Famous quote by Abraham Lincoln

"The best way to get a bad law repealed is to enforce it strictly"

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When a law is flawed or unjust, allowing it to be loosely enforced or overlooked often lets its problems go unnoticed. However, applying it strictly and consistently reveals its true impact on people's lives. Strict enforcement removes any ambiguity, forcing everyone, including lawmakers, citizens, and enforcers, to confront the consequences head-on. The real nature of the law stands exposed: its unfairness, impracticality, or unintended results become undeniable.

This approach creates a sense of urgency for reform. When individuals personally experience how harmful or illogical a law is, or when a community faces widespread negative outcomes, pressure mounts on authorities to reconsider its place in the legal system. Strict application transforms the law from an abstract guideline into a tangible force affecting daily life, inspiring action where mere advocacy might have failed.

Such a method also highlights the gap that may exist between written law and moral or social values. If a statute is contrary to commonly held beliefs about fairness or justice, enforcing it to the letter invites discomfort and protest. This can build solidarity among those affected, leading to collective calls for change. Often, what seems tolerable in theory becomes intolerable in practice when the repercussions are fully realized.

History offers examples where rigid enforcement led to public outcry and eventual reform. Prohibition in the United States, for instance, saw increasingly strict crackdowns, which only brought the law's impracticality into sharper relief, culminating in its repeal. When a society is forced to feel the full weight of bad legislation, it can prompt critical discussion and reexamination.

Rather than letting bad laws linger due to selective or lenient application, a policy of rigorous enforcement acts as a catalyst, mobilizing attention and expediency toward repeal or significant amendment. By exposing the dangers or absurdities inherent in such laws, society is propelled to seek change and improvement.

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Abraham Lincoln This quote is from Abraham Lincoln between February 12, 1809 and April 15, 1865. He was a famous President from USA. The author also have 114 other quotes.
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