Tyranny Quotes - Page 32

• The most common characteristic of all police states is intimidation by surveillance. Citizens know they are being watched and overheard. Their mail is being examined. Their homes can be invaded.

  Vance Packard

  Home, Police, Citizens

  Anne Edwards, David G. McCullough, Vance Oakley Packard, Andrew Sinclair, Daphne Du Maurier (1978). “Vivien Leigh: a biography”

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• The mission of the Gestapo expanded steadily as from 1933 onward, "political criminality" was given a much broader definition than ever before and more forms of dissent and criticism were gradually criminalized. The result was that more "laws" or law-like measures were put on the books than ever.

  Sheila Fitzpatrick

  Book, Law, Political

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• When is conduct a crime, and when is a crime not a crime? When "Somebody Up There" - a monarch, a dictator, a Pope, a legislator - so decrees.

  Jessica Mitford

  Government, Prison, Dictator

  Jessica Mitford (1973). “Kind and usual punishment: the prison business”, Not Avail

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• A legislative act contrary to the Constitution is not law.

  John Marshall

  Government, Law, Constitution

  John Marshall (2005). “The Political and Economic Doctrines of John Marshall”, p.337, The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd.

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• A decision by the Fuhrer in the express form of a law or a decree may not be scrutinized by a judge. In addition, the judge is bound by any other decision of the Fuhrer.

  Adolf Hitler

  Law, Judging, Decision

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• Peace without justice is tyranny

  William Allen White

  Peace, Editors, Justice

  William Allen White (1937). “Forty Years on Main Street”

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• The object of any tyrant would be to overthrow or diminish trial by jury, for it is the lamp that shows that freedom lives.

  Patrick Devlin, Baron Devlin

  Tyrants, Would Be, Lamps

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• I know not why any one but a school boy in his declamation would whine over the Commonwealth of Rome, which grew great only by the misery of the rest of mankind. The Romans, like others, as soon as they were rich, grew corrupt; and in their corruption sold the lives and freedoms of themselves and of one another.

  Samuel Johnson

  School, Boys, Rome

  Samuel Johnson (1825). “The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D.”, p.473

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• Let us not be defeated by the tyranny of the world financial markets that threaten peace and democracy everywhere.

  Stephane Hessel

  Democracy, World, Financial

  "A French Manifesto to Unite Occupy Wall Street" by William D. Cohan, www.sfgate.com. November 30, 2011.

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• Neither your life nor my life, nor the future of this country, will be affected in the slightest by whether Linda Tripp is naughty or nice. But if any president is able to commit crimes with impunity by using the vast powers and perquisites of his office to cover up, then we will have a danger of corruption and abuse of power that can only grow with the passing years and generations.

  Thomas Sowell

  Country, Nice, Naughty

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• We have, I fear, confused power with greatness.

  Stewart Udall

  Confused, Power, Greatness

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• The act of voting by ordinary Iraqis in the face of extreme danger confirms President Bush's belief that people around the globe, when given a chance, will choose liberty and democracy over enslavement and tyranny.

  John Ensign

  People, Voting, President

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• As a work progresses, its power to elicit and dictate response mounts. There seems to be an optimum moment when this power is at its greatest which just precedes the point where 'elicit' is no longer apt usage. 'Dictates' is the word for this condition and tyranny is the adversary.

  Richard Diebenkorn

  Power, Progress, Moments

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• Peoples of Egypt , you will be told that I have come to destroy your religion. Do not believe it! Reply that I have come to restore your rights!

  Napoleon Bonaparte

  War, Believe, Rights

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• Resistance to tyranny becomes the Christian and social duty of each individual… Continue steadfast and, with a proper sense of your dependence on God, nobly defend those rights which heaven gave, and no man ought to take from us.

  John Hancock

  God, Christian, Men

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• Washington is dead! This great man fought against Tyranny; he established the liberty of his country. His memory will always be dear to the French people, as it will be to all free men of the two worlds; and especially to French soldiers, who, like him and the American soldiers, have combated for liberty and equality.

  Napoleon Bonaparte

  Country, Memories, Men

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• Of all forms of tyranny the least attractive and the most vulgar is the tyranny of mere wealth.

  Theodore Roosevelt

  Political, Wealth, Attractive

  Theodore Roosevelt, Paul H. Jeffers (1998). “The Bully Pulpit: A Teddy Roosevelt Book of Quotations”, p.130, Taylor Trade Publications

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• There is something more important than any ultimate weapon. That is the ultimate position-the position of total control over Earth that lies somewhere out in space. That is . . . the distant future, though not so distant as we may have thought. Whoever gains that ultimate position gains control, total control, over the Earth, for the purposes of tyranny or for the service of freedom

  Lyndon B. Johnson

  Lying, Space, Important

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• I don't want to see this country ever go across the bridge. I know the capacity that is there to make tyranny total in America, and we must see to it that this agency and all agencies that possess this technology operate within the law and under proper supervision, so that we never cross over that abyss. That is the abyss from which there is no return.

  Frank Church

  Country, Technology, Agency

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• The National Security Agency’s capability at any time could be turned around on the American people, and no American would have any privacy left, such is the capability to monitor everything: telephone conversations, telegrams, it doesn’t matter. There would be no place to hide. If a dictator ever took over, the N.S.A. could enable it to impose total tyranny, and there would be no way to fight back.

  Frank Church

  Fighting, Agency, People

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• As it was 189 years ago, so today the cause of America is a revolutionary cause. And I am proud this morning to salute you as fellow revolutionaries. Neither you nor I are willing to accept the tyranny of poverty, nor the dictatorship of ignorance, nor the despotism of ill health, nor the oppression of bias and prejudice and bigotry. We want change. We want progress. We want it both abroad and at homeand we aim to get it.

  Lyndon B. Johnson

  Morning, Ignorance, Bias And Prejudice

  Johnson, Lyndon B. (1967). “Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1966”, p.830, Best Books on

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• The poor suffer twice at the rioter's hands. First, his destructive fury scars their neighborhood; second, the atmosphere of accommodation and consent is changed to one of hostility and resentment.

  Lyndon B. Johnson

  Hands, Suffering, Atmosphere

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• Tyranny may creep in under the outward forms of traditional law.

  Joseph Sobran

  Law, Liberty, May

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• Every single empire in its official discourse has said that it is not like all the others, that its circumstances are special, that it has a mission to enlighten, civilize, bring order and democracy, and that it uses force only as a last resort. And, sadder still, there always is a chorus of willing intellectuals to say calming words about benign or altruistic empires.

  Edward Said

  Order, Tyrants, Democracy

  Edward W. Said (2014). “Orientalism”, p.21, Vintage

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• International law? I better call my lawyer; he didn't bring that up to me.

  George W. Bush

  Law, Tyrants, International

  George W. Bush Discusses Year-End Accomplishments in Cabinet Meeting, georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov. December 11, 2003.

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