--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There have been times throughout American…" description: "\"There have been times throughout American history where what is right is not the same as what is legal. Sometimes to do the right thing you have to bre..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25c/edward-snowden-555_american-history_there-have-been-times-throughout-america_1356648.jpg" --- # There have been times throughout American history where… ![“There have been times throughout American history where what is right is not the same as what is legal. Sometimes to do the right thing you have to break the law.” quote by Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25c/edward-snowden-555_american-history_there-have-been-times-throughout-america_1356648.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25c/edward-snowden-555_american-history_there-have-been-times-throughout-america_1356648.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25c/edward-snowden-555_american-history_there-have-been-times-throughout-america_1356648.jpg) > “There have been times throughout American history where what is right is not the same as what is legal. Sometimes to do the right thing you have to break the law.” [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Legal systems can conflict with moral duty; sometimes civil disobedience is necessary. **In simple terms:** Right and legal can differ; breaking law may be moral. Key Takeaway Act on conscience when law is unjust. Themes ethics law civil disobedience Mood thoughtful serious Type political ethical When to use this quote - whistleblowing - protesting - journalism - activism Key Concepts moral philosophy political theory Questions to Reflect On - When is breaking law justified? - What are the costs of civil disobedience? A Different Perspective Breaking law can cause personal risk and chaos. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-history/) [Break](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/break/) [Break Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/break-law/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [History Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-right-1764251/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laws/) [Legal right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legal-right/) [Right Legal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-legal-3046115/) [Right thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-thing/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [What is right is not always the same as what is legal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/what-is-right-is-not-always-the-same-as-what-is-legal/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [I was right about one of the most significant issues in modern American history. I was the only one who was right about one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-ritter/i-was-right-about-one-of-the-most-significant-issues-in-modern/) [Scott Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-ritter/) > [It can never be too often repeated, that the time for fixing every essential right on a legal basis is while our rulers are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/it-can-never-be-too-often-repeated-that-the-time-for-fixing-every/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [If you must break the law, do it to seize power: in all other cases observe it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-caesar/if-you-must-break-the-law-do-it-to-seize-power-in-all-other-cases/) [Julius Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-caesar/) > [If however the law is so promulgated that it of necessity makes you an agent of injustices against another, then I say to you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-however-the-law-is-so-promulgated-that-it-of-necessity-makes-you/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [There is no good time to break the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-davey/there-is-no-good-time-to-break-the-law/) [Ed Davey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-davey/) > [If the machine of government is of such a nature that it requires you to be the agent of injustice to another, then, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-the-machine-of-government-is-of-such-a-nature-that-it-requires-you/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I'm not blaming men, I'm not blaming women. What's gone by has already gone by. It's history. It's done. There is no right or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/i-m-not-blaming-men-i-m-not-blaming-women-what-s-gone-by-has-already/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I think some of the most significant things happen in history when you get the right people in the right place at the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chokwe-lumumba/i-think-some-of-the-most-significant-things-happen-in-history-when/) [Chokwe Lumumba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chokwe-lumumba/) > [“We should not be impressed when our leaders say firmly, "History teaches us" or "History will show that we were right." They can oversimplify…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-macmillan/we-should-not-be-impressed-when-our-leaders-say-firmly-history/) [Margaret MacMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-macmillan/) > [“History is who we are right now. I mean, just because a chapter of life is over, it isn't gone...(Page 303)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-schindler/history-is-who-we-are-right-now-i-mean-just-because-a-chapter-of-life/) [Holly Schindler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-schindler/) > [When you have a novel set in a fictional history, you still should get your history right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-busiek/when-you-have-a-novel-set-in-a-fictional-history-you-still-should-get/) [Kurt Busiek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-busiek/) > [We need to teach our children history, right from the primary school level, for them to better understand the issues. In my son's school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/femi-kuti/we-need-to-teach-our-children-history-right-from-the-primary-school/) [Femi Kuti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/femi-kuti/) > [Each issue has to be looked at as to whether or not it threatens a woman's health or her life, and if it does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-boxer/each-issue-has-to-be-looked-at-as-to-whether-or-not-it-threatens-a/) [Barbara Boxer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-boxer/) > [Every human being of adult years and sound mind has a legal right to determine what shall be done with his own body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-cardozo/every-human-being-of-adult-years-and-sound-mind-has-a-legal-right-to/) [Benjamin Cardozo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-cardozo/) ## More by Edward Snowden > [It is afraid of an informed, angry public demanding the constitutional government it was promised - and it should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/it-is-afraid-of-an-informed-angry-public-demanding-the-constitutional/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Much of what I saw in Geneva really disillusioned me about how my government functions and what its impact is in the world. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/much-of-what-i-saw-in-geneva-really-disillusioned-me-about-how-my/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [If it comes to a question of law, the charges they brought against me - the Espionage Act - is called the quintessential political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-it-comes-to-a-question-of-law-the-charges-they-brought-against-me/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [The NSA and Israel wrote Stuxnet together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/the-nsa-and-israel-wrote-stuxnet-together/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [As a general rule, so long as you have any choice at all, you should never route through or peer with the UK under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/as-a-general-rule-so-long-as-you-have-any-choice-at-all-you-should/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [ \[Brazil\] went to the UN and said, "We need new standards for this." We need to take a look at what they're calling "data… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/brazil-went-to-the-un-and-said-we-need-new-standards-for-this-we-need/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [You are also asked to take an oath, and that's the oath of service. The oath of service is not to secrecy, but to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/you-are-also-asked-to-take-an-oath-and-that-s-the-oath-of-service-the/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [We need to think about encryption not as this sort of arcane, black art. It's a basic protection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/we-need-to-think-about-encryption-not-as-this-sort-of-arcane-black/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [A lot of people in 2008 voted for Obama. I did not vote for him. I voted for a third party. But I believed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/a-lot-of-people-in-2008-voted-for-obama-i-did-not-vote-for-him-i/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Too often we forget that social and political movements don't happen overnight. They don't bring change immediately - you have to build a critical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/too-often-we-forget-that-social-and-political-movements-don-t-happen/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [ There was a real choice when \[Barack Obama\] became president. It was a very difficult choice - to say, "We're not going to hold… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/there-was-a-real-choice-when-barack-obama-became-president-it-was-a/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [We've learned that we've allowed technological capabilities to dictate policies and practices, rather than ensuring that our laws and values guide our technological capabilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/we-ve-learned-that-we-ve-allowed-technological-capabilities-to/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [It's much easier, I think, to protect communications while they're in transit at least, than it is to enforce legislation in every country in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/it-s-much-easier-i-think-to-protect-communications-while-they-re-in/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [If an adversary didn't target our power plants but they did target the core routers, the backbones that tie our internet connections together, entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-an-adversary-didn-t-target-our-power-plants-but-they-did-target/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [I care more about the country than what happens to me. But we can't allow the law to become a political weapon or agree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/i-care-more-about-the-country-than-what-happens-to-me-but-we-can-t/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) [Explore all 478 Edward Snowden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) ## More American history quotes > [Adam Clayton Powell's entire political career has to be looked at in the entire context of the American history and the history of, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/adam-clayton-powell-s-entire-political-career-has-to-be-looked-at-in/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-prescott/don-t-fire-until-you-see-the-whites-of-their-eyes/) [William H. Prescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-prescott/) > [“In December of 2007 human bones including skulls, which have been radiocarbon dated back to between 1304 and 1424, were found in a museum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-seawater-one/in-december-of-2007-human-bones-including-skulls-which-have-been/) [Captain Hank Bracker, "Seawater One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-seawater-one/) > [John Lane has long been recognized as one of the South's finest poets and memoirists. This debut establishes him as one of our finest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-rash/john-lane-has-long-been-recognized-as-one-of-the-south-s-finest-poets/) [Ron Rash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-rash/) > [No man-made structure in all of American history has been hated so much, by so many, for so long, with such good reason, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/no-man-made-structure-in-all-of-american-history-has-been-hated-so/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [The problem that we have is that most Americans don't even study American history, let alone Pinochet, Mussolini, Hitler, Stalin and all these guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/the-problem-that-we-have-is-that-most-americans-don-t-even-study/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [We must not falsely teach American history in our schools. We have a law requiring state textbook oversight to guard against frauds like Zinn,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-daniels/we-must-not-falsely-teach-american-history-in-our-schools-we-have-a/) [Mitch Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-daniels/) > [The only thing we have to fear is fear itself-and possibly teh bogey man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-paulsen/the-only-thing-we-have-to-fear-is-fear-itself-and-possibly-teh-bogey/) [Pat Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-paulsen/) > [“Thanks in part to the rapid mechanization of cotton production in the early 1940s, which ultimately threw millions of farm laborers out of work,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-patterson/thanks-in-part-to-the-rapid-mechanization-of-cotton-production-in-the/) [James T. Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-t-patterson/) > [“dark say: berthenia belle never forget the tongue hid name”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathleen-margaret/dark-say-berthenia-belle-never-forget-the-tongue-hid-name/) [Cathleen Margaret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathleen-margaret/) > [Throughout American history many of our social gains and much of our progress toward democracy were made possible by the active intervention of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-washington/throughout-american-history-many-of-our-social-gains-and-much-of-our/) [Harold Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-washington/) > [Modern Democrats aren't the first political party to abuse power - far from it. Obama isn'€™t the first president to abuse executive power -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/modern-democrats-aren-t-the-first-political-party-to-abuse-power-far/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [Medicare and Social Security have created the healthiest and most financially secure generation of senior citizens in American history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-walsh/medicare-and-social-security-have-created-the-healthiest-and-most/) [Jim Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-walsh/) > [The school curriculum today, particularly American history, is a shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-school-curriculum-today-particularly-american-history-is-a-shame/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [“I used to walk out, at night, to the breakwater which divides the end of the harbor form the broad moor of the salt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-doty/i-used-to-walk-out-at-night-to-the-breakwater-which-divides-the-end/) [Mark Doty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-doty/) [Browse all 685 American history quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-history/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There have been times throughout American history where what is right is not the same as what is legal. 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