Post originally by arcady at 2004-12-10 12:10:17
Converted from Phorums BB System

"To those who scare peace-loving people with phantoms of lost liberty, my message is this: Your tactics only aid terrorists, for they erods our national unity and diminish our resolve. They give ammunition to America's enemies."
--- Attorney General John Ashcroft.

"While we would not want to subscribe to the full sweep of the Latin maxim inter arms silent legis--'in times of war the laws are silent'--perhaps we can accept the proposition that though the laws are not silent in wartime, they speak with a muted voice."

--- Chief Justic William H. Rehnquist

"I think it is critical that one recognize that the first function--even if you are an ardent anarchist you have to recognize--the the function of government is the security of its polity and the safety of its people.

We have simply recognized the constitutional authority and deference that the government has, and needs to have, in order to do its job... What we're trying to do here is protect authority so the liberty of law-abiding people can flourish."

---Viet Dinh, assistant attorney general for legal policy, when asked about detaining people as enemy combatants without right to lawyers or trials.