There is all the difference in the world between the criminal's avoiding the public eye and the civil disobedience's taking the law into his own hands in open defiance. This distinction between an open violation of the law, performed in public, and a clandestine one is so glaringly obvious that it can be neglected only by prejudice or ill will.

Summary

This quote highlights the stark contrast between the actions of a criminal who hides from authorities and an individual practicing civil disobedience who openly challenges the law. The excerpt emphasizes that the difference between these two behaviors is so evident that it can only be disregarded through bias or hostility. It emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between unlawful acts committed discreetly and the deliberate act of openly defying the law as a form of protest or resistance.

Topics