Hitler never abandoned the cloak of legality; he recognized the enormous psychological value of having the law on his side. Instead, he turned the law inside out and made illegality legal.
Robert ByrdRead
That's what the Senate is about. It's the last bastion of minority rights, where a minority can be heard, where a minority can stand on its feet, one individual if necessary, and speak until he falls into the dust
Interpretation
What this quote means
The Senate serves as a vital platform for minority voices, ensuring they are heard and represented.
In this quote, Robert Byrd emphasizes the role of the Senate as a protective space for minority rights, illustrating that it is a crucial institution where even one individual can stand up and have their voice heard. He portrays the Senate as a last fortress for those who may be marginalized in society, underlining the importance of democratic representation and the duty of each senator to advocate for those without power.
Themes
SenateMinority RightsRepresentationDemocracyAdvocacy
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about political representation, one might quote Byrd to emphasize the importance of minority voices in governance.
More from Robert Byrd
All quotes →Similar quotes
In the final analysis it doesn't really matter what the political system is...We don't need perfect political systems; we need perfect participation.
Cesar ChavezRead
Abstention means you stayed at home or went to the beach. By casting a blank vote, you're saying you have a political conscience but you don't agree with any of the existing parties.
Jose SaramagoRead
I deplore the need or the use of troops anywhere to get American citizens to obey the orders of constituted courts.
Dwight D. EisenhowerRead
Elections are always a Rorschach test - people look at the results and see what they want to see.
Anne ApplebaumRead
The problem here is that there will always be some uncertainty about how quickly Saddam can acquire nuclear weapons. But we don't want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud.
Condoleezza RiceRead
You do not examine legislation in the light of the benefits it will convey if properly administered, but in the light of the wrongs it would do and the harms it would cause if improperly administered.
Lyndon B. JohnsonRead