Decency is the least of all laws, but yet it is the law which is most strictly observed.
quote by Francois de La Rochefoucauld
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A state is better governed which has few laws, and those laws strictly observed.
quote by Rene Descartes
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Let me not be understood as saying that there are no bad laws, nor that grievances may not arise for the redress of which no legal provisions have been made. I mean to say no such thing. But I do mean to say that although bad laws, if they exist, should be repealed as soon as possible, still, while they continue in force, for the sake of example they should be religiously observed.
quote by Abraham Lincoln
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The laws that forbid the carrying of arms are laws of such a nature. They disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes. Can it be supposed that those who have the courage to violate the most sacred laws of humanity, the most important of the code, will respect the less important and arbitrary ones, which can be violated with ease and impunity, and which, if strictly obeyed, would put an end to personal liberty... and subject innocent persons to all the vexations that the guilty alone ought to suffer? Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man. They ought to be designated as laws not preventive but fearful of crimes, produced by the tumultuous impression of a few isolated facts, and not by thoughtful consideration of the inconveniences and advantages of a universal decree.
quote by Cesare Beccaria
Submitted by Simona Enache
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If you don't believe in God, all you have to believe in is decency. Decency is very good. Better decent than indecent. But I don't think it's enough.
quote by Harold MacMillan
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Linguistics will have to recognise laws operating universally in language, and in a strictly rational manner, separating general phenomena from those restricted to one branch of languages or another.
quote by Ferdinand de Saussure
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We have never been strictly political, only strictly funny.
quote by Adrian Edmondson
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I believe that we should die with decency so that at least decency will survive.
quote by Dag Hammarskjold
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How Fortunate the Man with None
From the play "Mother Courage"
You saw sagacious Solomon
You know what came of him,
To him complexities seemed plain.
He cursed the hour that gave birth to him
And saw that everything was vain.
How great and wise was Solomon.
The world however did not wait
But soon observed what followed on.
It's wisdom that had brought him to this state.
How fortunate the man with none.
You saw courageous Caesar next
You know what he became.
They deified him in his life
Then had him murdered just the same.
And as they raised the fatal knife
How loud he cried: you too my son!
The world however did not wait
But soon observed what followed on.
It's courage that had brought him to that state.
How fortunate the man with none.
You heard of honest Socrates
The man who never lied:
They weren't so grateful as you'd think
Instead the rulers fixed to have him tried
And handed him the poisoned drink.
How honest was the people's noble son.
The world however did not wait
But soon observed what followed on.
It's honesty that brought him to that state.
How fortunate the man with none.
Here you can see respectable folk
Keeping to God's own laws.
So far he hasn't taken heed.
You who sit safe and warm indoors
Help to relieve our bitter need.
How virtuously we had begun.
The world however did not wait
But soon observed what followed on.
It's fear of god that brought us to that state.
How fortunate the man with none.
poem by Bertolt Brecht
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To Overcome II
To overcome,
Strictly by the laws;
To overcome,
By learning how to do it right;
So, do your part and let me do my part! !
And, let us put the world into a better place.
poem by Edward Kofi Louis
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The Inner Voice - Conscience
Laws on earth can be made, unmade;
Laws can be bettered or worsened by change;
Laws may be just or unjust and never perfect;
Laws can be changed for comfort and convenience.
Laws may change from time to time;
Laws cannot reflect truth always;
Laws depend on the constituent makers;
Laws can never be ideal for all times!
But the inner Voice -the Conscience is static;
It always speaks the truth irrevocably;
It is not transmutable anytime;
It can never lie ever even by chance.
The Inner Voice scores over laws always;
One's conscience always tells what is right;
Freedom of man's conscience is paramount;
Laws to stifle the Inner Voice are simply futile!
Laws are needed but must be just and fair;
Laws aren't needed to fetter the conscience;
Laws are man-made and transmutable;
Conscience is God-given, remaining the same in everyone!
Obey the laws when they are fair and just;
Heed to your Conscience, God's law-maker within!
Copyright by Dr John Celes 14-02-12
poem by John Celes
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Hell And Heaven
Do you know the rules in hell?
It is like a drunkard with a gun in the hand;
For there are no laws observed over there!
Do you know the rules in heaven?
It is like the sweet apples on your lips;
For everything is done by the rule of law!
poem by Edward Kofi Louis
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The Ghost: Book II (excerpt)
...
Pomposo (insolent and loud),
Vain idol of a scribbling crowd,
Whose very name inspires an awe,
Whose ev'ry word is sense and law,
For what his greatness hath decreed,
Like laws of Persia and of Mede,
Sacred thro' all the realm of wit,
Must never of repeal admit;
Who, cursing flatt'ry, is the tool
Of ev'ry fawning, flatt'ring fool;
Who wit with jealous eye surveys,
And sickens at another's praise;
Who, proudly seiz'd of learning's throne,
Now damns all learning but his own;
Who scorns those common wares to trade in,
Reas'ning, convincing, and persuading,
But makes each sentence current pass
With "Puppy," "Coxcomb," "Scoundrel," "Ass";
For 'tis with him a certain rule,
The folly's prov'd when he calls fool;
Who, to increase his native strength,
Draws words six syllables in length,
With which, assisted with a frown
By way of club, he knocks us down;
Who 'bove the vulgar dares to rise,
And sense of decency defies,
(For this same decency is made
Only for bunglers in the trade,
And, like the cobweb laws, is still
Broke thro' by great ones when they will)--
Pomposo, with strong sense supplied,
Supported, and confirm'd by pride,
His comrades' terrors to beguile,
"Grinn'd horribly a ghastly smile:"
Features so horrid, were it light,
Would put the Devil himself to flight.
...
poem by Charles Churchill
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Barely rhymed sonnet: Love and Law
The universe, a single act of love,
it’s said; and ever so, then, must remain;
is never other; has no place for hate,
save in the minds and hearts of less than men..
the universe, a single, lawful law;
from which all laws emerge, as reason does;
emerge as justice, in those laws observed;
and known and lived, a promise of true bliss;
may we, then, share a single, wholesome view
in which the love of law, and law of love
rest warm in heart and bright in eye and mind,
and meet to know this mercy from above?
Thus live as the Creator’s mind – a prayer
I barely dare; yet hope That heart to share..
poem by Michael Shepherd
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The Laws of God, The Laws of Man
The laws of God, the laws of man,
He may keep that will and can;
Not I: let God and man decree
Laws for themselves and not for me;
And if my ways are not as theirs
Let them mind their own affairs.
Their deeds I judge and much condemn,
Yet when did I make laws for them?
Please yourselves, say I, and they
Need only look the other way.
But no, they will not; they must still
Wrest their neighbor to their will,
And make me dance as they desire
With jail and gallows and hell-fire.
And how am I to face the odds
Of man's bedevilment and God's?
I, a stranger and afraid
In a world I never made.
They will be master, right or wrong;
Though both are foolish, both are strong.
And since, my soul, we cannot fly
To Saturn nor to Mercury,
Keep we must, if keep we can,
These foreign laws of God and man.
poem by Alfred Edward Housman
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Laws
Laws created to curb the rise of domestic violence.
Laws created to curb the rise of racial tensions.
Laws created to curb interpretations,
Of what is and what is not politically correct.
But those who are corrupted and create the laws...
Can not see their own flaws,
That initiate the mess.
Laws created to curb a racial profiling on the rise.
Laws created to curb a greed that has affected lives.
Laws that limit freedoms to blatantly discriminate...
Those who do this anyway,
No matter what the laws are to perpetuate a hate.
Laws created to curb the rise of domestic violence.
Laws created to curb the rise of racial tensions.
Laws created to curb interpretations,
Of what is and what is not politically correct.
But those who are corrupted and create the laws...
Can not see their own flaws,
That initiate the mess.
And those upset by these laws,
Want more of them and yet neglect!
Like 'Commandments' given no respect.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
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Beggar's death
No one cried over his demise
When his body was found at our premise
He might have tried to knock the door
But we were fast asleep in door
We used to give him some food
When he passed in street with health looking good
He won't beg of his own but always thanked
When offered something that he cheerfully drank
For many days we had noticed his absence
It was giving us shock not to witness his presence
We believed in his well being even though he was not related
As we felt good for him and humanly feted
Some one shouted by his name as beggar
We ran out of premises and noticed there
His motionless body with no movement
We felt bad and cursed his death with resentment
Even though something had forced him
He never used to bother and troubled them
He will stare at the sky and murmur
Laugh gently as if wanted something to offer
For whatever reason at least he deserved descent burial
The decency at this time was essential
Anybody would want to be happily taken away
The last rituals were to be observed is this way
His eyes were wide open and wanted an answer
I shut it with hands and offered its closure
"What was a purpose in leading such life? "
As it was spend on edges of sharp knife
As he had no one to look after
We took all responsibility there after
He was given nice bath and offered good cloths
The destination point was observed after his death
poem by Hasmukh Amathalal
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Action to be
What is most important?
The action meant to be instant?
The reality and not the stunts
Or the capacity to bear the brunt
What does the seed do when planted?
How does the man react when hunted?
What can be the reaction when openly blunted?
It will be pity if you know the reason for being shunted
Everybody will need proper care and attention
If not, then it will create problems with tension
What all others things are needed for proper plantation?
There should be no reason for any hesitation
The base has to be strong for any good foundation
No one may prefer to go for or against without any recommendation
There has to be sincere efforts for calling a day
You can hold roots with firm commitment to say
Some of the martial races observe strict laws
For centuries they have remained outlaws
Still they have peculiar character to maintain
They have vigorous power to combat and contain
we commit error and regret later
Then nothing can be done for subject matter
It has o be planted with full care
You may have all the clues from some where
It has to be strictly observed from the very beginning
It will be of no use to offer regrets or start grinning
The structure has to stand erect and firm
You have to be sole judge for it and confirm
The roots will not be shaken for silly reason
The bold action on your part may make you good person
You will have all the reasons to enjoy
It is your capacity and ability to employ
poem by Hasmukh Amathalal
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An action to be
What is most important?
The action meant to be instant?
The reality and not the stunts
Or the capacity to bear the brunt
What does the seed do when planted?
How does the man react when hunted?
What can be the reaction when openly blunted?
It will be pity if you know the reason for being shunted
Everybody will need proper care and attention
If not, then it will create problems with tension
What all others things are needed for proper plantation?
There should be no reason for any hesitation
The base has to be strong for any good foundation
No one may prefer to go for or against without any recommendation
There has to be sincere efforts for calling a day
You can hold roots with firm commitment to say
Some of the martial races observe strict laws
For centuries they have remained outlaws
Still they have peculiar character to maintain
They have vigorous power to combat and contain
we commit error and regret later
Then nothing can be done for subject matter
It has o be planted with full care
You may have all the clues from some where
It has to be strictly observed from the very beginning
It will be of no use to offer regrets or start grinning
The structure has to stand erect and firm
You have to be sole judge for it and confirm
The roots will not be shaken for silly reason
The bold action on your part may make you good person
You will have all the reasons to enjoy
It is your capacity and ability to employ
poem by Hasmukh Amathalal
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But black people fall for that same argument, and they go around talking about law breakers. We did not make the laws in this country. We are neither morally nor legally confined to those laws. Those laws that keep them up, keep us down.
quote by H. Rap Brown
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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nature’s laws are encoded God’s laws
interlocking interrelated creation laws
time space big bang conception secrets
haiku by Terence George Craddock
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