Civil Liberties Archives - Scott Bradford: Off on a Tangent

Scott Bradford has been putting his opinions on his website since 1995—before most people knew what a website was. He has been a professional web developer in the public- and private-sector for over twenty years. He is an independent constitutional conservative who believes in human rights and limited government, and a Catholic Christian whose beliefs are summarized in the Nicene Creed. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from George Mason University. He loves Pink Floyd and can play the bass guitar . . . sort-of. He’s a husband, pet lover, amateur radio operator, and classic AMC/Jeep enthusiast.

Quotes

For creation without the Creator fades into nothingness.

Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence was effective with the British precisely because they were not inclined to use excessive force against unarmed civilians. Instead, they behaved in a civilized manner, and they left. Would Gandhi’s tactics have worked with the Nazis?

It is human nature to think wisely and act in an absurd fashion.

Therefore do not seek to understand in order to believe, but believe that thou mayest understand.

Economic planning on a national scale in a politically free society involves contradictions that cannot be resolved in practice.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

We have to view technology as what it always has been—a tool for the betterment of the human condition. We should neither worship at the altar of technology nor be frightened by it.

I wasn’t a great communicator, but I communicated great things, and they didn’t spring full bloom from my brow, they came from the heart of a great nation—from our experience, our wisdom, and our belief in the principles that have guided us for two centuries.

A popular Government without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a Prologue to a Farce or a Tragedy, or perhaps both.

There are many hypotheses in science that are wrong. That’s perfectly alright; it’s the aperture to finding out what’s right. Science is a self-correcting process.

Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.

Miracles are not necessarily a cure for unbelief. If the will is perverse, all the evidence in the world would not convince, not even a resurrection from the dead

State welfare leaves the poor with little incentive to improve their situation because their basic needs are being met. A free ride through life doesn’t help people in the long run—it destroys their greatest capacity to learn and grow.

Every truth—if it really is truth—presents itself as universal, even if it is not the whole truth. If something is true, then it must be true for all people and at all times.

Are we at last brought to such humiliating and debasing degradation that we cannot be trusted with arms for our defense? . . . If our defense be the real object of having those arms, in whose hands can they be trusted with more propriety, or equal safety to us, as in our own hands?

Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?

The more you obey your conscience, the more your conscience will demand of you.

The right of a nation to kill a tyrant, in cases of necessity, can no more be doubted, than to hang a robber, or kill a flea. But killing one tyrant only makes way for worse, unless the people have sense, spirit, and honesty enough to establish and support a constitution guarded at all points against the tyranny of the one, the few, and the many.

For the spiritual power of a sacrament is like light in this way: . . . if it passes through the impure it is not defiled.

Function often follows form. Give yourself a context for capturing thoughts, and thoughts will occur that you don’t yet know you have.

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Tag: Civil Liberties

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