Protection, therefore,
against the tyranny of
the magistrate is not enough;
the magistrate is not enough;
there needs protection against
the tyranny of
the prevailing opinion and feeling,
the prevailing opinion and feeling,
against the tendency of society to impose,
by other means than civil penalties,
by other means than civil penalties,
its own ideas and practices
as rules of conduction
those who dissent from them.
John Stuart Mill(1806-1873)
Source: On Liberty, 1859
Source: On Liberty, 1859
* * * * *
It is a maxim among lawyers
that whatever hath been done before
may be done again, and
therefore they take special care
to record all the decisions
formerly made against
common justice and
common justice and
the general reason of mankind.
These, under the name of precedents,
they produce as authorities to justify
they produce as authorities to justify
the most iniquitous opinions, and
the judges never fail of directing
them accordingly.
Jonathan Swift(1667-1745)
Source: Gulliver’s Travels, 1726
Source: Gulliver’s Travels, 1726
* * * * *
You do not examine legislation
in the light of the benefits
it will convey
if properly administered, but
in the light of the wrongs
it would do and the harm
it would do and the harm
it would cause
if improperly administered.
Lyndon B. Johnson(1908-1973)
37th US President (1963-1969)
37th US President (1963-1969)
