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Old 12-20-2008, 7:04 PM
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Lex Arma Lex Arma is offline
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Default I respectfully disagree

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dedicated_dad View Post
The "I was just following orders" defense didn't work at Nuremberg, and IMHO is equally invalid anywhere else.

This mess will stop when "rank and file" LEOs of all stripes stand up and say something to the effect of "I must respectfully decline to obey what I believe to be an illegal order."
Not all of the defendants at Nuremberg were convicted. Nor was Mr. Chinn engaged in genocide.

Refusing to obey an unlawful order is risky for soldiers and cops. They tend to get shot or lose their pensions if they guess wrong. As for these LEOs who are supposed to judge for themselves which orders they will obey and which ones they will ignore; does that include members of the executive branch who are tasked with enforcing civil rights laws? So if a U.S. Marshall is supposed to insure access to voting booths in the South circa. 1963, but he respectfully declines to obey what he believes is an illegal order, that would be a proper example of separation of powers?
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If civic virtu does not reside in the people - no constitution, no bill of rights, no legislative body and no court will be able to preserve our liberties.

Unconsciously borrowed from: "Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no law, no court can save it." — Judge Learned Hand

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Last edited by Lex Arma; 12-20-2008 at 7:09 PM.. Reason: grammar