"Justice without power is inefficient. Power without justice is tyranny. Justice without power is opposed because there are always wicked men. Power without justice is soon questioned. Justice and power must therefore be brought together; so that whatever is just may be powerful and whatever is powerful may be just."
(BlaisePascal)
The above quote might very well be my favorite non-Biblical quote. When I taught political science in school, I used it extensively. I discussed it and I even created lesson plans around it. Here is an example of a discussion-provoking scenario: Your friend is on vacation. He lives in your neighborhood. It is a beautiful, warm summer night around 10:00 pm. You decide to go for a walk. You walk by your friend's house. You notice 3 burglars have broken into his house through the back door. They have loaded all of his sound equipment, televisions, computers, jewelry, clothing and other valuables into the back of a large pickup truck. You quickly realize what they are doing is wrong. It is an injustice. Those things do not belong to those men, they belong to your friend. You rush over to where they are and tell them: "Stop doing this, it is an injustice!" They proceed to point a gun at you. They say: "Get the hell out of here, or die!" Well....at least they gave you a choice. Let us change the scenario.....just a little. Same situation, except this time, instead of you showing up; 5 cop cars, including a canine unit, and 8 cops show up with their guns drawn. It seems that the execution of justice at the crime scene appears more realistic.
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