--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I do accept that, with - with respect to…" description: "\"I do accept that, with - with respect to those vague terms in the Constitution such as equal protection of the laws, due process of law, cruel and unus..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/512/antonin-scalia-2855_constitution_i-do-accept-that-with-with-respect-to-th_1396696.jpg" --- # I do accept that, with - with respect to those vague terms… ![“I do accept that, with - with respect to those vague terms in the Constitution such as equal protection of the laws, due process of law, cruel and unusual punishments. I fully accept that those things have to apply to new phenomena that didn't exist at the time.” quote by Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/512/antonin-scalia-2855_constitution_i-do-accept-that-with-with-respect-to-th_1396696.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/512/antonin-scalia-2855_constitution_i-do-accept-that-with-with-respect-to-th_1396696.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/512/antonin-scalia-2855_constitution_i-do-accept-that-with-with-respect-to-th_1396696.jpg) > “I do accept that, with - with respect to those vague terms in the Constitution such as equal protection of the laws, due process of law, cruel and unusual punishments. I fully accept that those things have to apply to new phenomena that didn't exist at the time.” [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He acknowledges that constitutional protections must be applied to new issues that were unforeseen when the Constitution was written. **In simple terms:** Constitutional rights must adapt to modern problems. Key Takeaway Apply timeless principles to contemporary challenges. Themes law constitution interpretation Mood analytical serious Type legal judicial When to use this quote - technology regulation - civil rights - criminal justice - environmental law - healthcare policy Key Concepts jurisprudence evolutionary law Questions to Reflect On - How should courts balance original meaning with new contexts? - What limits exist on extending constitutional concepts? A Different Perspective Balancing original intent with modern realities can be contentious. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Constitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/) [Cruel and unusual punishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cruel-and-unusual-punishment/) [Due process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/due-process/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Protection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protection/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Problems are often stated in vague terms... because it is quite uncertain what the problems really are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-von-neumann/problems-are-often-stated-in-vague-terms-because-it-is-quite/) [John von Neumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-von-neumann/) > [A ban on same-sex marriage violates the state Constitution's equal protection clause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-madigan/a-ban-on-same-sex-marriage-violates-the-state-constitution-s-equal/) [Lisa Madigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-madigan/) > [ I am hesitant to say this about \[Barack\] Obama. Obama is a bad man in terms of the Constitution. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-hentoff/i-am-hesitant-to-say-this-about-barack-obama-obama-is-a-bad-man-in/) [Nat Hentoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-hentoff/) > [It's absolutely clear that whatever cruel and unusual punishments may - may mean with regard to future things, such as death by injection or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/it-s-absolutely-clear-that-whatever-cruel-and-unusual-punishments-may/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [At any one time there is a natural tendency among physicists to believe that we already know the essential ingredients of a comprehensive theory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-logsdon-fitch/at-any-one-time-there-is-a-natural-tendency-among-physicists-to/) Val Logsdon Fitch > [But mainly I learned, in approaching the measurement of new phenomena, not just to consider using existing apparatus but to allow the mind to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-logsdon-fitch/but-mainly-i-learned-in-approaching-the-measurement-of-new-phenomena/) Val Logsdon Fitch > [To explain new phenomena, that is my task; and how happy is the scientist when he finds what he so diligently sought, a pleasure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-wilhelm-scheele/to-explain-new-phenomena-that-is-my-task-and-how-happy-is-the/) Carl Wilhelm Scheele > [Our alleged facts might be true in all kinds of ways without contradicting any truth already known. I will dwell now on only one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-crookes/our-alleged-facts-might-be-true-in-all-kinds-of-ways-without/) [William Crookes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-crookes/) > [The chief contribution of such a radically new and more powerful instrument would be, not to supplement our present ideas of the universe we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyman-spitzer/the-chief-contribution-of-such-a-radically-new-and-more-powerful/) Lyman Spitzer > [“Neue Phaenomena zu erklären, dieses macht meine Sorgen aus, und wie froh ist der Forscher, wenn er das so fleissig Gesuche findet, eine Ergötzung…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-wilhelm-scheele/neue-phaenomena-zu-erkl-ren-dieses-macht-meine-sorgen-aus-und-wie/) Carl Wilhelm Scheele > [Einstein does not remain attached to the classical principles, and when presented with a problem in physics he quickly envisages all of its possibilities.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/einstein-does-not-remain-attached-to-the-classical-principles-and/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [“Grant Gilmore: “In Heaven there will be no law, and the lion will lie down with the lamb….In Hell there will be nothing but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/grant-gilmore-in-heaven-there-will-be-no-law-and-the-lion-will-lie/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [The Eighth Amendment to the Constitution protects citizens against cruel and unusual punishment. And there is a growing body of legal precedent that shows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allyson-robinson/the-eighth-amendment-to-the-constitution-protects-citizens-against/) [Allyson Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allyson-robinson/) > [By creating false environment of a war on drugs, and cruel and unusual punishment with these crimes, 50% of our U.S. population is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/by-creating-false-environment-of-a-war-on-drugs-and-cruel-and-unusual/) [Oliver Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stone/) > [“Forcing new loans upon the bankrupt on condition that they shrink their income is nothing short of cruel and unusual punishment. Greece was never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yanis-varoufakis/forcing-new-loans-upon-the-bankrupt-on-condition-that-they-shrink/) [Yanis Varoufakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yanis-varoufakis/) ## More by Antonin Scalia > [What is a moderate interpretation of the text? Halfway between what it really means and what you'd like it to mean?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/what-is-a-moderate-interpretation-of-the-text-halfway-between-what-it/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [If you think aficionados of a living Constitution want to bring you flexibility, think again. You think the death penalty is a good idea?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/if-you-think-aficionados-of-a-living-constitution-want-to-bring-you/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [More importantly, the Court forgets that ours is a government of laws and not of men. That means we are governed by the terms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/more-importantly-the-court-forgets-that-ours-is-a-government-of-laws/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [Wringing your hands about states' rights, forget it. They're gone. Basically, the federal government can do whatever it wants. Who's going to protect the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/wringing-your-hands-about-states-rights-forget-it-they-re-gone/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [If you condemn someone who has committed a crime to be tortured, that would be unconstitutional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/if-you-condemn-someone-who-has-committed-a-crime-to-be-tortured-that/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [Burning the flag is a form of expression. Speech doesn't just mean written words or oral words. It could be semaphore. And burning a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/burning-the-flag-is-a-form-of-expression-speech-doesn-t-just-mean/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [Being a good person begins with being a wise person. Then, when you follow your conscience, will you be headed in the right direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/being-a-good-person-begins-with-being-a-wise-person-then-when-you/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [The court's job is to uphold the Constitution and you don't call that off in times of crisis. Would the framers have allowed this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/the-court-s-job-is-to-uphold-the-constitution-and-you-don-t-call-that/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [We have laws against torture. The Constitution says nothing whatever about torture. It speaks of punishment; 'cruel and unusual' punishments are forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/we-have-laws-against-torture-the-constitution-says-nothing-whatever/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [If I have brought any message today, it is this: Have the courage to have your wisdom regarded as stupidity. Be fools for Christ.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/if-i-have-brought-any-message-today-it-is-this-have-the-courage-to/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [Many think it not only inevitable but entirely proper that liberty give way to security in times of national crisis--that, at the extremes of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/many-think-it-not-only-inevitable-but-entirely-proper-that-liberty/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [That's the argument of flexibility and it goes something like this: The Constitution is over 200 years old and societies change. It has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/that-s-the-argument-of-flexibility-and-it-goes-something-like-this/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [Why in the world would you have it interpreted by nine lawyers?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/why-in-the-world-would-you-have-it-interpreted-by-nine-lawyers/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [ Who ever thought that intimacy and spirituality \[whatever that means\] were freedoms? And if intimacy is, one would think Freedom of Intimacy is abridged… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/who-ever-thought-that-intimacy-and-spirituality-whatever-that-means/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [I'm nervous about our civic culture. I'm not sure the Internet is largely the cause of it. It's certainly the cause of careless writing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/i-m-nervous-about-our-civic-culture-i-m-not-sure-the-internet-is/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) [Explore all 146 Antonin Scalia quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) ## More Constitution quotes > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [While not widely reported, our victories in Iraq are plentiful. National elections, a democratic parliament and the drafting of a constitution are just some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gillmor/while-not-widely-reported-our-victories-in-iraq-are-plentiful/) [Paul Gillmor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gillmor/) > [In a recent decision of the Supreme Court, not made, however, by the full court, and concurred in by only four justices, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bates-clark/in-a-recent-decision-of-the-supreme-court-not-made-however-by-the/) [John Bates Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bates-clark/) > [The judiciary must not take on the coloration of whatever may be popular at the moment. We are guardian of rights, and we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-bird/the-judiciary-must-not-take-on-the-coloration-of-whatever-may-be/) [Rose Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-bird/) > [There is not a revolution that succe Women are suffering because they are being excluded. The high military council excluded women from the committee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawal-el-saadawi/there-is-not-a-revolution-that-succe-women-are-suffering-because-they/) [Nawal El Saadawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawal-el-saadawi/) > [Free government is founded in jealousy, and not in confidence; it is jealousy, and not confidence, which prescribes limited constitutions, to bind down those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/free-government-is-founded-in-jealousy-and-not-in-confidence-it-is/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The American Constitution declares 'All men are born equal.' The British Socialist Party add: 'All men must be kept equal'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-american-constitution-declares-all-men-are-born-equal-the-british/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [“The Court has a special responsibility to ensure that the Constitution works in practice. While education, including the transmission of our civic values from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/the-court-has-a-special-responsibility-to-ensure-that-the/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [The Constitution is very clear on the - on the declaration of war or reacting to international crimes - crimes against nations. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-pitts/the-constitution-is-very-clear-on-the-on-the-declaration-of-war-or/) Joe Pitts > [Nothing from man's hands, nor law, nor constitution, can be final. Truth alone is final.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-sumner/nothing-from-man-s-hands-nor-law-nor-constitution-can-be-final-truth/) [Charles Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-sumner/) > [“I am apprehensive, Sir, that in the warmth of my feelings, I may have uttered expressions, which were too vehement. If such has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/i-am-apprehensive-sir-that-in-the-warmth-of-my-feelings-i-may-have/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [Conservative political opinion in America cleaves to the tradition of the judge as passive interpreter, believing that his absolute loyalty to authoritative law is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/conservative-political-opinion-in-america-cleaves-to-the-tradition-of/) [Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/) [Browse all 4,507 Constitution quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I do accept that, with - with respect to those vague terms in the Constitution such as equal protection of the laws, due process of law, cruel and unusual punishments. 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