Our whole constitutional heritage rebels at the thought of giving government the power to control men's minds.
Thurgood MarshallRead
Mere access to the courthouse doors does not by itself assure a proper functioning of the adversary process.
Interpretation
Access to the legal system alone does not guarantee fairness or justice in disputes.
Thurgood Marshall's quote highlights that simply providing people the ability to enter a courthouse does not ensure that they will receive a fair trial or that the processes of justice will work effectively. It points to the importance of equality, representation, and the quality of legal processes, suggesting that systemic issues must be addressed for justice to be truly served.
In practice
This quote can be used in discussions on legal reform.
Our whole constitutional heritage rebels at the thought of giving government the power to control men's minds.
The United States has been called the melting pot of the world. But it seems to me that the colored man either missed getting into the pot or he got melted down.
I cannot accept this invitation [to celebrate the bicentenial of the Constitution], 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]
When in Gregg v. Georgia the Supreme Court gave its seal of approval to capital punishment, this endorsement was premised on the promise that capital punishment would be administered with fairness and justice. Instead, the promise has become a cruel and empty mockery. If not remedied, the scandalous state of our present system of capital punishment will cast a pall of shame over our society for years to come. We cannot let it continue.
If the First Amendment means anything, it means that a state has no business telling a man, sitting alone in his house, what books he may read or what films he may watch.
In recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute.
Wrongful convictions happen every week in every state in this country. And they happen for all the same reasons. Sloppy police work. Eyewitness identification is the most - is the worst type almost. Because it's wrong about half the time. Think about that.
I know that every trial requires fairness and truth. Any trial that abandons the pursuit of truth cannot be considered fair or just.
Terrorism does not disappear with revenge tactics but through making justice and equality before law a reality.
Enforcement priorities and arrest patterns must not lead to disparate treatment under the law, even if such treatment is unintended. And police forces should reflect the diversity of the communities they serve.
My cause was justice, not vengeance. My work is for a better tomorrow and a more secure future for our children and grandchildren.
After decades of persistent, courageous advocacy - often at risk to their own lives, livelihoods, and safety - African Americans succeeded in securing their right to a voice in our government, and their work laid the foundation for the social justice work of generations to follow.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.