No wood, just words this time

But what great words they are. From Judge Learned Hand, one of our most respected American jurists. (And what a great name, too, huh? His brother was also a judge, and his name was Augustus.) These words are from a 4th of July address entitled The Spirit of Liberty:

I often wonder whether we do not rest our hopes too much upon constitutions, upon laws and upon courts. These are false hopes; believe me, these are false hopes. Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no law, no court can even do much to help it. While it lies there it needs no constitution, no law, no court to save it.

Amen, Brother L. Amen.