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About this quote

What does it mean?
Remaining silent when you should speak up against wrong turns you into a coward.
In plain terms
Silence when you should protest makes you a coward.
What can you take from it?
Speak up against injustice.

Where it applies

  • workplace ethics
  • social justice
  • personal integrity

Putting it to work

  • voice opposition
  • avoid complacency

Questions to consider

  • When is it hard to speak up?
  • What stops you from protesting?

Another view

Sometimes silence is strategically necessary for safety.

More from Abraham Lincoln

  1. You may fool all the people some of the time; you can even fool some of the people all the time; but you can't fool all of the people all the time.

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  2. Now, I say to you, my fellow-citizens, that in my opinion the signers of the Declaration had no reference to the negro whatever when they declared all men to b…

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  3. I cannot bring myself to believe that any human being lives who would do me harm.

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