Quotes that resonate
Discussion
I've posted some quotes here before, aimed at the state of legislation in the UK and the relationship between citizens (drivers) and the state. Browsing for some quotes for chapter headings, I found these:
On speed cameras:
"It is impossible to introduce into society a greater change and a greater evil than this: the conversion of the law into an instrument of plunder." -- Frédéric Bastia (French political economist)
"Sometimes the law defends plunder and participates in it. Sometimes the law places the whole apparatus of judges, police, prisons and gendarmes at the service of the plunderers, and treats the victim -- when he defends himself -- as a criminal." -- Frédéric Bastia
On statistics quoted by scamera partnerships:
"How strangely will the Tools of a Tyrant pervert the plain Meaning of Words!" -- Samuel Adams (1722-1803 : signatory to the US Declaration of Independence)
On the law and its enforcement:
"Experts and the educated elite have replaced what worked with what sounded good. Society was far more civilized before they took over our schools, prisons, welfare programs, police departments and courts. It's high time we ran these people out of our lives and went back to common sense." -- Walter Williams (US economist)
On the government:
"The average age of the world's greatest democratic nations has been 200 years. Each has been
through the following sequence:
From bondage to spiritual faith,
From faith to great courage,
From courage to liberty,
From liberty to abundance,
From abundance to complacency,
From complacency to selfishness,
From selfishness to apathy,
From apathy to fear,
From fear to dependency,
And from dependency back again into bondage."
-- Lord Macaulay (1800-1859)
[I think we're at stage 5 ... or maybe 10!]
Streaky
On speed cameras:
"It is impossible to introduce into society a greater change and a greater evil than this: the conversion of the law into an instrument of plunder." -- Frédéric Bastia (French political economist)
"Sometimes the law defends plunder and participates in it. Sometimes the law places the whole apparatus of judges, police, prisons and gendarmes at the service of the plunderers, and treats the victim -- when he defends himself -- as a criminal." -- Frédéric Bastia
On statistics quoted by scamera partnerships:
"How strangely will the Tools of a Tyrant pervert the plain Meaning of Words!" -- Samuel Adams (1722-1803 : signatory to the US Declaration of Independence)
On the law and its enforcement:
"Experts and the educated elite have replaced what worked with what sounded good. Society was far more civilized before they took over our schools, prisons, welfare programs, police departments and courts. It's high time we ran these people out of our lives and went back to common sense." -- Walter Williams (US economist)
On the government:
"The average age of the world's greatest democratic nations has been 200 years. Each has been
through the following sequence:
From bondage to spiritual faith,
From faith to great courage,
From courage to liberty,
From liberty to abundance,
From abundance to complacency,
From complacency to selfishness,
From selfishness to apathy,
From apathy to fear,
From fear to dependency,
And from dependency back again into bondage."
-- Lord Macaulay (1800-1859)
[I think we're at stage 5 ... or maybe 10!]
Streaky
jeffreyarcher said:
On statistics quoted by scamera partnerships:
"How strangely will the Tools of a Tyrant pervert the plain Meaning of Words!" -- Samuel Adams (1722-1803 : signatory to the US Declaration of Independence)
Very apt when referred to Superior Court judgements when the judges turn somersaults to convict.
Francis v DPP ('other' doesn't mean 'other')
There are lots more.
Stott v Brown. 'The right not to incriminate oneself in ECHR art. 6 is not absolute', even though it is.
Pope v Clark. (Although the legislation clearly says they have to give the time, we have decided they don't have to).
DPP v Broomfield. (There is no mention of a 'signature' in S172, but we say there is).
Francic v DPP (again) S172 says you have to provide 'information' as to the identity of the driver. We say that means 'a signed witness statement'.
I call them, "HumptyDumptyisms".
It was Humpty Dumpty in "Alice in Wonderland" who said, "Words mean what I want them to mean."?
Streaky
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