Thank you Norwalk Mike for pointing out that all that glitters is not gold.
When considering these quotes it's wise to keep in mind the history of the person being quoted and their worldview as history gives us light to see, like in this quote misleading the reader.
"Of all the tasks of government?" should beg the reader to ask what is the basic/only job of government? To only do the things that a free man cannot do for himself? IMO governments most basic job and important it is to safeguard our inalienable rights and liberty under the rule of law
(natural law), NOT MEN!

Jim, our founding documents were based on natural law and it really isn't fair to base the Christianity of our founders time with the Christian churches of today that have lost their salt for the most part and have taken license from the government.
The great philosophers that our founding fathers look to for wisdom when constructing our form of government were those philosophers that ultimately got their wisdom from the Bible.

A lot of great comments here today.

I read this quote and can't help but to see it in the context of today in Amerika, the fact that our government is constantly trying to find ways to disarm the citizens incrementally in a recent Supreme Court case we were one judge away from the court rendering an opinion that the second amendment was unconstitutional. How much historical ignorance can one country stand? Gun-control is not and has never been about crime!

Well said Mike, contemplating the quote I'm reminded of Frederic Bastiat's "The Law" and the concept of legal plunder. The slave makes a servant of his neighbor by hiring a politician to steal the fruits of his neighbors productivity.
I think the quote captures that truth.

Mike, I will revill in shooting this particular messenger.
Woodrow Wilson's quote is dishonest and hypocritical! Fabian socialist progressive.

As opposed to the progressive lapdog media Mr. Edmonton targeting the low information voters bought off with other peoples money (free stuff)? Not covering important stories (abuses of power) and putting political leftist spin on others which accounts for the falling ratings.

Well stated Mike, of course most people desire freedom and their rights but unfortunately many neglect the duties and responsibilities that go along with it to ensure they are maintained.

Mack, you have an agenda and disagreement with that agenda leads to the most vile attacks by those claiming to be tolerant and who originally asked for just that but now it is forced acceptance and using the power of the state which it always intended to do but this is not a civil rights issue. I could explain further but this is not the place for such a debate on this subject. Research Marshall Kirks book "After The Ball"

Can't make that leap? Today it is apparent that many judges have no qualms about making any such leaps, original intent is alien to them.

Amen Mike, I never cared much for Tutu he always seemed to be aligned with the social justice progressive crowd, context and most certainly definitions are required.

I wonder what Mr. Clemens would think of the current welfare state as it relates to his statement? Certainly he couldn't know how government would expand to the dangerous levels it has today where the cost of a person's actions is born by all the taxpayers.

Not sure how to take this, what is being used as the yardstick for right and wrong, what if the minority is pedophilia then what, should the majority except it?

Ah yes, let's have all the due process we can muster for the same illegal alien gate crasher for the ump-teenth time.
Believe me you wouldn't be so tolerant if you came downstairs in the morning to find a group of people broke into your house eating your families food and stealing your stuff (tax dollars providing all kinds of social services) you would treat these people for what they are, criminal trespassers!

Common sense thinking, but unfortunately these charlatans in government buy respect using our tax money from there local constituency whose character isn't much better.

I concur with Mike, real anarchy is basically survival of the fittest apart from the protection of equal protection under the rule of law.
What we have today (government) is not what our founders gave us, it just needs to be restored.

You want a peak at anarchy? Just watch a little of AMCs TV show "The Walking Dead," minis the zombies. People that advocate "ANARCHY" I would wager never lived under it.

You would think so but as we saw with Obamacare in the courts what is plain and obvious to one judge under Constitutional (original intent) is soft and pliable to another judge whose activism isn't constrained by it and holding to the philosophy of the Constitution being a "living" document, which is nothing more then tall grass cover for reinterpretation at whim to institute social political change around the will of the governed (THE PEOPLE.)

That gets a little hard to do under the assertion that the Constitution is a "living" document that the political class and activist judges can reinterpret apart form original historical intent, it is a way to get around the limited powers and jurisdictions of the enumerated powers of article 1 section 8 of the Construction.

I'm sure the same was said during alcohol prohibition and that failure gave birth to organised crime. At least they were smart enough to repeal it when it became obvious it was a bad idea in the first place. Today it become a BIG GOVERNMENT BONANZA!

Propaganda to further the police state, the war on drugs is a failure! But a success in robbing people of constitutionally protected rights.

"Vices are not crimes." But in today's society all too often a person's own thoughts are unfortunately considered criminal by progressive thinking, thought criminals!

Very lively discussions I'm enjoying it, thank you Mr. Archer from New York City you offer much to think about and I agree with your conclusions regarding the war on drugs. It has led to the militarization of America's police forces and has aided in the deterioration of our rights through activist courts. It's obvious that the wrong lessons were learned in the well-meaning but delusional endeavor with alcohol prohibition, it spawned the emergence of organized crime and affected law enforcement response similar to the problem we are having today with it.

"It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so." - Mark Twain

“Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.” ~ C. S. Lewis

"It takes a village…" ~ Hillary Clinton

The ceaseless theme of the modern American progressive welfare state, and let us not forget job security for the elitist political class.

When one looks around America today and observes the wisdom or lack thereof of the American people, one can only conclude that ignorance has consequences. There is an awakening taking place in america but is it too little to late?

The corruption at the top is so great I believe any restoration will have to come from the bottom up.

Never thought I'd agree with GS.

No one holds a gun to their heads to do drugs and deal them, another" it's not my fault" excuse.

I concur.

Well stated Mike.