Quote by William O. Douglas
There are only two choices: A police state in which all dissent is suppressed or rigidly controlled; or a society where law is responsive to human needs. If society is to be responsive to human needs, a vast restructuring of our laws is essential. Realization of this need means adults must awaken to the urgency of the young peoples unrestin other words there must be created an adult unrest against the inequities and injustices in the present system. If the government is in jeopardy, it is not because we are unable to cope with revolutionary situations. Jeopardy means that either the leaders or the people do not realize they have all the tools required to make the revolution come true. The tools and the opportunity exist. Only the moral imagination is missing.
Summary
This quote highlights the two choices society faces - either living in a restrictive police state that suppresses dissent, or creating a society where the laws are responsive to the needs of the people. It argues that to achieve a society that truly meets human needs, a significant restructuring of our laws is necessary. The quote also suggests that adults must recognize and support the urgency of the young people's dissatisfaction with the present system, by creating their own unrest against the inequities and injustices that exist. The quote concludes by stating that the tools and opportunity for change already exist; only the moral imagination is lacking.
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