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This exclusion of "all persons of Japanese ancestry, both alien and non-alien," from the Pacific Coast area on a plea of military necessity in the absence of martial law ought not to be approved. Such exclusion goes over "the very brink of constitutional power" and falls into the ugly abyss of racism.

— Frank Murphy Korematsu v. United States (1944)

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More quotes by Frank Murphy

The law knows no finer hour than when it cuts through formal concepts and transitory emotions to protect unpopular citizens against discrimination and persecution.

Falbo v. United States (1944)

Any inconvenience that may have accompanied an attempt to conform to procedural due process cannot be said to justify violations of constitutional rights of individuals.

Korematsu v. United States (1944)

Individual rights have been recognized by our jurisprudence only after long and costly struggles. They should not be struck down by anything less than the gravest necessity.

Falbo v. United States (1944)

Liberty is too priceless to be forfeited through the zeal of an administrative agent.

Criminal punishment for disobedience of an arbitrary and invalid order is objectionable regardless of whether the order be interlocutory or final.

Falbo v. United States (1944)

All Frank Murphy quotes →

Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Frank Murphy (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.