The Necessity of Constant Vigilance

“Judges do not cease to be human beings when they go on the bench. In important cases, it is my humble opinion that finding the right answer is often the least difficult problem. Having the courage to assert that answer and stand firm in the face of the constant winds of protest and criticism is often much more difficult... The Founders warned us that freedom requires constant vigilance, and repeated action. It is said that, when asked what sort of government the Founders had created, Benjamin Franklin replied that they had given us ‘A Republic, if you can keep it.’ Today, as in the past, we will need a brave ‘civic virtue,’ not a timid civility, to keep our republic.” —Justice Clarence Thomas