A wooden gavel stands beside a small brass tabletop mirror against navy blue.

Original artwork, not a still

Ronald Reagan

We must reject the idea that every time a law's broken, society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker. It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions.

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

A political argument about responsibility. The speaker rejects blaming society whenever a law is broken and wants individuals held accountable for their own choices. This is one viewpoint on crime and personal responsibility, stated as a principle the speaker calls an American precept.

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