"I cannot consistently, with self respect, do other than I have, namely, to deliberately violate an act which seems to me to be a denial of everything which ideally and in practice I hold sacred"

This quote by Roger Nash Baldwin speaks with the power of individual conscience and the significance of defending one's beliefs. Baldwin is revealing his rejection to abide by a law that he thinks is incorrect and goes against his worths. He wants to take the danger of breaking the law in order to stay real to himself and his beliefs. He is making a statement that he will not jeopardize his values and principles, even if it suggests breaking the law. This quote is a powerful pointer of the significance of defending what one believes in, even if it indicates going against the status quo. It is a suggestion that we need to not be afraid to stand up for what we believe in, even if it indicates going against the law.