--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have compassion, I've told you people…" description: "\"I have compassion, I've told you people that over and over again. Enforcing the law overrides my compassion.\" — Joe Arpaio" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/239/joe-arpaio-9065_compassion_i-have-compassion-i-ve-told-you-people-t_1507873.png" --- # I have compassion, I've told you people that over and over… ![“I have compassion, I've told you people that over and over again. Enforcing the law overrides my compassion.” quote by Joe Arpaio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/239/joe-arpaio-9065_compassion_i-have-compassion-i-ve-told-you-people-t_1507873.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/239/joe-arpaio-9065_compassion_i-have-compassion-i-ve-told-you-people-t_1507873.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/239/joe-arpaio-9065_compassion_i-have-compassion-i-ve-told-you-people-t_1507873.png) > “I have compassion, I've told you people that over and over again. Enforcing the law overrides my compassion.” [Joe Arpaio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-arpaio/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Compassion is set aside when enforcing law, suggesting a conflict between empathy and duty. **In simple terms:** Law overrides compassion. Key Takeaway Balance empathy with enforcement. Themes law compassion ethics Mood critical serious Type ethical political When to use this quote - policing - courtroom decisions - policy making - civil rights debates Key Concepts morality public policy Questions to Reflect On - When should compassion influence legal decisions? - Can law be enforced without empathy? A Different Perspective Compassion may be essential for humane law enforcement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Enforcing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enforcing/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [The police must obey the law while enforcing the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-warren/the-police-must-obey-the-law-while-enforcing-the-law/) [Earl Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-warren/) > [The attorney general should be enforcing the law, not policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moriarty/the-attorney-general-should-be-enforcing-the-law-not-policy/) [Michael Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moriarty/) > [Some people say the president is incapable of enforcing the law. 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I don't believe that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-arpaio/if-i-m-hated-okay-i-don-t-believe-that/) [Joe Arpaio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-arpaio/) > [Maybe today you could have shot anybody and get away with it. So there's many times, I could have killed people. Legally, I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-arpaio/maybe-today-you-could-have-shot-anybody-and-get-away-with-it-so-there/) [Joe Arpaio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-arpaio/) > [I'm elected. I don't report to any politician. I report to the people. If I had to report to any politician, I'd quit tomorrow.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-arpaio/i-m-elected-i-don-t-report-to-any-politician-i-report-to-the-people/) [Joe Arpaio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-arpaio/) > [I used to have trust with reporters. Give them scoops. Those were the old days. It's very strange, when you give a story and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-arpaio/i-used-to-have-trust-with-reporters-give-them-scoops-those-were-the/) [Joe Arpaio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-arpaio/) > [ I think \[ immigration\] is still is a problem, whether it's 11 million or 2 million. Why is it - why have the situation… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-arpaio/i-think-immigration-is-still-is-a-problem-whether-it-s-11-million-or/) [Joe Arpaio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-arpaio/) > [I just talk, and I say what I feel, and yet, I'm a nice guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-arpaio/i-just-talk-and-i-say-what-i-feel-and-yet-i-m-a-nice-guy/) [Joe Arpaio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-arpaio/) [Explore all 75 Joe Arpaio quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-arpaio/) ## More Compassion quotes > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“I fight with love and kindness as my weapons and compassion as my defense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/i-fight-with-love-and-kindness-as-my-weapons-and-compassion-as-my/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“If you refuse to use physical force, then you will be at the mercy of your oppressor!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/segun-magbagbeola/if-you-refuse-to-use-physical-force-then-you-will-be-at-the-mercy-of/) Segun Magbagbeola > [For some reason, we are truly convinced that if we criticize ourselves, the criticism will lead to change. If we are harsh, we believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/for-some-reason-we-are-truly-convinced-that-if-we-criticize-ourselves/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We are puzzled and bewildered whenever we see suffering in this world because we have become accustomed to the mercy and the long-suffering of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/we-are-puzzled-and-bewildered-whenever-we-see-suffering-in-this-world/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [“Helpers in every corner, helpers in every hood. That's how we'll make the move, to reform from rude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/helpers-in-every-corner-helpers-in-every-hood-that-s-how-we-ll-make/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [There are a number of qualities which are important for mental peace, but from the little experience I have, I believe that one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/there-are-a-number-of-qualities-which-are-important-for-mental-peace/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [May the gods have mercy on whoever pisses them off, because Zarek and Jericho will have none for them. (Madoc) You’d better be glad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/may-the-gods-have-mercy-on-whoever-pisses-them-off-because-zarek-and/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [When you need empathy, you cannot give empathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/when-you-need-empathy-you-cannot-give-empathy/) [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) > [But victimhood was seductive, a release from responsibility and caring. Fear would be transmuted into weary resignation; failure would no longer generate guilt but,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/but-victimhood-was-seductive-a-release-from-responsibility-and-caring/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“No one has any right to tell you that the way you perceive yourself is wrong. 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