July 6, 2004
SIGN US UP FOR THE SUICIDE PACT:
A Near Miss for Key Rights (Jonathan Turley, June 29, 2004, LA Times)
Winston Churchill once said there is nothing that concentrates the mind like being shot at and missed. For civil libertarians, the rulings this week against the Bush administration and some of its anti-terrorism practices certainly served to concentrate the mind. However, as relieved as many citizens are that basic due process rights were protected, we dodged this bullet by a hair's breadth — and the system seemed to triumph only by default.
Admittedly we hang with a different crowd than Mr. Turley, but does anyone know anyone outside of the groves of academe who is "relieved" that members of al Qaeda may now win their release from prison? Posted by Orrin Judd at July 6, 2004 10:31 AM
Mr. Judd;
Al Qaeda members? Or is that still considered academe?
Posted by: Annoying Old Guy at July 6, 2004 10:40 AMThat's not the Churchill quote. I'd have to look it up to confirm, but the real quote is something along the lines of "there is nothing so exhilarating as being shot at and missed."
There is another quote by Samuel Johnson that nothing concentrates the mind so much as the prospect of being hanged in a fortnight.
Seems like Mr. Turley conflated the two in his own mind, and came up with his own quote. The only reason I'm being pedantic about this is that his mistake allows him to drag Churchill's name into a commentary where it has no place.
Of course, my favorite Samuel Johnson quote is:
"I do not care to speak ill of any man behind his back, but I believe the gentleman is an attorney."
Yes. Lots. And a lot more I read through links on this site everyday.
Posted by: Peter B at July 6, 2004 11:49 AM