--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When a legislature undertakes to…" description: "\"When a legislature undertakes to proscribe the exercise of a citizen's constitutional right to free speech, it acts lawlessly; and the citizen can take..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ab/william-o-douglas-2931_bases_when-a-legislature-undertakes-to-proscri_947013.jpg" --- # When a legislature undertakes to proscribe the exercise of… ![“When a legislature undertakes to proscribe the exercise of a citizen's constitutional right to free speech, it acts lawlessly; and the citizen can take matters into his own hands and proceed on the basis that such a law is no law at all.” quote by William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ab/william-o-douglas-2931_bases_when-a-legislature-undertakes-to-proscri_947013.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ab/william-o-douglas-2931_bases_when-a-legislature-undertakes-to-proscri_947013.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ab/william-o-douglas-2931_bases_when-a-legislature-undertakes-to-proscri_947013.jpg) > “When a legislature undertakes to proscribe the exercise of a citizen's constitutional right to free speech, it acts lawlessly; and the citizen can take matters into his own hands and proceed on the basis that such a law is no law at all.” [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Suppressing free speech is illegal; citizens may defy such laws, treating them as invalid. **In simple terms:** Banning speech is illegal; citizens can ignore it. Key Takeaway Defend free speech. Themes law civil liberties activism government Mood determined hopeful Type legal ethical When to use this quote - protests - legal challenges - community organizing Key Concepts civil disobedience constitutional rights Questions to Reflect On - When is civil disobedience justified? - How to protect speech without chaos? A Different Perspective Legal consequences can be severe. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acts Lawlessly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acts-lawlessly-1659930/) [Bases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bases/) [Citizen Constitutional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizen-constitutional-1659933/) [Citizens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizens/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Constitutional rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitutional-rights/) [Exercise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exercise/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Free speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-speech/) [Great libertarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-libertarian/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Lawlessly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lawlessly-1659934/) [Lawlessly Citizen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lawlessly-citizen-1659932/) [Legislature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legislature/) [Legislature Undertakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legislature-undertakes-1659931/) [Libertarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/libertarian/) [Libertarianism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/libertarianism/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) ## Related quotes > [When a legislature undertakes to proscribe the exercise of a citizen's constitutional rights it acts lawlessly and the citizen can take matters into his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/when-a-legislature-undertakes-to-proscribe-the-exercise-of-a-citizen-2/) [William O. 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Can it be supposed that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-beccaria/the-laws-that-forbid-the-carrying-of-arms-disarm-only-those-who-are/) [Cesare Beccaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-beccaria/) > [The standard of living of the common man is higher in those countries which have the greatest number of wealthy entrepreneurs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-standard-of-living-of-the-common-man-is-higher-in-those-countries/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Poverty is the greatest cause of terrorism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-azmat-hassan/poverty-is-the-greatest-cause-of-terrorism/) [S. 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