As we have seen from Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's example, even one justice can profoundly alter the meaning of those words for our citizens. Even one justice can deeply affect the rights and liberties of the American people.
Edward KennedyThe Constitution does not just protect those whose views we share; it also protects those with whose views we disagree.
Edward KennedyViolence is an admission that one's ideas and goals cannot prevail on their own merits.
Edward KennedyI don't think you're going to be a success in anything if you think about losing, whether it's in sports or in politics.
Edward KennedyThe real transgression occurs when religion wants government to tell citizens how to live uniquely personal parts of their lives. The failure of Prohibition proves the futility of such an attempt when a majority or even a substantial minority happens to disagree. Some questions may be inherently individual ones, or people may be sharply divided about whether they are. In such cases, like Prohibition and abortion, the proper role of religion is to appeal to the conscience of the individual, not the coercive power of the state.
Edward Kennedy