In their words

“Common sense and law tell us that forcing a person to stand naked and bend over in front of strangers is humiliating and most invasive of human dignity.”

– U.S. District Judge Robert Whaley, in ruling that a Spokane Police Department practice in which field strip searches are conducted without a warrant is unconstitutional.

“This divide between the rich and poor is one of humanity’s greatest failings, and I hadn’t learned about it at all.”

– Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, telling graduates at St. George’s School in Spokane that his own high school classes taught him a lot about academic subjects but not about socioeconomic disparity in the world.

“Let’s face it, we’re gambling.”

– Washington Secretary of State Sam Reed after the state’s 2008 presidential primary election was scheduled for Feb. 19, two weeks after the so-called Super Tuesday round of primaries that might effectively decide the Republican and Democratic nominees – or may merely narrow the races to smaller, closer contests.

“Pace is going to be remembered as a likable, loyal officer who carried out the wishes of an unpopular administration without challenging them because he thought it was his responsibility.”

– Lexington Institute military analyst Loren Thompson, predicting the treatment he thinks historians will give to U.S. Marine Gen. Peter Pace, whom Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates removed as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

“There are better ways to promote our community than biker babes and beer.”

– Rosalia business owner Linda Pritchett, one of the community members voicing criticism of the annual motorcycle rally that is expected to attract thousands of visitors to the Whitman County town Aug. 17-18.

“We want to punish terrorists, but in the courtroom.”

– Italian Prosecutor Armando Spataro, who is trying 26 Americans in absentia for the alleged abduction from a Milan sidewalk of Egyptian cleric Osama Hassan Mustafa Nasr, who was then transported out of the country for interrogation as a suspected terrorist.

“I want to apologize to you for the way the name ‘Christian’ has been weakened.”

– Catholic Bishop William Skylstad, of Spokane, speaking at a seminar where about 40 Protestant clergy gathered to talk about preventing sex abuse.

“This indicates a war-on-all-fronts legal strategy against congressional oversight.”

– Washington, D.C., lawyer Bruce Fein, who was a deputy attorney general in the Reagan administration, reacting to President Bush’s hiring of nine lawyers to help him contest congressional inquiries.