Concerning Goodwin's pension, one of this blog's readers - electro-kevin - reminded me of a passage from the play, "A Man For All Seasons". The play re-enacts the life of Saint Thomas More.
The passage is worth serious study, since it outlines the importance of respecting the law, even when dealing with unpopular and morally reprehensible individuals, which I think safely covers the best attributes of Sir Fred.
By the way, Saint Thomas More is the patron saint of politicians.
Alice: Arrest him.
More: Why, what has he done ?
Margaret: He's bad !
More: There is no law against that.
Roper: There is ! God's law !
More: Then God can arrest him.
Roper: Sophistication upon sophistication.
More: No, sheer simplicity. The law, Roper, the law. I know what's legal, not what's right. And I'll stick to what's legal.
Roper: Then you set man's law above God's.
More: No, far below. But let me draw your attention to a fact - I'm not God. The currents and eddies of right and wrong, which you find such plain sailing, I can't navigate. I'm no voyager. But in the thickets of the law, oh, there I'm a forester. I doubt if there's a man alive who could follow me there, thank God.
Alice: While you talk, he's Gone !
More: And go he should, if he was the Devil himself, until he broke the law !
Roper: So now you'd give the Devil the benefit of the law !
More: Yes. What would you do ? Cut a great road through the law to get after the Devil ?
Roper: I'd cut down every law in England to do that !
More: Oh ? And when the last law was down, and the Devil turned round on you, where would you hide, Roper, the laws all being flat ? This country's planted thick with laws from coast to coast - man's laws, not God's - and if you cut them down - and you're just the man to do it - do you really think you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then ? Yes, I'd give the Devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
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