How we cite our quotes: (Paragraph)
Quote #1
WHEREAS certain persons in the state of Arkansas, individually and in unlawful assemblages, combinations, and conspiracies, have wilfully obstructed the enforcement of orders of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas with respect to matters relating to enrollment and attendance at public schools, particularly at Central High School, located in Little Rock School District, Little Rock, Arkansas […] (1)
Ike opens with a justification of his Executive Order: I've tried to enforce justice by the usual means, guys; I followed the law, but you didn't. To make it clear that what he's gonna do next is justified, he has to lay out what came before. No president wants to be seen as issuing orders that are arbitrary or illegal, like deciding that underwear now has to be worn on the outside.
Quote #2
WHEREAS such wilful obstruction of justice hinders the execution of the laws of that State and of the United States, and makes it impracticable to enforce such laws by the ordinary course of judicial proceedings; (3)
Eisenhower points out that there are already provisions in the law to deal with this kind of situation, but that the events in Little Rock, but they've been ignored. Obstructing justice is a very big deal.
Quote #3
Such obstruction of justice constitutes a denial of the equal protection of the laws secured by the Constitution. (4)
Disobeying the law to integrate doesn't just keep Black kids from going to white schools. It's a major challenge to the Constitution, which is why it was so important to enforce the law.