Justice William O. Douglas, on the advent of Oppression

"As nightfall does not come all at once, neither does oppression. In both Instances, there is a twilight when everything remains seemingly unchanged. And it is in such twilight that we all must be most aware of change in the air - however slight - lest we become unwitting victims of the darkness"

William Orville Douglas (1898 – 1980) was an American jurist who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States for 36 years from 1939 to 1975. Douglas was known for his strong progressive and civil libertarian views and a strong defender of the First Amendment. He is considered the most liberal justice ever. Born in Maine, Minnesota, Douglas moved west with his family to California and then to Yakama, Washington after the death of his father. He chaired  the Securities and Exchange Commission before being appointed to the Supreme Court by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He is the longest-serving justice in history to date.

Quote source: The Douglas letters: Selections from the private papers of Justice William O. Douglas by William O. Douglas