--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What good are laws that cannot be read or…" description: "\"“What good are laws that cannot be read or understood, or a tongue that spews only hatred or ignorance? What good is the written word to an illiterate ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6c/delores-phillips-54327_hatred_what-good-are-laws-that-cannot-be-read-o_1609876.jpg" --- # What good are laws that cannot be read or understood, or a… ![“What good are laws that cannot be read or understood, or a tongue that spews only hatred or ignorance? What good is the written word to an illiterate man?” quote by Delores Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6c/delores-phillips-54327_hatred_what-good-are-laws-that-cannot-be-read-o_1609876.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6c/delores-phillips-54327_hatred_what-good-are-laws-that-cannot-be-read-o_1609876.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6c/delores-phillips-54327_hatred_what-good-are-laws-that-cannot-be-read-o_1609876.jpg) > ““What good are laws that cannot be read or understood, or a tongue that spews only hatred or ignorance? What good is the written word to an illiterate man?”” [Delores Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delores-phillips/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Laws and language must be accessible; otherwise they fail their purpose. **In simple terms:** Unclear laws and hateful speech are useless. Key Takeaway Advocate for clear, inclusive communication. Themes justice communication literacy accessibility Mood concerned critical Type political ethical When to use this quote - lawmaking - public policy - media - teaching - community outreach Key Concepts democracy human rights education Questions to Reflect On - What barriers prevent understanding? - How can we simplify without losing nuance? A Different Perspective Complex legal systems can be inherently opaque despite reforms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hatred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hatred/) [Hatred Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hatred-ignorance-1512382/) [Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) [Ignorance Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance-good-537516/) [Illiterate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illiterate/) [Illiterate Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illiterate-man-1872305/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Tongue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tongue/) [Understood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understood/) [Word Illiterate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/word-illiterate-6137983/) [Written](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/written/) [Written word](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/written-word/) ## Related quotes > [Luckily, I'm not educated. If you act like an illiterate man, your learning will never stop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arunachalam-muruganantham/luckily-i-m-not-educated-if-you-act-like-an-illiterate-man-your/) [Arunachalam Muruganantham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arunachalam-muruganantham/) > [“Tomorrow's illiterate will not be the man who can't read; he will be the man who has not learned how to learn”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-gerjuoy/tomorrow-s-illiterate-will-not-be-the-man-who-can-t-read-he-will-be/) [Herbert Gerjuoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-gerjuoy/) > [All the wars, all the hatred, all the ignorance in the world come out of being so invested in our opinions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/all-the-wars-all-the-hatred-all-the-ignorance-in-the-world-come-out/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [The great majority of Americans do not know much about Islam but nonetheless fear it as violent, expansionist and alien to their society. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/the-great-majority-of-americans-do-not-know-much-about-islam-but/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [So when you spot violence, or bigotry, or intolerance or fear or just garden-variety misogyny, hatred or ignorance, just look it in the eye…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patton-oswalt/so-when-you-spot-violence-or-bigotry-or-intolerance-or-fear-or-just/) [Patton Oswalt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patton-oswalt/) > [When an individual, a sect, a clique or a nation hates and despises another individual, sect, clique or nation, he or they simply do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-harris/when-an-individual-a-sect-a-clique-or-a-nation-hates-and-despises/) [Paul Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-harris/) > [The value of hatred and ignorance is found in the fact that without them we could never truly appreciate wisdom and love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-fesler/the-value-of-hatred-and-ignorance-is-found-in-the-fact-that-without/) [Wes Fesler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-fesler/) > [“They persistently refused to support either armed party and believed that both sides were but the reflection of one reality, and the true enemies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/they-persistently-refused-to-support-either-armed-party-and-believed/) [Thich Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [“The evil that is in the world always comes of ignorance, and good intentions may do as much harm as malevolence, if they lack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-evil-that-is-in-the-world-always-comes-of-ignorance-and-good-3/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [There is a danger, increasingly, that we're in a post-fact society where it seems my ignorance is as good as your facts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-sagan/there-is-a-danger-increasingly-that-we-re-in-a-post-fact-society/) [Nick Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-sagan/) > [“The evil that is in the world always comes of ignorance, and good intentions may do as much harm as malevolence, if they lack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-evil-that-is-in-the-world-always-comes-of-ignorance-and-good-2/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Through ignorance of what is good and what is bad, the life of men is greatly perplexed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/through-ignorance-of-what-is-good-and-what-is-bad-the-life-of-men-is/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [“The evil that is in the world comes out of ignorance, and good intentions may do as much harm as malevolence, if they lack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-evil-that-is-in-the-world-comes-out-of-ignorance-and-good/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [The evil that is in the world always comes of ignorance, and good intentions may do as much harm as malevolence, if they lack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-evil-that-is-in-the-world-always-comes-of-ignorance-and-good/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Neither do the ignorant love wisdom or desire to become wise; for this is the grievous thing about ignorance, that those who are neither…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/neither-do-the-ignorant-love-wisdom-or-desire-to-become-wise-for-this/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) ## More by Delores Phillips > [“Satan is not going to leave. The only way to get him out is to invite God in, and God is not welcome in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delores-phillips/satan-is-not-going-to-leave-the-only-way-to-get-him-out-is-to-invite/) [Delores Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delores-phillips/) > [“I touch my scar to remind myself that I am not a coward. I am a Quinn.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delores-phillips/i-touch-my-scar-to-remind-myself-that-i-am-not-a-coward-i-am-a-quinn/) [Delores Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delores-phillips/) > [“She denied and feared God in the same breath. She allowed our actions to shame her, and yet was void of shame. I truly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delores-phillips/she-denied-and-feared-god-in-the-same-breath-she-allowed-our-actions/) [Delores Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delores-phillips/) > [“Fear was a thing I understood all too well. It was a malignancy that had spread throughout my body until my mother, in her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delores-phillips/fear-was-a-thing-i-understood-all-too-well-it-was-a-malignancy-that/) [Delores Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delores-phillips/) > [“I wanna leave here myself. But when I leave, whether it's on a bus or train or in a pine box, somebody gon' know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delores-phillips/i-wanna-leave-here-myself-but-when-i-leave-whether-it-s-on-a-bus-or/) [Delores Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delores-phillips/) [Explore all 6 Delores Phillips quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delores-phillips/) ## More Hatred quotes > [There has certainly been ugly, right-wing hatred targeting Barack Obama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/there-has-certainly-been-ugly-right-wing-hatred-targeting-barack-obama/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [Only those who hate the Negro see hatred in the Negro.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-marti/only-those-who-hate-the-negro-see-hatred-in-the-negro/) [Jose Marti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-marti/) > [We witness anti-Semitic attacks in the heart of Europe. We hear anti-Semitic slanders in European media. We feel anti-Semitic hatred in the continent that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayelet-shaked/we-witness-anti-semitic-attacks-in-the-heart-of-europe-we-hear-anti/) [Ayelet Shaked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayelet-shaked/) > [For war to man, like childbirth to women, is simplifying in its emotions and activities. All the real problems of life can be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/for-war-to-man-like-childbirth-to-women-is-simplifying-in-its/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [If the mind is dominated by hatred, the best part of the brain, which is used to judge right and wrong, does not function…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/if-the-mind-is-dominated-by-hatred-the-best-part-of-the-brain-which/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [Our attitude towards evil must be freed from hatred, and has itself need to be enlightened in character...Satan rejoices when he succeeds in inspiring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-berdyaev/our-attitude-towards-evil-must-be-freed-from-hatred-and-has-itself/) [Nikolai Berdyaev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-berdyaev/) > [The hatred of those who are near to us is the most violent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publius-cornelius-tacitus/the-hatred-of-those-who-are-near-to-us-is-the-most-violent/) [Publius Cornelius Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publius-cornelius-tacitus/) > [“Their Love Is Average, Seeks Average But There Is Genius In Their Hatred”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/their-love-is-average-seeks-average-but-there-is-genius-in-their/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [Enough for this bow & arrow. It caused me nothing but sorrow. No need for another tomorrow. In your heart, I will never be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louaiq8/enough-for-this-bow-arrow-it-caused-me-nothing-but-sorrow-no-need-for/) [Louaiq8](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louaiq8/) > [Too many years of feeling degraded now hatred's the only feeling that comes~~~](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/too-many-years-of-feeling-degraded-now-hatred-s-the-only-feeling-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Benefits received are a delight to us as long as we think we can requite them; when that possibility is far exceeded, they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tacitus/benefits-received-are-a-delight-to-us-as-long-as-we-think-we-can/) [Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/) > [“It’s a continual revelation when you come to understand that the only thing you can expect in return for your own dignity is hatred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-mosley/it-s-a-continual-revelation-when-you-come-to-understand-that-the-only/) [Walter Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-mosley/) > [Hate is a lack of imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/hate-is-a-lack-of-imagination/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [Everybody loves to talk about calmness and peace, whether in a family, national, or international context, but without inner peace how can we make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/everybody-loves-to-talk-about-calmness-and-peace-whether-in-a-family/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [The terrorists-those nineteen people, with hundreds or maybe thousands behind them-did the worst thing you can possibly imagine. But tens of millions people did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/the-terrorists-those-nineteen-people-with-hundreds-or-maybe-thousands/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) [Browse all 3,825 Hatred quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hatred/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“What good are laws that cannot be read or understood, or a tongue that spews only hatred or ignorance? 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