Impunity Quotes
He warns particularly of politicians who believe their own lies.
1st Baron Thurlow. This famous statement expressed the great concern and distrust that England had for corporations. Their worst fears were exceeded by the 20th century and was completely over the top by the 21st century when many corporations could control entire nations and even in America and the UK, they were very powerful and often acted against the public and even national interest with impunity. The chancellor was very concerned as to how the behavior of corporations would be controlled and regulated. For individuals, there was a combination of conscience and legal punishment to control behavior. Partnerships were an extension of individuals. But what was the corresponding mechanism for corporations? The same question is often asked in modern times when corporate scandals and excesses are brought to light. See {586120} for another version of this concern that was stated a few generations later.
Peter was the first Russian Ruler to ever leave Russia. While he was gone, there was a rebellion of the Streltsi—the Muscovite Guard. Peter was the most urbane and sophisticated of the Russian rulers, but he was also capable of a traditional response of force. True to his word, he hung over 500 Streltsi from the Kremlin walls.
Jury nullification is when the jury believes that the defendant has committed the crime alleged, but acquits anyway because it believes the law is wrong or the defendant acted properly or justly. Most trial judges detest the concept and often tell the jury that they may not engage in the practice. However, there is a long American tradition of jury nullification dating back to colonial America. This quotation shows one of the negative aspects of nullification. See {640833}.
The United States Senate must ratify all treaties before they can become effective. The Senate has been very reluctant to ratify treaties where the U. S. government or any of its citizens could come under the jurisdiction of any legal entity which did not abide by all the rights citizens are guaranteed by the U. S. Constitution. As a result, we do not recognize the World Court and the Treaty of Rome for example. The latter is the one that gives the World Court jurisdiction over a high level official who commits war crimes even in his own country. The result is that many dictators who do not want to be constrained by international law, do not sign the treaty fending off any pressure to do so by pointing to the United States. But Rothkopf and others who agree with him have not yet been able to come up with a mechanism that will assure American Constitutional rights to Americans who might be involved with the World Court and allow the court to punish the dictators who abuse their own population. The French would like their laws and constitution to control. The Russians, theirs. The Chinese, theirs. Every American public official takes an oath to defend The Constitution. That is their primary duty. Foreign policy and punishing international war criminals must take a lower priority.
Yuliy Osipovich Martov. Criticism of the Bolshevik behavior in dealing with counter-revolutionaries in the civil war that followed the Russian Revolution. This despite the fact that the death penalty had been abolished right after the Revolution. See {590510}
