177 Quotes by Alan Dershowitz

Foolish liberals who are trying to read the Second Amendment out of the Constitution by claiming it's not an individual right or that it's too much of a public safety hazard, don't see the danger in the big picture. They're courting disaster by encouraging others to use the same means to eliminate portions of the Constitution they don't like.

A library is a place where you learn what teachers were afraid to teach you.

I am not frightened of my beliefs. If there is a God who is threatening me with damnation because I don't believe in Him, so be it. I've lived my life in conscience, and I will suffer damnation willingly in conscience against a tyrannical God who would damn me because, on the basis of the intelligence He gave me, I have come to a conclusion doubting His existence, and I will continue to be a skeptic all of my life.

I have always considered "Pascal's Wager" a questionable bet to place, since any God worth believing in would prefer an honest agnostic to a calculating hypocrite.

This book is dedicated to Israel's constructive and nuanced critics, whose rational voices are too often drowned out by the exaggerations, demonizations, and hate-filled lies put forth by Israel's enemies. Criticism is the lifeblood of democracy and a sure sign of admiration for an imperfect democracy seeking to improve itself.

It is important to make the case for centrism in a positive and persuasive way, not as a compromise with some pure vision of left or right-wing extreme truth, but as an independently standing political position. And that’s why it’s equally important to make the case against extremism on both the left and the right, not as matter-of-degree, but rather as independent dangers to be combatted in the marketplace of ideas.

The pessimist says, “Things are so bad they can’t possibly get worse.” The optimist responds: “Yes they can!

Bigotry against any group should be disqualifying for high office.

For something to be a crime there must be both an actus reus and mens rea — that is, a criminal act accompanied by a criminal state of mind.