We would not uphold an unconstitutional statute merely because the Government promised to use it responsibly. [...] The Government’s assurance that it will apply [a statutory provision] more restrictively than its language provides is pertinent only as an implicit acknowledgment of the potential constitutional problems with a more natural reading.
United States v. Stevens, 559 U.S. ___, 130 S.Ct. 1577 (2010) (Opinion of the Court).
“Government has an obligation to protect its citizenry.”
CNN telephone interview http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/ptech/02/07/nyc.ipod.reut/index.html about proposed ban of iPods while crossing streets (February 2007)
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Carl Kruger 1
American politician 1949Related quotes
As cited in The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World (2007), Alan Greenspan, Penguin Press, Chapter 4 (Private Citizen), p. 87 : ISBN 15942 01315
1980s
“The best defense against usurpatory government is an assertive citizenry.”
Windfall : The End of the Affair (1992).
“Tyranny is defined as that which is legal for the government but illegal for the citizenry.”
A wonderful quote, if only it were true, despite no shortage image-quote-memes online. note: "Spurious" here: https://www.monticello.org/site/research-and-collections/tyranny-defined-which-legal-government-spurious-quotation note: "Not True"
Source: https://www.truthorfiction.com/thomas-jefferson-tyranny-is-defined-as-that-which-is-legal-for-the-government-quote/
1930s, Speech to the Democratic National Convention (1936)
Report of the Independent Expert on the promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G16/151/19/PDF/G1615119.pdf?OpenElement.
2016, Report submitted to the UN Human Rights Council
United States v. Stevens, 559 U.S. ___, 130 S.Ct. 1577 (2010) (Opinion of the Court).
Source: Private Rights and Public Illusions (1994), p. xiii
“It is the duty of every patriot to protect his country from its government.”
Edward Abbey, "A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government." as written in "A Voice Crying in the Wilderness" (Vox Clamantis en Deserto): Notes from a Secret Journal (1990), ISBN 0312064888.
Misattributed
"We are Power" speech (1980)