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The process of democracy is one of change. Our laws are not frozen into immutable form, they are constantly in the process of revision in response to the needs of a changing society.

Thurgood Marshall

I cannot accept this invitation for I do not believe that the meaning of the Constitution was forever ‘fixed’ at the Philadelphia Convention… To the contrary, the government they devised was defective from the start. [Progressive]
THURGOOD MARSHALL

Acceptance Believe Constitution Forever Government Myself Start
I’m the world’s original gradualist. I just think ninety-odd years is gradual enough.
THURGOOD MARSHALL

Enough Myself Thinking World
We must dissent from the fear.
THURGOOD MARSHALL

Fear One Liner
Surely the fact that a uniformed police officer is wearing his hair below his collar will make him no less identifiable as a policeman.
THURGOOD MARSHALL

Fact Hairs Identify Man
Our whole constitutional heritage rebels at the thought of giving government the power to control men’s minds.
THURGOOD MARSHALL

Constitution Control Government Heritage Man Mindset Power Thinking
Classifications and distinctions based on race or color have no moral or legal validity in our society. They are contrary to our constitution and laws.
THURGOOD MARSHALL

Color Constitution Law Moral Ourselves Race Society
None of us got where we are solely by pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps. We got here because somebody – a parent, a teacher, an Ivy League crony or a few nuns – bent down and helped us pick up our boots.
THURGOOD MARSHALL

Help Journey Ourselves Parents Teacher
It is now well established that the Constitution protects the right to receive information and ideas.This right to receive information and ideas, regardless of their social worth, is fundamental to our free society.
THURGOOD MARSHALL

Constitution Establishment Freedom Fundamental Ideas Ourselves Protection Right Society Worth
Mere access to the courthouse doors does not by itself assure a proper functioning of the adversary process.
THURGOOD MARSHALL

Access Function
The ban directly hampers the partys ability to spread its message and hamstrings voters seeking to inform themselves about the candidates and issues.
THURGOOD MARSHALL

Ability Direction Issues Seek Vote
To protest against injustice is the foundation of all our American democracy.
THURGOOD MARSHALL

Democracy Foundation Injustice Ourselves
What is the quality of your intent?
THURGOOD MARSHALL

Intention One Liner Quality Yourself
The death penalty is no more effective a deterrent than life imprisonment. It is also evident that the burden of capital punishment falls upon the poor, the ignorant and the underprivileged members of society.
THURGOOD MARSHALL

Death Fall Ignorance Life Poor Prison Privilege Society
A man can make what he wants of himself if he truly believes that he must be ready for hard work and many heartbreaks.
THURGOOD MARSHALL

Believe Hard Work Heart Broken Himself Man True
History teaches that grave threats to liberty often come in times of urgency, when constitutional rights seem too extravagant to endure.
THURGOOD MARSHALL

Endurance History Liberty Right Teaching Threat
Truth is more than a mental exercise.
THURGOOD MARSHALL

Exercise Mental Truth
In recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute.
THURGOOD MARSHALL

Humanity Ourselves Pay Recognition Respect
It is a historic step toward eliminating the shameful practice of racial discrimination in the selection of juries.
THURGOOD MARSHALL

Discrimination History Practice Race Selection Shame
We can always stick together when we are losing, but tend to find means of breaking up when we’re winning.
THURGOOD MARSHALL

Break Lose Ourselves Togetherness Win
Our Constitution is the envy of the world, as it should be for it is the grand design of the finest nation on earth.
THURGOOD MARSHALL

Constitution Design Earth Jealous Nation Ourselves World
Sometimes history takes things into its own hands.
THURGOOD MARSHALL

Hands History
The First Amendment serves not only the needs of the polity but also those of the human spirit – a spirit that demands self-expression .
THURGOOD MARSHALL

Expression Human Need Service Spirit
Ending racial discrimination in jury selection can be accomplished only by eliminating peremptory challenges entirely.
THURGOOD MARSHALL

Accomplishment Challenge Discrimination End Race Selection
A child born to a Black mother in a state like Mississippi… has exactly the same rights as a white baby born to the wealthiest person in the United States. It’s not true, but I challenge anyone to say it is not a goal worth working for.
THURGOOD MARSHALL

Black Born Children Goal Myself Person Right True White Worth
The measure of a country’s greatness is its ability to retain compassion in time of crisis.
THURGOOD MARSHALL

Ability Compassionate Country Greatness Time
The process of democracy is one of change. Our laws are not frozen into immutable form, they are constantly in the process of revision in response to the needs of a changing society.
THURGOOD MARSHALL

Change Democracy Law Oneself Recognition Response Society
None of us got where we are solely by pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps.
THURGOOD MARSHALL

Destiny Journey Ourselves

The process of democracy is one of change. Our laws are not frozen into immutable form, they are constantly in the process of revision in response to the needs of a changing society.

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The process of democracy is one of change. Our laws are not frozen into immutable form, they are constantly in the process of revision in response to the needs of a changing society.

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