--- 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 who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to aro..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f24/martin-luther-king-jr-127_accepts_i-submit-that-an-individual-who-breaks-a_3056124.png" --- # 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 who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for law.” quote by Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f24/martin-luther-king-jr-127_accepts_i-submit-that-an-individual-who-breaks-a_3056124.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f24/martin-luther-king-jr-127_accepts_i-submit-that-an-individual-who-breaks-a_3056124.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f24/martin-luther-king-jr-127_accepts_i-submit-that-an-individual-who-breaks-a_3056124.png) > “I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for law.” [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Breaking unjust laws consciously and accepting punishment can highlight societal injustice, showing profound respect for law’s moral purpose. **In simple terms:** Civil disobedience reveals unjust laws. Key Takeaway Stand up against systemic injustice. Themes civil rights law conscience social justice Mood activist reflective Type ethical political When to use this quote - peaceful protests - legal challenges - public education - policy reform Key Concepts Political philosophy ethical protest legal theory community activism Questions to Reflect On - When is breaking the law justified? - How can personal sacrifice inspire societal change? A Different Perspective May provoke legal repercussions or public backlash. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arouse/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Conscience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience/) [Ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics/) [Imprisonment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imprisonment/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Injustice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/injustice/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Penalty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/penalty/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and willingly accepts the penalty by staying in jail…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/i-submit-that-an-individual-who-breaks-a-law-that-conscience-tells/) [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, 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/) > [On some positions, cowardice asks the question, is it expedient? And then expedience comes along and asks the question, is it politic? Vanity asks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/on-some-positions-cowardice-asks-the-question-is-it-expedient-and/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [There comes a time when one must take the position that is neither safe nor politic nor popular, but he must do it because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/there-comes-a-time-when-one-must-take-the-position-that-is-neither/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [“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/) > [“Perversion is just another form of art. It's like painting or drawing or sculpting. Except instead of paint, us perverts use sex as our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-m-stunich/perversion-is-just-another-form-of-art-it-s-like-painting-or-drawing/) [C.M. Stunich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-m-stunich/) > [When the initial effort of political and business leaders to influence public opinion on an issue is to threaten rather than to engage and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preston-manning/when-the-initial-effort-of-political-and-business-leaders-to/) [Preston Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preston-manning/) > [In song the same rule applies as in dramatic verse: the meaning must yield itself, or yield itself sufficiently to arouse the attention and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-fenton/in-song-the-same-rule-applies-as-in-dramatic-verse-the-meaning-must/) [James Fenton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-fenton/) > [The more words we are allowed to take, the freer we become. If our mouth is banned, then we attempt to assert ourselves through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herta-m-ller/the-more-words-we-are-allowed-to-take-the-freer-we-become-if-our/) [Herta Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herta-m-ller/) ## More by Martin Luther King, Jr > [The strong man holds in a living blend strongly marked opposites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-strong-man-holds-in-a-living-blend-strongly-marked-opposites/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Our nation was born in genocide when it embraced the doctrine that the original American, the Indian, was an inferior race. ... We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/our-nation-was-born-in-genocide-when-it-embraced-the-doctrine-that/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Every genuine expression of love grows out of a consistent and total surrender to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/every-genuine-expression-of-love-grows-out-of-a-consistent-and-total/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character--that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-remember-that-intelligence-is-not-enough-intelligence-plus/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I’ve been to the Mountaintop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-ve-been-to-the-mountaintop/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The supreme task is to organize and unite people so that their anger becomes a transforming force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-supreme-task-is-to-organize-and-unite-people-so-that-their-anger/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The great issue of life is to harness the drum major instinct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-great-issue-of-life-is-to-harness-the-drum-major-instinct/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Somebody must have sense enough and morality enough to cut off the chain of hate and the chain of evil in the universe. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somebody-must-have-sense-enough-and-morality-enough-to-cut-off-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Darkness is only driven out with light, not more darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/darkness-is-only-driven-out-with-light-not-more-darkness/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [What seems so necessary today may not even be desirable tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/what-seems-so-necessary-today-may-not-even-be-desirable-tomorrow/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The Negro cannot win the respect of his oppressor by acquiescing; he merely increases the oppressor's arrogance and contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-negro-cannot-win-the-respect-of-his-oppressor-by-acquiescing-he/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The majority of the Negroes who took part in the year-long boycott of Montgomery's buses were poor and untutored; but they understood the essence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-majority-of-the-negroes-who-took-part-in-the-year-long-boycott-of/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Whenever you are engaged in work that serves humanity and is for the building of humanity, it has dignity and it has worth,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/whenever-you-are-engaged-in-work-that-serves-humanity-and-is-for-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-have-a-dream-that-one-day-even-the-state-of-mississippi-a-desert/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) [Explore all 1,210 Martin Luther King, Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) ## More Accepts quotes > [... reason accepts no commandments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/reason-accepts-no-commandments/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [I am someone who accepts challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-gnabry/i-am-someone-who-accepts-challenges/) [Serge Gnabry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-gnabry/) > [“What the world neglects, the Lord accepts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-brodie/what-the-world-neglects-the-lord-accepts/) [Deborah Brodie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-brodie/) > [“When you accept yourself, the whole world accepts you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/when-you-accept-yourself-the-whole-world-accepts-you/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [True love accepts you for who you truly are ….((ï': ôï)) …((ï '÷.\|/.÷ôï)) …((ï '÷.().÷ôï)(ï ':ôï)) …((\_.÷ô/ \|'÷.\_)(ï '÷.\|/.÷ôï)) ….((\_.: .\_).(ï '÷.().÷ôï)). …((ï '÷.\|/ .÷ôï)(ï '÷.\|/.÷ôï)) ...((ï '÷.().÷ôï)(ï '÷.().÷ôï)) …((\_.÷ô/ \|'÷.\_)(\_.÷ô/ \|'÷.\_)).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-helouova/true-love-accepts-you-for-who-you-truly-are/) [Natalie Helouova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-helouova/) > [Faith accepts the Bible as the word and will of God and rests upon its truth without question and without other evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-mckendree-bounds/faith-accepts-the-bible-as-the-word-and-will-of-god-and-rests-upon/) [Edward McKendree Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-mckendree-bounds/) > [Love accepts. Forgiveness comes in time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-unger/love-accepts-forgiveness-comes-in-time/) [Lisa Unger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-unger/) > [One is defeated only when one accepts defeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferdinand-foch/one-is-defeated-only-when-one-accepts-defeat/) [Ferdinand Foch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferdinand-foch/) > [“You aren't what you think. You're what your heart accepts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shivam-chaudhary/you-aren-t-what-you-think-you-re-what-your-heart-accepts/) [Shivam Chaudhary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shivam-chaudhary/) > [Love accepts the trying things of life without asking for explanations. It trusts and is at rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-carmichael/love-accepts-the-trying-things-of-life-without-asking-for/) [Amy Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-carmichael/) > [“In a negotiation, we must find a solution that pleases everyone, because no one accepts that they must lose and that the other must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nabil-n-jamal-2/in-a-negotiation-we-must-find-a-solution-that-pleases-everyone/) [Nabil N. Jamal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nabil-n-jamal-2/) > [A friend accepts us as we are yet helps us to be what we should.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-friend-accepts-us-as-we-are-yet-helps-us-to-be-what-we-should/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“God accepts you. God approves you. And He has something better in store.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/god-accepts-you-god-approves-you-and-he-has-something-better-in-store/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [Rather than looking for someone who completes you, look for someone who accepts you completely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/rather-than-looking-for-someone-who-completes-you-look-for-someone/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Art accepts what it finds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-sommer/art-accepts-what-it-finds/) [Frederick Sommer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-sommer/) Browse all 63 Accepts quotes ```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 who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the 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/i-submit-that-an-individual-who-breaks-a-law-that-conscience-tells-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accepts" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-submit-that-an-individual-who-breaks-a-law-that-conscience-tells-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f24/martin-luther-king-jr-127_accepts_i-submit-that-an-individual-who-breaks-a_3056124.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f24/martin-luther-king-jr-127_accepts_i-submit-that-an-individual-who-breaks-a_3056124.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f24/martin-luther-king-jr-127_accepts_i-submit-that-an-individual-who-breaks-a_3056124.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts…” — 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/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I submit that an individual who...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-submit-that-an-individual-who-breaks-a-law-that-conscience-tells-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-submit-that-an-individual-who-breaks-a-law-that-conscience-tells-2/#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 } } ] } ```