‘Silence never won rights’

In the National Archives, in Washington, D.C., where the Constitution (including the Bill of Rights), the Declaration of Independence and other American founding documents are exhibited.

“So long as we have enough people in this country willing to fight for their rights, we’ll be called a democracy.’’

“Silence never won rights.  They are not handed down from above; they are forced by pressures from below.’’

“The rule of law in place of force, always basic to my thinking, now takes on a new relevance in a world where, if war is to go, only law can replace it.’’

 — Roger Nash Baldwin (1884-1961), Wellesley, Mass., native who co-founded the American Civil Liberties Union.