--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No matter how convinced we are that…" description: "\"No matter how convinced we are that someone is nasty, evil or just plain criminal, if they have not been convicted of any crime and support views that ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/537/julian-baggini-3081_abiding_no-matter-how-convinced-we-are-that-some_1898293.png" --- # No matter how convinced we are that someone is nasty, evil… ![“No matter how convinced we are that someone is nasty, evil or just plain criminal, if they have not been convicted of any crime and support views that are upheld and defended by many law-abiding citizens, the only way to tackle them is through democratic debate.” quote by Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/537/julian-baggini-3081_abiding_no-matter-how-convinced-we-are-that-some_1898293.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/537/julian-baggini-3081_abiding_no-matter-how-convinced-we-are-that-some_1898293.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/537/julian-baggini-3081_abiding_no-matter-how-convinced-we-are-that-some_1898293.png) > “No matter how convinced we are that someone is nasty, evil or just plain criminal, if they have not been convicted of any crime and support views that are upheld and defended by many law-abiding citizens, the only way to tackle them is through democratic debate.” [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even if someone appears immoral, without legal conviction and shared societal values, the proper response is democratic debate, not condemnation. **In simple terms:** Debate, not condemn, those not legally proven bad. Key Takeaway Engage in open dialogue before judging. Themes justice democracy ethics Mood thoughtful cautious Type philosophical dialogue When to use this quote - courtrooms - social media - community meetings Key Concepts legal standards public discourse Questions to Reflect On - When is debate insufficient? - How protect protect public safety? A Different Perspective Debate may be ineffective against entrenched harmful ideologies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Criminals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criminals/) [Debate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debate/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Law abiding citizen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law-abiding-citizen/) [Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support/) ## Related quotes > [I say the phone records of law abiding citizens are none of their damn business!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-say-the-phone-records-of-law-abiding-citizens-are-none-of-their/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [Because you won't get gun control by disarming law abiding citizens. There's only one way to get real gun control: Disarm the thugs and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/because-you-won-t-get-gun-control-by-disarming-law-abiding-citizens/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [“The one thing our nation needs desperately is law-abiding citizens, not just those who abide by human laws but those who abide by divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-pawson/the-one-thing-our-nation-needs-desperately-is-law-abiding-citizens/) [David Pawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-pawson/) > [Gun laws are an attempt to nationalize the right of self-defense. 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We are determined to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-fantino/coordinating-our-efforts-and-sharing-information-and-expertise-is-a/) Julian Fantino > [I'M FEARFUL because in the back of my mind I know that although I'm a law abiding citizen I could still be looked upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-watson/i-m-fearful-because-in-the-back-of-my-mind-i-know-that-although-i-m-a/) [Benjamin Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-watson/) > [I think people are frustrated in this society, where predators prey upon normal, law-abiding citizens, and you never see justice in the courtroom. 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Now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-christie/if-i-had-the-choice-now-i-d-make-new-jersey-a-state-where-you-can/) [Chris Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-christie/) > [When the penalty for a policeman's mistake is to put a criminal back out on the street, then we are hurting America; we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/when-the-penalty-for-a-policeman-s-mistake-is-to-put-a-criminal-back/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) > [I think we have two conflicting traditions in this country. I think it's important for us to recognize that we've got a tradition of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-think-we-have-two-conflicting-traditions-in-this-country-i-think-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More by Julian Baggini > [I don't think there is ever a direct connection between the philosophical community and the wider populus. I'm very aware of this because I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/i-don-t-think-there-is-ever-a-direct-connection-between-the/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [Anger clearly has its proper place at work, which is neither wholly absent nor ever present. The manager who is an emotional blank is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/anger-clearly-has-its-proper-place-at-work-which-is-neither-wholly/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [I don't feel proprietorial about the problems of philosophy. 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To suppose that sin, lust, hatred,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-baker-eddy/a-wicked-mortal-is-not-the-idea-of-god-he-is-little-else-than-the/) [Mary Baker Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-baker-eddy/) > [When the penalty for a policeman's mistake is to put a criminal back out on the street, then we are hurting America; we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/when-the-penalty-for-a-policeman-s-mistake-is-to-put-a-criminal-back/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) > [The value of a dollar is to buy just things; a dollar goes on increasing in value with all the genius and all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-value-of-a-dollar-is-to-buy-just-things-a-dollar-goes-on/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The aims of these three groups are entirely irreconcilable. The aim of the High is to remain where they are. 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