Edward Gibbon Quote - Liberty Quotes Blog

"Whenever the offence inspires
less horror than the punishment,
the rigour of penal law is obliged
to give way to the common feelings
of mankind."

by:	Edward Gibbon (1737-1794) English historian and Member of Parliament
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Categories:	Constitution, Drugs, Freedom, Government, Justice, Law, Morals, Society, Tolerance, Truth, Tyranny, Liberty
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Reader comments about this quote:

? -- warren, olathe 1
AGREE!!!! -- Me Again 2
That doesn't actually make much sense. But coming from and MP that's about right. -- J Carlton, Calgary 3
Translated, it means that the problems associated of drug use is far less than the horrors of the War on Drugs . Drug use (mine is coffee) should be seen as a medical problem, not a legal problem.Then we could empty our jails of non violent people and make room for rapists, murderers and the like. Support LEAP, Law Enforcement against Prohibition, and we can stop this senseless and expensive non sense. LEAP.CC is the website. -- jim k, austin, k 2
The punishment needs fit the crime; no victimless crimes. -- Mike, Norwalk 3
Seems pretty straight-forward -- if the penalties inflict more damage than the offense itself, then the punishment is a crime. Mosaic law was 'an eye for an eye,' Christian law was 'turn the other cheek,' the Golden Rule "treat people the way you would like to be treated," but American drug abuse prevention is "lock 'em up and throw away the key." Ain't no way a nation can preserve its honor and freedom when it treats itself like that. Hypocrites! -- E Archer, NYC 4
Prison Nation : http://mises.org/story/2957 -- J Carlton, Calgary 3
Senseless laws, Doing more harm than ever any good. Great points of view, Jim and Archer. -- Ron w13, Or 3
Check out LEAP.CC -- jim k, austin tx 2
Does the crime fit the punishment? Increasingly justice is a commodity affordable to those with deep enough pockets - the outrage and feelings of mankind are more than often ignored. -- Mick, Manchester 1

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