DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate - View Single Post

**aburva.org** · 10-03-2011, 12:51 PM

Roberts is brilliant as always. His moral clarity is a rare gem indeed. While reading this essay a salient scene from the classic film "Man for All Seasons" came to mind vis-a-vis constitutional restraints, unrestrained presidencial (caesarian) power and the sad ignorance of the American people on this matter:

In this clip from the film, More receives a second visitor, a weak and amoral man, Richard Rich (John Hurt), who first warns Sir Thomas that he is surrounded by spies (of which Rich is surely one), then begs More for a job.
Rejected, Rich leaves. More’s daughter shouts at her father that Rich should be arrested for being a “bad man”. More refuses, and insists Rich should remain free: “Go he should. If he were the devil himself, until he broke the law”.

WILLIAM ROPER: So, now you give the Devil the benefit of law!

SIR THOMAS 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 is 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!

10-03-2011, 12:51 PM	#2
aburva.org Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 515 Senior Member	Roberts is brilliant as always. His moral clarity is a rare gem indeed. While reading this essay a salient scene from the classic film "Man for All Seasons" came to mind vis-a-vis constitutional restraints, unrestrained presidencial (caesarian) power and the sad ignorance of the American people on this matter: In this clip from the film, More receives a second visitor, a weak and amoral man, Richard Rich (John Hurt), who first warns Sir Thomas that he is surrounded by spies (of which Rich is surely one), then begs More for a job. Rejected, Rich leaves. More’s daughter shouts at her father that Rich should be arrested for being a “bad man”. More refuses, and insists Rich should remain free: “Go he should. If he were the devil himself, until he broke the law”. WILLIAM ROPER: So, now you give the Devil the benefit of law! SIR THOMAS 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 is 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!
	Quote