--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When governments go too far to punish…" description: "\"When governments go too far to punish people for actions that are dissent rather than a real threat to the nation, they risk delegitimizing not just th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5a/edward-snowden-555_action_when-governments-go-too-far-to-punish-pe_1294108.jpg" --- # When governments go too far to punish people for actions… ![“When governments go too far to punish people for actions that are dissent rather than a real threat to the nation, they risk delegitimizing not just their systems of justice, but the legitimacy of the government itself. Because when they bring political charges against people for acts that were…” quote by Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5a/edward-snowden-555_action_when-governments-go-too-far-to-punish-pe_1294108.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5a/edward-snowden-555_action_when-governments-go-too-far-to-punish-pe_1294108.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5a/edward-snowden-555_action_when-governments-go-too-far-to-punish-pe_1294108.jpg) > “When governments go too far to punish people for actions that are dissent rather than a real threat to the nation, they risk delegitimizing not just their systems of justice, but the legitimacy of the government itself. Because when they bring political charges against people for acts that were clearly at least intended to work in the public interest, they deny them the opportunity to mount a public-interest defense.” [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. Excessive punitive actions against dissent can erode trust in government and its justice system. **In simple terms:** Harsh punishments of dissent weaken government legitimacy. Key Takeaway Protect civil liberties and ensure fair legal processes. Themes justice civil liberties government accountability Mood cautious analytical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - protest movements - legal reforms - journalism - activism Key Concepts political theory human rights Questions to Reflect On - What limits should exist on punishing dissent? - How can governments maintain security without stifling criticism? A Different Perspective Balancing security and freedom is complex and context‑dependent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Defense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defense/) [Deny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deny/) [Dissent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dissent/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Justice Legitimacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice-legitimacy-4226023/) [Legitimacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legitimacy/) [Legitimacy Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legitimacy-government-1065665/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political Charges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-charges-631250/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Public Defense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-defense-4226022/) [Public interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-interest/) [Punish People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punish-people-1256477/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk/) [Threat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/threat/) [Too far](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-far/) ## Related quotes > [ The charges \[government\] brought against me, for example, explicitly denied my ability to make a public-interest defense. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/the-charges-government-brought-against-me-for-example-explicitly/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Throughout the world, the very moment a legitimate government starts fascist implementations, it loses its legitimacy! When a government becomes illegitimate, it is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/throughout-the-world-the-very-moment-a-legitimate-government-starts/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [An Anarchist is anyone who denies the necessity and legitimacy of government; the question of his methods of attacking it is foreign to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/an-anarchist-is-anyone-who-denies-the-necessity-and-legitimacy-of/) [Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) > [I mean,you will have an Afghan government. There are two roads here. One is obviously a run-off election or a negotiated settlement. But what's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahm-emanuel/i-mean-you-will-have-an-afghan-government-there-are-two-roads-here/) [Rahm Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahm-emanuel/) > [ I hope President \[Hamid\] Karzai understands that our national security interests don't depend entirely on his decision there whether to allow a recount. Obviously… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahm-emanuel/i-hope-president-hamid-karzai-understands-that-our-national-security/) [Rahm Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahm-emanuel/) > [Governmental defense of any theology necessarily weakens the legitimacy of both the government and the theology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taslima-nasrin/governmental-defense-of-any-theology-necessarily-weakens-the/) [Taslima Nasrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taslima-nasrin/) > [Lawyers should not be charged with the same crimes as their clients. Trials related to political charges are not in accordance with human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-ebadi/lawyers-should-not-be-charged-with-the-same-crimes-as-their-clients/) [Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/) > [“Of course, at some point you had to ask yourself how much legitimacy any government had that feared dissension within more than invasion from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoon-ha-lee/of-course-at-some-point-you-had-to-ask-yourself-how-much-legitimacy/) [Yoon Ha Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoon-ha-lee/) > [The world will always punish the few people with special talents the rest of us don’t recognize as real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/the-world-will-always-punish-the-few-people-with-special-talents-the/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [There should be consequences for those who openly voice racist and fascist opinions. Our politicians should stand up way more; our justice system should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/til-schweiger/there-should-be-consequences-for-those-who-openly-voice-racist-and/) [Til Schweiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/til-schweiger/) > [It's true: Whenever I see a government rule that could clearly be used to punish people for doing innocuous things, it is never enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-timpf/it-s-true-whenever-i-see-a-government-rule-that-could-clearly-be-used/) [Kat Timpf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-timpf/) > [If I was making motorcycles and they came and took one, would that be a crime? Why can't we punish people for stealing songs?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doyle-wolfgang-von-frankenstein/if-i-was-making-motorcycles-and-they-came-and-took-one-would-that-be/) [Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doyle-wolfgang-von-frankenstein/) > [The bottom line is: If any government has a rule that would legally allow it to punish people for things that don't deserve punishment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-timpf/the-bottom-line-is-if-any-government-has-a-rule-that-would-legally/) [Kat Timpf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-timpf/) > [“And we'll punish the people who don't conform. Not bodily of course. This is a civilized country.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/and-we-ll-punish-the-people-who-don-t-conform-not-bodily-of-course/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [“Bitterness is how we punish ourselves for other people’s sins.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/bitterness-is-how-we-punish-ourselves-for-other-people-s-sins/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) ## 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 Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/) [Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) [Browse all 14,940 Action quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When governments go too far to punish people for actions that are dissent rather than a real threat to the nation, they risk delegitimizing not just their systems of justice, but the legitimacy of the government itself. Because when they bring political charges against people for acts that were clearly at least intended to work in the public interest, they deny them the opportunity to mount a public-interest defense.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Edward Snowden" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/when-governments-go-too-far-to-punish-people-for-actions-that-are/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Action" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/when-governments-go-too-far-to-punish-people-for-actions-that-are/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5a/edward-snowden-555_action_when-governments-go-too-far-to-punish-pe_1294108.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5a/edward-snowden-555_action_when-governments-go-too-far-to-punish-pe_1294108.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5a/edward-snowden-555_action_when-governments-go-too-far-to-punish-pe_1294108.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When governments go too far to punish people for actions that are dissent rather than a real threat to the…” — Edward Snowden", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Edward Snowden", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When governments go too far to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/when-governments-go-too-far-to-punish-people-for-actions-that-are/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/when-governments-go-too-far-to-punish-people-for-actions-that-are/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```