“The principal purpose of stare decisis is to protect reliance interest and further stability in the law.”

The death penalty? Give me a break. It’s easy. Abortion? Absolutely easy. Nobody ever thought the constitution prevented restrictions on abortion. Homosexual sodomy? Come on. For 200 years, it was criminal in every state.

A Bill of Rights that means what the majority wants it to mean is worthless.

Certainly one cannot ban cross burning in the sanctity of his bedroom.

Bear in mind that brains and learning, like muscle and physical skill, are articles of commerce. They are bought and sold. You can hire them by the year or by the hour. The only thing in the world not for sale is character.

The purpose of the Federalist Society was to bring together young people who had this skepticism about what they were being taught and to let them know that there were others who shared this skepticism.

To many Americans, everything from the Easter morning to the Ascension had to be made up by the groveling enthusiasts as part of their plan to get themselves martyred.

One can be sophisticated and believe in God. Reason and intellect are not to be laid aside where matters of religion are concerned.

Certainly the Constitution does not require discrimination on the basis of sex. The only issue is whether it prohibits it. It doesn’t.

This is an execution, not surgery. Where does that come from, that you must find the method of execution that causes the least pain?

Why can’t the state accede to the public’s wishes?

In the eyes of government we are just one race here. It is American.

With respect to public acknowledgment of religious belief, it is entirely clear from our nation’s historical practices that the Establishment Clause permits this disregard of polytheists and believers in unconcerned deities, just as it permits the disregard of devout atheists.

It is difficult to maintain the illusion that we are interpreting a Constitution, rather than inventing one.

What is a moderate interpretation of the text? Halfway between what it really means and what you’d like it to mean?

[The] government has room to scale back individual rights during wartime without violating the Constitution. The Constitution just sets minimums. Most of the rights that you enjoy go way beyond what the Constitution requires.

To be honest about it, that is the view of Christians taken by modern society. Surely those who adhere to all or most of these traditional Christian beliefs are to be regarded as simpleminded.

It is better to exist unknown to the law.

Surveys like this are also conducted by other countries. We should handle this calmly under international law.

One thing I don’t like is when you disrespect the law.

Our system of justice is surely richer for the diversity of background and experience of its judges.

Trust me that as I ignore all law to help the slave, so will I ignore it all to protect an enslaved woman.

Yet, as the numbers reveal, women in law, even today, are not entering a bias-free profession.

Our mutual respect is only momentarily touched by our sometimes strong disagreements on what the law is.

You must obey the law, always, not only when they grab you by your special place.