---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's generally not wise to pick a fight…"
description: "\"It's generally not wise to pick a fight with law enforcement in politics, especially when you're in the middle of a pretty significant scandal already...."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/649/stephen-farnsworth-58819_fighting_it-s-generally-not-wise-to-pick-a-fight_2662127.jpg"
---

#  It's generally not wise to pick a fight with law…

![“It's generally not wise to pick a fight with law enforcement in politics, especially when you're in the middle of a pretty significant scandal already.” quote by Stephen Farnsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/649/stephen-farnsworth-58819_fighting_it-s-generally-not-wise-to-pick-a-fight_2662127.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/649/stephen-farnsworth-58819_fighting_it-s-generally-not-wise-to-pick-a-fight_2662127.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/649/stephen-farnsworth-58819_fighting_it-s-generally-not-wise-to-pick-a-fight_2662127.jpg)

> “It's generally not wise to pick a fight with law enforcement in politics, especially when you're in the middle of a pretty significant scandal already.”

[Stephen Farnsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-farnsworth/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Confronting police while already embroiled in scandal worsens political risk and public perception.

**In simple terms:** Avoid fighting law enforcement during a scandal.

Key Takeaway

Stay cautious, manage optics.

Themes

politics law enforcement crisis management

Mood

cautious strategic

Type

advisory political

When to use this quote

- election campaigns
- corporate scandals
- legal investigations
- media scrutiny

Key Concepts

risk assessment public image strategic restraint

Questions to Reflect On

- How can leaders protect reputation without confrontation?
- What alternatives exist to direct conflict?

A Different Perspective

Legal battles may still arise despite caution.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Law enforcement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law-enforcement/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Scandal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scandal/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/)

## Related quotes

> [every man who takes a part in politics, especially in times when parties run high, must expect to be abused; they must bear it;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-edgeworth/every-man-who-takes-a-part-in-politics-especially-in-times-when/)

[Maria Edgeworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-edgeworth/)

> [However little president Obama knows or cares about economics, he knows a lot about politics - and especially political rhetoric. 'High-speed rail' is simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/however-little-president-obama-knows-or-cares-about-economics-he/)

[Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/)

> [I'm kind of conscious and aware of how ridiculous everyone involved with politics or talking about politics, especially on television, is - all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-mcgruder/i-m-kind-of-conscious-and-aware-of-how-ridiculous-everyone-involved/)

[Aaron McGruder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-mcgruder/)

> [When someone like me, who is in the entertainment industry, which is a huge falsity of its own, tries to talk outwardly about politics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-jauregui/when-someone-like-me-who-is-in-the-entertainment-industry-which-is-a/)

[Lauren Jauregui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-jauregui/)

> [What the White House is trying to do is racialize all politics and they're especially trying to tell the African-American voter that the GOP…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stein/what-the-white-house-is-trying-to-do-is-racialize-all-politics-and/)

[Ben Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stein/)

> [There's a tradition in British intellectual life of mocking any non-political force that gets involved in politics, especially within the sphere of the arts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-pinter/there-s-a-tradition-in-british-intellectual-life-of-mocking-any-non/)

[Harold Pinter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-pinter/)

> [I think it's very, very hard not to go slightly crazy if you're in the top in politics - especially if you're there for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/i-think-it-s-very-very-hard-not-to-go-slightly-crazy-if-you-re-in-the/)

[Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/)

> [I have my views and obviously my music has connotations that lean toward what I believe, but I've learned through other artists' mistakes that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-lambert/i-have-my-views-and-obviously-my-music-has-connotations-that-lean/)

[Miranda Lambert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-lambert/)

> [Political biography is in the doldrums. No one wants to read 800 pages or so of cradle-to-grave dead politics, especially if it's familiar stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-ridley/political-biography-is-in-the-doldrums-no-one-wants-to-read-800-pages/)

[Jane Ridley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-ridley/)

> [Well you know it's dangerous in politics, because especially in the Philippines there's a lot of killing in politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-pacquiao/well-you-know-it-s-dangerous-in-politics-because-especially-in-the/)

[Manny Pacquiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-pacquiao/)

> [I'm Iranian and no matter what I do, I'm dealing with politics because especially my music, that it's a music that talks about peace,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hafez-nazeri/i-m-iranian-and-no-matter-what-i-do-i-m-dealing-with-politics-because/)

[Hafez Nazeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hafez-nazeri/)

> [It looked incredibly credible!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-horlick/it-looked-incredibly-credible/)

Nicola Horlick

> [My aim was to make money for the bank. You lose track of the amounts involved when you are engaged in this kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-kerviel/my-aim-was-to-make-money-for-the-bank-you-lose-track-of-the-amounts/)

[Jerome Kerviel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-kerviel/)

> [NBC is making a movie about Martha Stewart that will cover the recent stock scandal. They are thinking of calling it 'The Road To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/nbc-is-making-a-movie-about-martha-stewart-that-will-cover-the-recent/)

[Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/)

> [As far as Vern and I go, we have had situations where people have tried to take photographs of me and cut Vernon out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-daly/as-far-as-vern-and-i-go-we-have-had-situations-where-people-have/)

[Tess Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-daly/)

## More by Stephen Farnsworth

> [Firing someone who is investigating you is a counterproductive strategy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-farnsworth/firing-someone-who-is-investigating-you-is-a-counterproductive/)

[Stephen Farnsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-farnsworth/)

> [FBI directors serve at the pleasure of the president, but they often have terms that transcend partisan transfers of power at the White House.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-farnsworth/fbi-directors-serve-at-the-pleasure-of-the-president-but-they-often/)

[Stephen Farnsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-farnsworth/)

> [Presidents are given immense power in the American political system when it comes to personnel. FBI directors are given ten-year terms to insulate them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-farnsworth/presidents-are-given-immense-power-in-the-american-political-system/)

[Stephen Farnsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-farnsworth/)

> [The one thing you never want to do in politics is take the hit for someone else's misconduct - especially someone as erratic as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-farnsworth/the-one-thing-you-never-want-to-do-in-politics-is-take-the-hit-for/)

[Stephen Farnsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-farnsworth/)

[Explore all 5 Stephen Farnsworth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-farnsworth/)

## More Fighting quotes

> [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/)

[Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/)

> [“I bet she thought she was getting into a fight with a vanilla wafer on roller skates but little did she know she was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-portes/i-bet-she-thought-she-was-getting-into-a-fight-with-a-vanilla-wafer/)

[Andrea Portes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-portes/)

> [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/)

[Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/)

> [We could form a government of national unity fighting corruption. The ordinary Afghan is sick and tired of it, because it's she or he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashraf-ghani/we-could-form-a-government-of-national-unity-fighting-corruption-the/)

[Ashraf Ghani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashraf-ghani/)

> [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/)

[Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/)

> [You have to fight gravity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-wine/you-have-to-fight-gravity/)

[Sherwin Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-wine/)

> [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/)

[Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/)

> [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/)

[Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/)

> [Women rule the world. It's not really worth fighting because they know what they're doing. Ask Napoleon. Ask Adam. Ask Richard Burton or Richie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-bon-jovi/women-rule-the-world-it-s-not-really-worth-fighting-because-they-know/)

[Jon Bon Jovi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-bon-jovi/)

> [Well, He had known what love was-a sharp pang, a fierce experience, in the midst of whose flames he was struggling! but, through that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/well-he-had-known-what-love-was-a-sharp-pang-a-fierce-experience-in/)

[Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/)

> [It is sort of interesting that in our society this days we are very quick to apply the term 'war' to places where thare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-schneier/it-is-sort-of-interesting-that-in-our-society-this-days-we-are-very/)

[Bruce Schneier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-schneier/)

> [Someone else who liked what I did might turn around and say, "She's reworking and rethinking everything. She could just be making blankets now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracey-emin/someone-else-who-liked-what-i-did-might-turn-around-and-say-she-s/)

[Tracey Emin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracey-emin/)

> [Life is a battle of wits, and many people have to fight it unarmed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/life-is-a-battle-of-wits-and-many-people-have-to-fight-it-unarmed/)

[Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/)

> [The devil has been defeated, stop trying to defeat him. What we have left is the fight of faith, and it's a good fight!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-oyakhilome/the-devil-has-been-defeated-stop-trying-to-defeat-him-what-we-have/)

[Chris Oyakhilome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-oyakhilome/)

> [There comes a time when you're losing a fight that it just doesn't make sense to keep on fighting. It's not that you're being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paul-curtis/there-comes-a-time-when-you-re-losing-a-fight-that-it-just-doesn-t/)

[Christopher Paul Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paul-curtis/)

Browse all 13,685 Fighting quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "It's generally not wise to pick a fight with law enforcement in politics, especially when you're in the middle of a pretty significant scandal already.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Stephen Farnsworth"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-farnsworth/it-s-generally-not-wise-to-pick-a-fight-with-law-enforcement-in/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Fighting"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-farnsworth/it-s-generally-not-wise-to-pick-a-fight-with-law-enforcement-in/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/649/stephen-farnsworth-58819_fighting_it-s-generally-not-wise-to-pick-a-fight_2662127.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/649/stephen-farnsworth-58819_fighting_it-s-generally-not-wise-to-pick-a-fight_2662127.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/649/stephen-farnsworth-58819_fighting_it-s-generally-not-wise-to-pick-a-fight_2662127.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“It's generally not wise to pick a fight with law enforcement in politics, especially when you're in the…” — Stephen Farnsworth",
                "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": "Stephen Farnsworth",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-farnsworth/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "It's generally not wise to pick...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-farnsworth/it-s-generally-not-wise-to-pick-a-fight-with-law-enforcement-in/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-farnsworth/it-s-generally-not-wise-to-pick-a-fight-with-law-enforcement-in/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
