--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Be peaceful, be courteous, obey the law…" description: "\"Be peaceful, be courteous, obey the law, respect everyone; but if someone puts his hand on you, send him to the cemetery.\" — Malcolm X" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/malcolm-x-213_cemetery_be-peaceful-be-courteous-obey-the-law-re_1795906.jpg" --- # Be peaceful, be courteous, obey the law, respect everyone… ![“Be peaceful, be courteous, obey the law, respect everyone; but if someone puts his hand on you, send him to the cemetery.” quote by Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/malcolm-x-213_cemetery_be-peaceful-be-courteous-obey-the-law-re_1795906.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/malcolm-x-213_cemetery_be-peaceful-be-courteous-obey-the-law-re_1795906.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/malcolm-x-213_cemetery_be-peaceful-be-courteous-obey-the-law-re_1795906.jpg) > “Be peaceful, be courteous, obey the law, respect everyone; but if someone puts his hand on you, send him to the cemetery.” [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocates peaceful behavior but asserts self-defense when physically threatened, suggesting lethal retaliation. **In simple terms:** Peaceful but defend yourself forcefully. Key Takeaway Know your rights and respond proportionally. Themes self-defense peace law justice Mood cautionary assertive Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - street encounters - legal disputes - personal protection - conflict resolution Key Concepts ethical self-defense personal safety civil rights Questions to Reflect On - When is force justified? - How can de-escalation be applied? A Different Perspective Violence may escalate conflicts and legal issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cemetery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cemetery/) [Courteous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courteous/) [Courteous Obey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courteous-obey-1988150/) [Islam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/islam/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Law Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law-respect-747947/) [Obey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obey/) [Obey Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obey-law/) [Peaceful Courteous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peaceful-courteous-1988151/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) ## Related quotes > [Be peaceful, be courteous, obey the...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/be-peaceful-be-courteous-obey-the/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I believe in the rule of law, and I respect the will of Colorado voters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-brauchler/i-believe-in-the-rule-of-law-and-i-respect-the-will-of-colorado-voters/) [George Brauchler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-brauchler/) > [I will respect the Israeli law and I will respect any decision of the Supreme Court as the defense minister.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoav-gallant/i-will-respect-the-israeli-law-and-i-will-respect-any-decision-of-the/) [Yoav Gallant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoav-gallant/) > [It is not desirable to cultivate a respect for law, so much as a respect for right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-is-not-desirable-to-cultivate-a-respect-for-law-so-much-as-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Often we mistake stability, in terms of security and economic activity, to mean a country is doing well. We forget the third and important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/often-we-mistake-stability-in-terms-of-security-and-economic-activity/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [Gravity is a law. I respect the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pinette/gravity-is-a-law-i-respect-the-law/) [John Pinette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pinette/) > [Fighters have a code, a law, and you have to respect everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabricio-werdum/fighters-have-a-code-a-law-and-you-have-to-respect-everybody/) [Fabricio Werdum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fabricio-werdum/) > [Everyone should be respected by the law, and everyone should respect the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/everyone-should-be-respected-by-the-law-and-everyone-should-respect/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [If you say that your national law allows you to do something, it is fine as long as you do this inside your own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lavrov/if-you-say-that-your-national-law-allows-you-to-do-something-it-is/) [Sergei Lavrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lavrov/) > [Often, we take stability - peace in terms of security and economic activity - to mean a country is doing well. We forget the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/often-we-take-stability-peace-in-terms-of-security-and-economic/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [The State shall make no law with respect to the establishment of education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-illich/the-state-shall-make-no-law-with-respect-to-the-establishment-of/) [Ivan Illich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-illich/) > [“What makes them haughty and strong is that they've studied to be authorities so that the law will be obeyed. The law has always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manlio-argueta/what-makes-them-haughty-and-strong-is-that-they-ve-studied-to-be/) [Manlio Argueta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manlio-argueta/) > [“The law was made for one thing alone,for the exploitation of those who don't understand it, or are prevented by naked misery from obeying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertolt-brecht/the-law-was-made-for-one-thing-alone-for-the-exploitation-of-those/) [Bertolt Brecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertolt-brecht/) > [Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bible/be-strong-and-very-courageous-be-careful-to-obey-all-the-law-my/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bible/) > [Society is well governed when the people obey the magistrates, and the magistrates obey the law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solon/society-is-well-governed-when-the-people-obey-the-magistrates-and-the/) [Solon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solon/) ## More by Malcolm X > [If Christianity had asserted itself in Germany, six million Jews would have lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/if-christianity-had-asserted-itself-in-germany-six-million-jews-would/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [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/) > [American civil rights leader, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? Lynching is a murder. For the past four hundred years our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/american-civil-rights-leader-where-do-we-go-from-here-chaos-or/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Be nonviolent only with those who are nonviolent to you. And when you can bring me a nonviolent racist, bring me a nonviolent segregationist,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/be-nonviolent-only-with-those-who-are-nonviolent-to-you-and-when-you/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [You can't legislate good will - that comes through education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/you-can-t-legislate-good-will-that-comes-through-education/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Truth is on the side of the oppressed today, it's against the oppressor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/truth-is-on-the-side-of-the-oppressed-today-it-s-against-the-oppressor/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Those type of whites who are always going to jail with Negroes are the ones who tell Negroes to be loving and be kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/those-type-of-whites-who-are-always-going-to-jail-with-negroes-are/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [We Muslims believe that the white race, which is guilty of having oppressed and exploited and enslaved our people here in America, should and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/we-muslims-believe-that-the-white-race-which-is-guilty-of-having/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I mean a real police state just to get a token recognition of a law. It take, it took, I think, 15,000 troops and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/i-mean-a-real-police-state-just-to-get-a-token-recognition-of-a-law/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Like Samson, I am ready to pull down the white man's temple, knowing full well that I will be destroyed by the falling rubble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/like-samson-i-am-ready-to-pull-down-the-white-man-s-temple-knowing/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Any negro who occupies a position that was given to him by the white man, if you analyze his function, his function never enables…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/any-negro-who-occupies-a-position-that-was-given-to-him-by-the-white/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Stumbling is not falling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/stumbling-is-not-falling/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [God is going to punish the white man for his misdeeds toward black people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/god-is-going-to-punish-the-white-man-for-his-misdeeds-toward-black/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Much of what I say might sound like it's stirring up trouble, but it's the truth!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/much-of-what-i-say-might-sound-like-it-s-stirring-up-trouble-but-it-s/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I believe in the brotherhood of all men, but I don't believe in wasting brotherhood on anyone who doesn't want to practice it with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/i-believe-in-the-brotherhood-of-all-men-but-i-don-t-believe-in/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) [Explore all 891 Malcolm X quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) ## More Cemetery quotes > [The only people without problems are in cemeteries. If you don't have problems, get on your knees and pray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/the-only-people-without-problems-are-in-cemeteries-if-you-don-t-have/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [“In the middle of the cemetery is a grassy plane, strangely vacant. There are no granite tombs or crumbling concrete, just a sun-washed treeless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-caldwell-crosby/in-the-middle-of-the-cemetery-is-a-grassy-plane-strangely-vacant/) [Molly Caldwell Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-caldwell-crosby/) > [If it wasn't for baseball, I'd be in either the penitentiary or the cemetery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babe-ruth/if-it-wasn-t-for-baseball-i-d-be-in-either-the-penitentiary-or-the/) [Babe Ruth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babe-ruth/) > [I am surprised that many people disregard the fact that the end for almost all drug dealers ends up being the cemetery or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-pablo-escobar/i-am-surprised-that-many-people-disregard-the-fact-that-the-end-for/) [Juan Pablo Escobar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-pablo-escobar/) > [The founders of a new colony, whatever Utopia of human virtue and happiness they might originally project, have invariably recognized it among their earliest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/the-founders-of-a-new-colony-whatever-utopia-of-human-virtue-and/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“I visited my old haunt, but somehow without all my old friends there with me, the cemetery just wasn’t the same.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-visited-my-old-haunt-but-somehow-without-all-my-old-friends-there/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Being president of the University of California is like being manager of a cemetery: there are many people under you, but no one is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-yudof/being-president-of-the-university-of-california-is-like-being-manager/) [Mark Yudof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-yudof/) > [We think that a powerful and vigorous movement is impossible without differences - "true conformity" is possible only in the cemetery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/we-think-that-a-powerful-and-vigorous-movement-is-impossible-without/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [The cemetery of the victims of human cruelty in our century is extended to include yet another vast cemetery, that of the unborn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-cemetery-of-the-victims-of-human-cruelty-in-our-century-is/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [In old grimy streets, in isolated and decaying houses, sometimes far from the Vieux Carre, in little used and secluded cemeteries, there still sluggishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-john-laughlin/in-old-grimy-streets-in-isolated-and-decaying-houses-sometimes-far/) [Clarence John Laughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-john-laughlin/) > [Cats and dogs believe politicians are like cemetery caregivers; they are on top of everyone, but nobody listens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/cats-and-dogs-believe-politicians-are-like-cemetery-caregivers-they/) [Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/) > [“The atmosphere is always very grave when I walk into a cemetery.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/the-atmosphere-is-always-very-grave-when-i-walk-into-a-cemetery/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Nothing exists except by virtue of a disequilibrium, an injustice. All existence is a theft paid for by other existences; no life flowers except…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/remy-de-gourmont/nothing-exists-except-by-virtue-of-a-disequilibrium-an-injustice-all/) [Remy de Gourmont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/remy-de-gourmont/) > [ Our agreements on creating the conditions for preparing a peace treaty \[with Japan\] should be rooted in this trust. This may be achieved, for… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/our-agreements-on-creating-the-conditions-for-preparing-a-peace/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [A cemetery saddens us because it is the only place of the world in which we do not meet our dead again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-mauriac/a-cemetery-saddens-us-because-it-is-the-only-place-of-the-world-in/) [Francois Mauriac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-mauriac/) [Browse all 309 Cemetery quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cemetery/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Be peaceful, be courteous, obey the law, respect everyone; but if someone puts his hand on you, send him to the cemetery.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Malcolm X" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/be-peaceful-be-courteous-obey-the-law-respect-everyone-but-if-someone/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cemetery" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/be-peaceful-be-courteous-obey-the-law-respect-everyone-but-if-someone/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/malcolm-x-213_cemetery_be-peaceful-be-courteous-obey-the-law-re_1795906.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/malcolm-x-213_cemetery_be-peaceful-be-courteous-obey-the-law-re_1795906.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/malcolm-x-213_cemetery_be-peaceful-be-courteous-obey-the-law-re_1795906.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Be peaceful, be courteous, obey the law, respect everyone; but if someone puts his hand on you, send him to…” — Malcolm X", "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": "Malcolm X", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Be peaceful, be courteous, obey the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/be-peaceful-be-courteous-obey-the-law-respect-everyone-but-if-someone/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/be-peaceful-be-courteous-obey-the-law-respect-everyone-but-if-someone/#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 } } ] } ```