"And if you cut them down...do you really think you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then?"

Caught a beautiful A Man For All Seasons quote from the Dish. God, I need to read more Serious Literature, there's a damn good reason it survives the deluge of history. What was true then still holds today. And such a perfect mix of style and substance--the whole really is greater than the sum of its parts. Damn!

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?

William Roper: Yes, I'd cut down every law in England to do that!

Sir Thomas 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!

Sullivan calls Roper the Yoo of his day, but I think Cheney or Addington would be more appropriate. Also, seems the fruit doesn't fall far from the tree. (Damn, this is from 1988? Augh, such advance warning, so useless now!)