--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I submit that an individual who breaks a…" description: "\"I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and willingly accepts the penalty by staying in jail in order to arou..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/077/martin-luther-king-jr-2-1523_ethics_i-submit-that-an-individual-who-breaks-a_1949191.jpg" --- # I submit that an individual who breaks a law that… ![“I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and willingly accepts the penalty by staying in jail in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the very highest respect for law.” quote by Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/077/martin-luther-king-jr-2-1523_ethics_i-submit-that-an-individual-who-breaks-a_1949191.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/077/martin-luther-king-jr-2-1523_ethics_i-submit-that-an-individual-who-breaks-a_1949191.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/077/martin-luther-king-jr-2-1523_ethics_i-submit-that-an-individual-who-breaks-a_1949191.jpg) > “I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and willingly accepts the penalty by staying in jail in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the very highest respect for law.” [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Civil disobedience can be a profound respect for law when it highlights injustice and prompts societal reflection. **In simple terms:** Breaking unjust laws can honor law by exposing its flaws. Key Takeaway Use conscience to challenge unjust laws. Themes justice civil disobedience morality law conscience Mood determined hopeful Type ethical political When to use this quote - activism - legal reform - public awareness - community dialogue Key Concepts nonviolent protest ethical responsibility social change Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance respect for law with moral duty? - When is breaking a law justified? A Different Perspective May be ignored or suppressed by authorities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) ## Related quotes > [I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-submit-that-an-individual-who-breaks-a-law-that-conscience-tells-2/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [An individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/an-individual-who-breaks-a-law-that-conscience-tells-him-is-unjust/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [One who breaks an unjust law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/one-who-breaks-an-unjust-law-that-conscience-tells-him-is-unjust-and/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [One who breaks an unjust law that conscience tells him is unjust ... is in reality expressing the highest respect for law ... We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/one-who-breaks-an-unjust-law-that-conscience-tells-him-is-unjust-is/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [There comes a time when a moral man can't obey a law which his conscience tells him is unjust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/there-comes-a-time-when-a-moral-man-can-t-obey-a-law-which-his/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [“There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/there-comes-a-time-when-one-must-take-a-position-that-is-neither-safe/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [“Cowardice asks the question, 'Is it safe?' Expediency asks the question, 'Is it politic?' Vanity asks the question, 'Is it popular?' But, conscience asks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/cowardice-asks-the-question-is-it-safe-expediency-asks-the-question/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [“Society's law was lax compared to the law of conscience”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-highsmith/society-s-law-was-lax-compared-to-the-law-of-conscience/) [Patricia Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-highsmith/) > [Even when there is no law, there is conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/even-when-there-is-no-law-there-is-conscience/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [There is a higher law than the law of government. That's the law of conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stokely-carmichael/there-is-a-higher-law-than-the-law-of-government-that-s-the-law-of/) [Stokely Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stokely-carmichael/) > [In addition the bill would expand an existing law "conscience clause" that protects physician training programs that refuse to provide training for abortion procedures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-calvert/in-addition-the-bill-would-expand-an-existing-law-conscience-clause/) [Ken Calvert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-calvert/) > [In peace there is profundity from which the highest respect arises from respect comes power and command therefore observe peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akkineni-nagarjuna/in-peace-there-is-profundity-from-which-the-highest-respect-arises/) [Akkineni Nagarjuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akkineni-nagarjuna/) > [I think a mother deserves the highest respect and when you talk about salary, it's not always about cash, but I feel it's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manushi-chhillar/i-think-a-mother-deserves-the-highest-respect-and-when-you-talk-about/) [Manushi Chhillar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manushi-chhillar/) > [“He accorded his art the highest respect, that of never taking it for granted. Always, as long as he lived, he tried to learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-borton-de-trevino/he-accorded-his-art-the-highest-respect-that-of-never-taking-it-for/) [Elizabeth Borton De Trevino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-borton-de-trevino/) > [“We must remember that nature is the supreme cradle of life, and must be protected and treated with the highest respect and care.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/we-must-remember-that-nature-is-the-supreme-cradle-of-life-and-must/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) ## More by Martin Luther King Jr > [We have learned to fly the air like birds and swim the sea like fish, but we have not learned the simple art of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/we-have-learned-to-fly-the-air-like-birds-and-swim-the-sea-like-fish/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [I had a dreamthat you would just shut the fuck up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/i-had-a-dreamthat-you-would-just-shut-the-fuck-up/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice; say that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/yes-if-you-want-to-say-that-i-was-a-drum-major-say-that-i-was-a-drum/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [“We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/we-must-forever-conduct-our-struggle-on-the-high-plane-of-dignity-and/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [“It may be true that the law cannot make a man love me, but it can stop him from lynching me, and I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/it-may-be-true-that-the-law-cannot-make-a-man-love-me-but-it-can-stop/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [“Privileged groups seldom give up their privileges voluntarily.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/privileged-groups-seldom-give-up-their-privileges-voluntarily/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [God has set the type of marriage everywhere throughout the creation. Every creature seeks its perfection in another. The very heavens and earth picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/god-has-set-the-type-of-marriage-everywhere-throughout-the-creation/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [A nation that continues to produce soft-minded men purchases its own spiritual death on the installment plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/a-nation-that-continues-to-produce-soft-minded-men-purchases-its-own/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [“It is not enough to say, 'We must not wage war.' It is necessary to love peace and sacrifice for it. We must concentrate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/it-is-not-enough-to-say-we-must-not-wage-war-it-is-necessary-to-love/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [“When, for decades, you have been able to make a man compromise his manhood by threatening him with a cruel and unjust punishment, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/when-for-decades-you-have-been-able-to-make-a-man-compromise-his/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [The question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/the-question-is-not-whether-we-will-be-extremists-but-what-kind-of/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [“Deep in our history of struggle for freedom, Canada was the North star”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/deep-in-our-history-of-struggle-for-freedom-canada-was-the-north-star/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [“And he's allowed me to go to the mountain. And I've looked over, and I've seen the promised land! I may not get there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/and-he-s-allowed-me-to-go-to-the-mountain-and-i-ve-looked-over-and-i/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [“We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/we-know-through-painful-experience-that-freedom-is-never-voluntarily/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [“Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/returning-hate-for-hate-multiplies-hate-adding-deeper-darkness-to-a/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) [Explore all 219 Martin Luther King Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) ## More Ethics quotes > [Self-respect and a clear conscience are powerful components of integrity and are the basis for enriching your relationships with others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/self-respect-and-a-clear-conscience-are-powerful-components-of/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) > [“Knowledge without conscience is but the ruin of the soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabelaise/knowledge-without-conscience-is-but-the-ruin-of-the-soul/) Rabelaise > [He who mistrusts most should be trusted least.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theognis-of-megara/he-who-mistrusts-most-should-be-trusted-least/) [Theognis of Megara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theognis-of-megara/) > [Writing adds up to the conscience of our times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-firrell/writing-adds-up-to-the-conscience-of-our-times/) [Martin Firrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-firrell/) > [Ethics is the activity of man directed to secure the inner perfection of his own personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/ethics-is-the-activity-of-man-directed-to-secure-the-inner-perfection/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [My conscience is really active. So I feel bad about spending excess amount of money on things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/my-conscience-is-really-active-so-i-feel-bad-about-spending-excess/) [Syd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd/) > [Records, radio, television, movies, magazines-all are monopolized by the money managers who are guided by one ethic, the words wealth and power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/records-radio-television-movies-magazines-all-are-monopolized-by-the/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [Let us be thankful for health and competence, and, above all, for a quiet conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/izaak-walton/let-us-be-thankful-for-health-and-competence-and-above-all-for-a/) [Izaak Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/izaak-walton/) > [Making money doesn't oblige people to forfeit their honor or their conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-rothschild/making-money-doesn-t-oblige-people-to-forfeit-their-honor-or-their/) [Guy de Rothschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-rothschild/) > [“If we cannot be happy and powerful and prey on others, we invent conscience and prey on ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/if-we-cannot-be-happy-and-powerful-and-prey-on-others-we-invent/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [There is no perfect justice, just as there is no absolute in ethics. But there is perfect injustice, and we know it when we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/there-is-no-perfect-justice-just-as-there-is-no-absolute-in-ethics/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [I think the ethics and morals of genetic engineering are very complicated. It intrigues me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-spottiswoode/i-think-the-ethics-and-morals-of-genetic-engineering-are-very/) [Roger Spottiswoode](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-spottiswoode/) > [What our species needs, above all else, is a generally accepted ethical system that is compatible with the scientific knowledge we now possess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-our-species-needs-above-all-else-is-a-generally-accepted-ethical/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Ethics is not definable, is not implementable, because it is not conscious; it involves not only our thinking, but also our feeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valdemar-w-setzer/ethics-is-not-definable-is-not-implementable-because-it-is-not/) Valdemar W Setzer > [Any time you give a man something he doesn't earn, you cheapen him. Our kids earn what they get, and that includes respect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-hayes/any-time-you-give-a-man-something-he-doesn-t-earn-you-cheapen-him-our/) [Woody Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-hayes/) [Browse all 4,548 Ethics quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and willingly accepts the penalty by staying in jail in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the very highest respect for law.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Martin Luther King Jr" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/i-submit-that-an-individual-who-breaks-a-law-that-conscience-tells/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ethics" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/i-submit-that-an-individual-who-breaks-a-law-that-conscience-tells/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/077/martin-luther-king-jr-2-1523_ethics_i-submit-that-an-individual-who-breaks-a_1949191.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/077/martin-luther-king-jr-2-1523_ethics_i-submit-that-an-individual-who-breaks-a_1949191.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/077/martin-luther-king-jr-2-1523_ethics_i-submit-that-an-individual-who-breaks-a_1949191.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and willingly accepts the…” — Martin Luther King Jr", "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": "Martin Luther King Jr", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I submit that an individual who...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/i-submit-that-an-individual-who-breaks-a-law-that-conscience-tells/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/i-submit-that-an-individual-who-breaks-a-law-that-conscience-tells/#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 } } ] } ```