--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: So why was I so scared? Because crime is…" description: "\"“So why was I so scared? Because crime is something relative; it’s something the government defines and re-defines whenever it pleases. The majority of..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb4/mohamedou-ould-slahi-11311_breaking-the-law_so-why-was-i-so-scared-because-crime-is_982769.jpg" --- # So why was I so scared? Because crime is something… ![“So why was I so scared? Because crime is something relative; it’s something the government defines and re-defines whenever it pleases. The majority of people don’t know, really, where the line is that separates breaking the law from not breaking it. If you get arrested, the situation worsens…” quote by Mohamedou Ould Slahi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb4/mohamedou-ould-slahi-11311_breaking-the-law_so-why-was-i-so-scared-because-crime-is_982769.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb4/mohamedou-ould-slahi-11311_breaking-the-law_so-why-was-i-so-scared-because-crime-is_982769.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb4/mohamedou-ould-slahi-11311_breaking-the-law_so-why-was-i-so-scared-because-crime-is_982769.jpg) > ““So why was I so scared? Because crime is something relative; it’s something the government defines and re-defines whenever it pleases. The majority of people don’t know, really, where the line is that separates breaking the law from not breaking it. If you get arrested, the situation worsens, because most people trust the government to have a good reason for the arrest.”” [Mohamedou Ould Slahi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamedou-ould-slahi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Crime is socially constructed; legal definitions shift with political power, creating uncertainty. **In simple terms:** Laws change with those in power, making crime unclear. Key Takeaway Question authority and seek personal ethics. Themes justice power law subjectivity Mood critical concerned Type philosophical political When to use this quote - political activism - legal reform - personal decision making Key Concepts legal relativism government control civil rights ethical ambiguity Questions to Reflect On - How do you define right and wrong? - What role should citizens play in shaping law? A Different Perspective Legal definitions can be manipulated for oppression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arrested Situation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrested-situation-1961926/) [Breaking Arrested](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breaking-arrested-1961925/) [Breaking the law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breaking-the-law/) [Crime Relative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime-relative-1961927/) [People Trust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-trust/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Reason Arrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason-arrest-1961924/) [Scared Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scared-crime-1961923/) ## Related quotes > [Being scared is not a crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-mehmood/being-scared-is-not-a-crime/) [Sarah Mehmood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-mehmood/) > [“I'm an 'intelligent' sociopath. I don't have problems with drugs, I don't commit crimes, I don't take pleasure in hurting people, and I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-e-thomas-2/i-m-an-intelligent-sociopath-i-don-t-have-problems-with-drugs-i-don-t/) [M. E. Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-e-thomas-2/) > [“Keeping blacks subjugated required that they be unarmed. Alabama’s law was typical: “Any freedman, mulatto, or free person of color in this state” was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-forman-jr-2/keeping-blacks-subjugated-required-that-they-be-unarmed-alabama-s-law/) [James Forman Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-forman-jr-2/) > [There's no excuse for breaking the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-scalise/there-s-no-excuse-for-breaking-the-law/) [Steve Scalise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-scalise/) > [If laws were real they wouldn’t need to be enforced, because if they were real they couldn’t be broken. Try breaking the law of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyd-rice/if-laws-were-real-they-wouldn-t-need-to-be-enforced-because-if-they/) [Boyd Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyd-rice/) > [Women need to become literary criminals, break the literary laws and reinvent their own, because the established laws prevent women from presenting the reality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-acker/women-need-to-become-literary-criminals-break-the-literary-laws-and/) [Kathy Acker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-acker/) > [When I'm driving, you have a different feeling when the police get behind you and you're not even breaking the law. The tension is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yo-gotti/when-i-m-driving-you-have-a-different-feeling-when-the-police-get/) [Yo Gotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yo-gotti/) > [“Across the various iterations, the 'real housewives' flaunted their refusal to conform to the happy modern housewife ideal as though they were breaking the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carina-chocano/across-the-various-iterations-the-real-housewives-flaunted-their/) [Carina Chocano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carina-chocano/) > [Whenever you're going after something that belongs to you, anyone who's depriving you of the right to have it is a criminal. Understand that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/whenever-you-re-going-after-something-that-belongs-to-you-anyone-who/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [If people live in constant fear of death, and if breaking the law is punished by death, then who would dare?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/if-people-live-in-constant-fear-of-death-and-if-breaking-the-law-is/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [I've never been a cop hater. You know, when I was breaking the law, the cops were the opponent. I just thought I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t/i-ve-never-been-a-cop-hater-you-know-when-i-was-breaking-the-law-the/) [Ice T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-t/) > [“If citizens are punished instantly for breaking the laws, then politicians should also be punished immediately for breaking the promises.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/if-citizens-are-punished-instantly-for-breaking-the-laws-then/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [The police can go to downtown Harlem and pick up a kid with a joint in the streets. But they can't go into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-police-can-go-to-downtown-harlem-and-pick-up-a-kid-with-a-joint/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [When people are breaking the law, they don’t get an invitation to the White House. They ought to be getting an invitation to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-huckabee/when-people-are-breaking-the-law-they-don-t-get-an-invitation-to-the/) [Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-huckabee/) > [“The hijab-related deaths and death sentences in Iran show that breaking the attire laws is more dangerous adventure than breaking the nudity laws.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-n-prasher/the-hijab-related-deaths-and-death-sentences-in-iran-show-that/) [R. N. Prasher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-n-prasher/) ## More by Mohamedou Ould Slahi > [Many nights I wake up not able to breathe. I think I'm in Guantanamo Bay. I'm crying and shouting and making it very hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamedou-ould-slahi/many-nights-i-wake-up-not-able-to-breathe-i-think-i-m-in-guantanamo/) [Mohamedou Ould Slahi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamedou-ould-slahi/) > [I don't have a problem with black people - half my country is black people!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamedou-ould-slahi/i-don-t-have-a-problem-with-black-people-half-my-country-is-black/) [Mohamedou Ould Slahi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamedou-ould-slahi/) > [No matter how bad you make the torture scenes, the reality was much worse. Because you cannot put on screen 70 days and nights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamedou-ould-slahi/no-matter-how-bad-you-make-the-torture-scenes-the-reality-was-much/) [Mohamedou Ould Slahi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamedou-ould-slahi/) > [Humiliation, sexual harassment, fear and starvation was the order of the day until around 10 P. M. Interrogators made sure that I had no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamedou-ould-slahi/humiliation-sexual-harassment-fear-and-starvation-was-the-order-of/) [Mohamedou Ould Slahi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamedou-ould-slahi/) > [I'm afraid to apply for a visa to the U.S.A. because it's against terrorism in a very undemocratic way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamedou-ould-slahi/i-m-afraid-to-apply-for-a-visa-to-the-u-s-a-because-it-s-against/) [Mohamedou Ould Slahi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamedou-ould-slahi/) > [Writing is like driving a car. Writing the beats of a screenplay? It's like driving a rover on Mars. You have to be absolutely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamedou-ould-slahi/writing-is-like-driving-a-car-writing-the-beats-of-a-screenplay-it-s/) [Mohamedou Ould Slahi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamedou-ould-slahi/) > [I'm not looking to get even with anyone in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamedou-ould-slahi/i-m-not-looking-to-get-even-with-anyone-in-my-life/) [Mohamedou Ould Slahi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamedou-ould-slahi/) > [I'm threatened because of the amount of information I've provided to the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamedou-ould-slahi/i-m-threatened-because-of-the-amount-of-information-i-ve-provided-to/) [Mohamedou Ould Slahi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamedou-ould-slahi/) > [I believe the U.S. government owes it to the American people to tell them the truth about what is happening in Guantanamo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamedou-ould-slahi/i-believe-the-u-s-government-owes-it-to-the-american-people-to-tell/) [Mohamedou Ould Slahi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamedou-ould-slahi/) > [They dedicated the whole time until around Nov. 10, 2003 to questioning me about Canada and Sept. 11; they didn't ask me a single…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamedou-ould-slahi/they-dedicated-the-whole-time-until-around-nov-10-2003-to-questioning/) [Mohamedou Ould Slahi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamedou-ould-slahi/) > [The U.S. bet its last penny on violence as the magic solution for every problem, and so the country is losing friends every day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamedou-ould-slahi/the-u-s-bet-its-last-penny-on-violence-as-the-magic-solution-for/) [Mohamedou Ould Slahi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamedou-ould-slahi/) > [I have only written what I experienced, what I saw, what I learned first-hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamedou-ould-slahi/i-have-only-written-what-i-experienced-what-i-saw-what-i-learned/) [Mohamedou Ould Slahi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamedou-ould-slahi/) > [I'm sure if there is a debate, Guantanamo Bay must be closed. And it should be closed, because it does not belong in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamedou-ould-slahi/i-m-sure-if-there-is-a-debate-guantanamo-bay-must-be-closed-and-it/) [Mohamedou Ould Slahi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamedou-ould-slahi/) > [How can I render uninterrupted interrogation that has been lasting the last 7 years? That's like asking Charlie Sheen how many women he dated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamedou-ould-slahi/how-can-i-render-uninterrupted-interrogation-that-has-been-lasting/) [Mohamedou Ould Slahi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamedou-ould-slahi/) > [There is no war between Muslims and Americans. There is no war between Americans and the poor people in the world. There is only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamedou-ould-slahi/there-is-no-war-between-muslims-and-americans-there-is-no-war-between/) [Mohamedou Ould Slahi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamedou-ould-slahi/) [Explore all 60 Mohamedou Ould Slahi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamedou-ould-slahi/) ## More Breaking the law quotes > [“The hijab-related deaths and death sentences in Iran show that breaking the attire laws is more dangerous adventure than breaking the nudity laws.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-n-prasher/the-hijab-related-deaths-and-death-sentences-in-iran-show-that/) [R. N. Prasher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-n-prasher/) > [When people are breaking the law, they don’t get an invitation to the White House. They ought to be getting an invitation to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-huckabee/when-people-are-breaking-the-law-they-don-t-get-an-invitation-to-the/) [Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-huckabee/) > [The police can go to downtown Harlem and pick up a kid with a joint in the streets. But they can't go into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-police-can-go-to-downtown-harlem-and-pick-up-a-kid-with-a-joint/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“If citizens are punished instantly for breaking the laws, then politicians should also be punished immediately for breaking the promises.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/if-citizens-are-punished-instantly-for-breaking-the-laws-then/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [I've never been a cop hater. You know, when I was breaking the law, the cops were the opponent. I just thought I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t/i-ve-never-been-a-cop-hater-you-know-when-i-was-breaking-the-law-the/) [Ice T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-t/) > [If people live in constant fear of death, and if breaking the law is punished by death, then who would dare?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/if-people-live-in-constant-fear-of-death-and-if-breaking-the-law-is/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Whenever you're going after something that belongs to you, anyone who's depriving you of the right to have it is a criminal. Understand that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/whenever-you-re-going-after-something-that-belongs-to-you-anyone-who/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [“Across the various iterations, the 'real housewives' flaunted their refusal to conform to the happy modern housewife ideal as though they were breaking the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carina-chocano/across-the-various-iterations-the-real-housewives-flaunted-their/) [Carina Chocano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carina-chocano/) > [When I'm driving, you have a different feeling when the police get behind you and you're not even breaking the law. The tension is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yo-gotti/when-i-m-driving-you-have-a-different-feeling-when-the-police-get/) [Yo Gotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yo-gotti/) > [Women need to become literary criminals, break the literary laws and reinvent their own, because the established laws prevent women from presenting the reality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-acker/women-need-to-become-literary-criminals-break-the-literary-laws-and/) [Kathy Acker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-acker/) > [If laws were real they wouldn’t need to be enforced, because if they were real they couldn’t be broken. Try breaking the law of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyd-rice/if-laws-were-real-they-wouldn-t-need-to-be-enforced-because-if-they/) [Boyd Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyd-rice/) > [There's no excuse for breaking the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-scalise/there-s-no-excuse-for-breaking-the-law/) [Steve Scalise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-scalise/) > [“Keeping blacks subjugated required that they be unarmed. Alabama’s law was typical: “Any freedman, mulatto, or free person of color in this state” was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-forman-jr-2/keeping-blacks-subjugated-required-that-they-be-unarmed-alabama-s-law/) [James Forman Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-forman-jr-2/) > [“I'm an 'intelligent' sociopath. 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