--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Equality before the law in a true…" description: "\"Equality before the law in a true democracy is a matter of right. It cannot be a matter of charity or of favor or of grace or of discretion.\" — Wiley B..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be0/wiley-blount-rutledge-89788_charity_equality-before-the-law-in-a-true-democr_2733345.png" --- # Equality before the law in a true democracy is a matter of… ![“Equality before the law in a true democracy is a matter of right. It cannot be a matter of charity or of favor or of grace or of discretion.” quote by Wiley Blount Rutledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be0/wiley-blount-rutledge-89788_charity_equality-before-the-law-in-a-true-democr_2733345.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be0/wiley-blount-rutledge-89788_charity_equality-before-the-law-in-a-true-democr_2733345.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be0/wiley-blount-rutledge-89788_charity_equality-before-the-law-in-a-true-democr_2733345.png) > “Equality before the law in a true democracy is a matter of right. It cannot be a matter of charity or of favor or of grace or of discretion.” Wiley Blount Rutledge ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Equality before law is a right, not a favor or discretionary act. **In simple terms:** Equality is a legal right, not a privilege. Key Takeaway Demand equal treatment under law. Themes equality law justice democracy rights Mood principled hopeful Type Charity:0 Democracy:1 Discretion:1 Equality:1 Favors:0 Grace:0 Justice:1 Law:1 Matter:0 True democracy:1 Equality Law:1 Democracy Matter:0 When to use this quote - courtroom - policy drafting - civic education - advocacy Key Concepts legal principle civil liberty constitutional law Questions to Reflect On - How can laws ensure equal treatment? - What role does discretion play in justice? A Different Perspective May ignore systemic bias that hinders true equality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Charity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charity/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Discretion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discretion/) [Equality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equality/) [Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [True democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-democracy/) ## Related quotes > [This power of democracy is a matter of pride for our country, something which we must always cherish, preserve and further strengthen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atal-bihari-vajpayee/this-power-of-democracy-is-a-matter-of-pride-for-our-country/) [Atal Bihari Vajpayee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atal-bihari-vajpayee/) > [The poor have to labour in the face of the majestic equality of the law, which forbids the rich as well as the poor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/the-poor-have-to-labour-in-the-face-of-the-majestic-equality-of-the/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [Equality may be the law, but no human power can install it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/equality-may-be-the-law-but-no-human-power-can-install-it/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [In its proper meaning equality before the law means the right to participate in the making of the laws by which one is governed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/in-its-proper-meaning-equality-before-the-law-means-the-right-to/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Equality under the law is the slow triumph of hope over history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/equality-under-the-law-is-the-slow-triumph-of-hope-over-history/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [The purpose that brought the fourteenth amendment into being was equality before the law, and equality, not separation, was written into the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bork/the-purpose-that-brought-the-fourteenth-amendment-into-being-was/) [Robert Bork](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bork/) > [I don’t hold with equality in all things only with equality before the law and nothing more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thaddeus-stevens/i-don-t-hold-with-equality-in-all-things-only-with-equality-before/) [Thaddeus Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thaddeus-stevens/) > [In its majestic equality, the law forbids rich and poor alike to sleep under bridges, beg in the streets and steal loaves of bread.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/in-its-majestic-equality-the-law-forbids-rich-and-poor-alike-to-sleep/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [“But even when the principle of equal treatment was betrayed, American leaders in every era have emphatically affirmed it, not so much out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/but-even-when-the-principle-of-equal-treatment-was-betrayed-american/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [We ask only for justice and equal rights-the right to vote, the right to our own earnings, equality before the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-stone/we-ask-only-for-justice-and-equal-rights-the-right-to-vote-the-right/) [Lucy Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-stone/) > [It is of the essence of the demand for equality before the law that people should be treated alike in spite of the fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/it-is-of-the-essence-of-the-demand-for-equality-before-the-law-that/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) > [Regarding homophobia in general, the good news is that there is a lot less of it than there used to be. The bad news…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/regarding-homophobia-in-general-the-good-news-is-that-there-is-a-lot/) [Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/) > [“America operates under the notion of equality before the law. Basic fairness is an article of faith. We may not agree on everything all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/america-operates-under-the-notion-of-equality-before-the-law-basic/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [In the end no segregationist scheme has withstood the force of a simple idea: equality under law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-liu/in-the-end-no-segregationist-scheme-has-withstood-the-force-of-a/) [Eric Liu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-liu/) > [There is no such thing as equality, other than of opportunity and before the law. But there is no equality of what's gonna happen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/there-is-no-such-thing-as-equality-other-than-of-opportunity-and/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) ## More by Wiley Blount Rutledge > [It was not by accident or coincidence that the rights to freedom in speech and press were coupled in a single guaranty with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wiley-blount-rutledge/it-was-not-by-accident-or-coincidence-that-the-rights-to-freedom-in/) Wiley Blount Rutledge Explore all 2 Wiley Blount Rutledge quotes ## More Charity quotes > [The greatest charity you can contribute to is yourself. Instead of spending a dollar to help feed hungry children, why not spend that dollar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-greatest-charity-you-can-contribute-to-is-yourself-instead-of/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [I would have none of that rigid circumspect charity which is never done without scrutiny, and which always mistrusts the truth of the necessities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baptiste-massillon/i-would-have-none-of-that-rigid-circumspect-charity-which-is-never/) [Jean Baptiste Massillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baptiste-massillon/) > [I'm publicist, patron of nine charities, creative director, food consultant, recipe developer - and mum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-monroe/i-m-publicist-patron-of-nine-charities-creative-director-food/) [Jack Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-monroe/) > [The next time you're looking at a charity, don't ask about the rate of their overhead. Ask about the scale of their dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-next-time-you-re-looking-at-a-charity-don-t-ask-about-the-rate-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Both fact and logic seem to me to support the view that savings invested in privately owned economic tools of production amount to an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-a-harper/both-fact-and-logic-seem-to-me-to-support-the-view-that-savings/) F. A. Harper > [I shall pray God to send charity into this hideous world, and sympathy for the weak, and love for the unhappy and unfortunate. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wyndham/i-shall-pray-god-to-send-charity-into-this-hideous-world-and-sympathy/) [John Wyndham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wyndham/) > [It is thus only this personal feeling of misery that we get rid of by acts of pity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-is-thus-only-this-personal-feeling-of-misery-that-we-get-rid-of-by/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Considering community support and cost-benefit analysis, I have supported earmarks for projects of high public purpose involving such areas as higher education, alternative energy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-fortenberry/considering-community-support-and-cost-benefit-analysis-i-have/) [Jeff Fortenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-fortenberry/) > [It's always great to be able to give back to the community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-vucevic/it-s-always-great-to-be-able-to-give-back-to-the-community/) [Nikola Vucevic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-vucevic/) > [Slander is a poison which kills charity, both in the slanderer and the one who listens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/slander-is-a-poison-which-kills-charity-both-in-the-slanderer-and-the/) [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) > [I like to give back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-chan/i-like-to-give-back/) [Jackie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-chan/) > [We have to restore power to the family, to the neighborhood, and the community with a non-market principle, a principle of equality, of charity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-brown/we-have-to-restore-power-to-the-family-to-the-neighborhood-and-the/) [Jerry Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-brown/) > [“It takes a female to have a baby, It takes a woman to raise a child, It takes a mother to raise them correctly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/it-takes-a-female-to-have-a-baby-it-takes-a-woman-to-raise-a-child-it/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [I own about 300 pairs of shoes. When I start to go over 300, I have mini-sales from my closet and give the money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-london/i-own-about-300-pairs-of-shoes-when-i-start-to-go-over-300-i-have/) [Stacy London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-london/) [Browse all 2,477 Charity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Equality before the law in a true democracy is a matter of right. 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