… ![“Procedure is the bone structure of a democratic society. Our scheme of law affords great latitude for dissent and opposition. It compels wide tolerance not only for their expression but also for the organization of people and forces to bring about the acceptance of the dissenter's claim…We have…” quote by Abe Fortas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5da/abe-fortas-39475_acceptance_procedure-is-the-bone-structure-of-a-dem_304786.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5da/abe-fortas-39475_acceptance_procedure-is-the-bone-structure-of-a-dem_304786.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5da/abe-fortas-39475_acceptance_procedure-is-the-bone-structure-of-a-dem_304786.jpg) > “Procedure is the bone structure of a democratic society. Our scheme of law affords great latitude for dissent and opposition. It compels wide tolerance not only for their expression but also for the organization of people and forces to bring about the acceptance of the dissenter's claim…We have alternatives to violence.” [Abe Fortas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abe-fortas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Procedural rules shape democracy, allowing dissent and organized opposition, offering non‑violent alternatives to conflict. **In simple terms:** Rules let people disagree peacefully. Key Takeaway Use structures to manage conflict peacefully. Themes democracy law dissent non‑violence governance Mood analytical hopeful critical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - legislative debates - civil protests - community organizing - courtrooms - policy making Key Concepts proceduralism political theory conflict resolution Questions to Reflect On - What limits do procedures impose on radical change? - How can societies balance order with genuine dissent? A Different Perspective Procedures can become rigid, stifling innovation; not all dissent fits within existing frameworks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acceptance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acceptance/) [Democratic society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democratic-society/) [Dissent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dissent/) [Expression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expression/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Opposition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposition/) [Organization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organization/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Schemes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/schemes/) [Structure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/structure/) [Tolerance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tolerance/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) ## Related quotes > [“Nothing is more necessary to the culture of the higher sciences, or of the more elevated departments of science, than meditation; and nothing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/nothing-is-more-necessary-to-the-culture-of-the-higher-sciences-or-of/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [When you begin to suggest that dissent, opposition, resistance, the only way to deal with it is not to listen to it and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/when-you-begin-to-suggest-that-dissent-opposition-resistance-the-only/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [The mark of the procedure. A real one. Lu is cured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/the-mark-of-the-procedure-a-real-one-lu-is-cured/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [The modern view of criminal justice, broadly, is that public concern with morality or expediency decrees expiation for the violation of a norm; this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-weber/the-modern-view-of-criminal-justice-broadly-is-that-public-concern/) [Max Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-weber/) > [One of the biggest problems with this THAAD deployment decision was that it lacked democratic procedure, and it has resulted in a wide division…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moon-jae-in/one-of-the-biggest-problems-with-this-thaad-deployment-decision-was/) [Moon Jae-in](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moon-jae-in/) > [I never had plastic surgery. I had a nose procedure done because I had to. I had no cartilage in my nose; I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamar-braxton/i-never-had-plastic-surgery-i-had-a-nose-procedure-done-because-i-had/) [Tamar Braxton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamar-braxton/) > [Language should be an ever developing procedure and not an isolated occurrence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-smithson/language-should-be-an-ever-developing-procedure-and-not-an-isolated/) [Robert Smithson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-smithson/) > [“Routine ruins the life, variety vitalise the life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/routine-ruins-the-life-variety-vitalise-the-life/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Analysis I take to be a scientific procedure. What I do is creative. It doesn't spring from the same part of the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-pinter/analysis-i-take-to-be-a-scientific-procedure-what-i-do-is-creative-it/) [Harold Pinter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-pinter/) > [I have had it with people who are threatening me and my kids and my family over simply commenting on the law and criminal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashleigh-banfield/i-have-had-it-with-people-who-are-threatening-me-and-my-kids-and-my/) [Ashleigh Banfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashleigh-banfield/) > [“That’s why I’m worried: Everything will go up in smoke if the procedure has not worked correctly. “I heard”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/that-s-why-i-m-worried-everything-will-go-up-in-smoke-if-the/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [Every religion is a procedure only.Our commitment towards god is the way to find the god.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sumesh-nair/every-religion-is-a-procedure-only-our-commitment-towards-god-is-the/) [Sumesh Nair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sumesh-nair/) > [Abortion is a severely traumatic and potentially dangerous procedure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-johnson/abortion-is-a-severely-traumatic-and-potentially-dangerous-procedure/) [Abby Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-johnson/) > [“Name?” He followed the procedure even though she’d”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-shay/name-he-followed-the-procedure-even-though-she-d/) [Kathryn Shay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-shay/) > [The bone marrow transplant procedure itself can be dangerous, but it is swift, which makes it feel strangely anti-climactic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suleika-jaouad/the-bone-marrow-transplant-procedure-itself-can-be-dangerous-but-it/) [Suleika Jaouad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suleika-jaouad/) ## More by Abe Fortas > [Dissent and dissenters have no monopoly on freedom. They must tolerate opposition. They must accept dissent from their dissent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abe-fortas/dissent-and-dissenters-have-no-monopoly-on-freedom-they-must-tolerate/) [Abe Fortas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abe-fortas/) > [ For a justice of this ultimate tribunal \[the U.S. Supreme Court\], the opportunity for self-discovery and the occasion for self-revelation is great. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abe-fortas/for-a-justice-of-this-ultimate-tribunal-the-u-s-supreme-court-the/) [Abe Fortas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abe-fortas/) > [“Government in our democracy, state and national, must be neutral in matters of religious theory, doctrine, and practice. It may not be hostile to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abe-fortas/government-in-our-democracy-state-and-national-must-be-neutral-in/) [Abe Fortas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abe-fortas/) > [In order for the State in the person of school officials to justify prohibition of a particular expression of opinion, it must be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abe-fortas/in-order-for-the-state-in-the-person-of-school-officials-to-justify/) [Abe Fortas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abe-fortas/) > [It can hardly be argued that either students or teachers shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abe-fortas/it-can-hardly-be-argued-that-either-students-or-teachers-shed-their/) [Abe Fortas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abe-fortas/) > [For a justice of this ultimate tribunal, the opportunity for self-discovery and the occasion for self-revelation is usually great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abe-fortas/for-a-justice-of-this-ultimate-tribunal-the-opportunity-for-self/) [Abe Fortas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abe-fortas/) > [Government...may not be hostile to any religion or to the advocacy of no-religion; and it may not aid, foster, or promote one religion or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abe-fortas/government-may-not-be-hostile-to-any-religion-or-to-the-advocacy-of/) [Abe Fortas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abe-fortas/) > [The story of man is the history, first, of the acceptance and imposition of restraints necessary to permit communal life; and second, of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abe-fortas/the-story-of-man-is-the-history-first-of-the-acceptance-and/) [Abe Fortas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abe-fortas/) > [Judging is a lonely job in which a man is, as near as may be, an island entire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abe-fortas/judging-is-a-lonely-job-in-which-a-man-is-as-near-as-may-be-an-island/) [Abe Fortas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abe-fortas/) > [Needless, heedless, wanton and deliberate injury of the sort inflicted by Life's picture story is not an essential instrument of responsible journalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abe-fortas/needless-heedless-wanton-and-deliberate-injury-of-the-sort-inflicted/) [Abe Fortas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abe-fortas/) [Explore all 11 Abe Fortas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abe-fortas/) ## More Acceptance quotes > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When one fib becomes due as it were, you must forge another to take up the old acceptance; and so the stock of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/when-one-fib-becomes-due-as-it-were-you-must-forge-another-to-take-up/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Acceptance of death when it arrives is one thing, but to allow it to upstage the joys of living is ingratitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-blythe/acceptance-of-death-when-it-arrives-is-one-thing-but-to-allow-it-to/) [Ronald Blythe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-blythe/) > [“Loving someone who does not love you back hurts, alot, i know. It is liking seeing these pair of shoes at the retail store…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nomthandazo-tsembeni/loving-someone-who-does-not-love-you-back-hurts-alot-i-know-it-is/) [Nomthandazo Tsembeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nomthandazo-tsembeni/) > [Take responsibily for your past, the bad memories of poor decisions you took were your choices once, and you liked them for the moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aruho-marvin/take-responsibily-for-your-past-the-bad-memories-of-poor-decisions/) [Aruho Marvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aruho-marvin/) > [Let us learn to accept and appreciate things now, and we'll find more happiness in every moment we live. Happiness comes when we stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/let-us-learn-to-accept-and-appreciate-things-now-and-we-ll-find-more/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [“Love first; ask questions later.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-courtney/love-first-ask-questions-later/) [Jeremy Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-courtney/) > [“There was beauty in chaos, she'd just never known it before.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-linsmeier/there-was-beauty-in-chaos-she-d-just-never-known-it-before/) [Amanda Linsmeier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-linsmeier/) > [Accepting the challenges in life makes it interesting and overcoming them makes it eloquent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/accepting-the-challenges-in-life-makes-it-interesting-and-overcoming/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Acceptance is the only thing you should teach. Be it Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Dalit, you must inculcate acceptance, not tolerance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamal-haasan/acceptance-is-the-only-thing-you-should-teach-be-it-christian-muslim/) [Kamal Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamal-haasan/) > [There just seems to be more acceptance now of other kinds of British films, than the picture-postcard ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-roth/there-just-seems-to-be-more-acceptance-now-of-other-kinds-of-british/) [Tim Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-roth/) > [You should never hate anyone, even your worst enemies. Everyone has something good about them. You have to find the redeeming quality and love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/you-should-never-hate-anyone-even-your-worst-enemies-everyone-has/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) > [The sense that in this universe we are treated as strangers, the longing to be acknowledged, to meet with some response, to bridge some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-sense-that-in-this-universe-we-are-treated-as-strangers-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 3,960 Acceptance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acceptance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Procedure is the bone structure of a democratic society. Our scheme of law affords great latitude for dissent and opposition. 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