A Grim Day for America, A Grim Day for the Species
Black is white. Up is down. War is peace. 2 + 2 = 5. Oppression is freedom. Hatred is love.
Apparently repeating such lies often enough makes them true for a majority of voting Americans.
Some other fitting quotes:
"In these sentiments, Sir, I agree to this Constitution, with all its faults, — if they are such; because I think a general Government necessary for us, and there is no form of government but what may be a blessing to the people, if well administered; and I believe, farther, that this is likely to be well administered for a course of years, and can only end in despotism, as other forms have done before it, when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic government, being incapable of any other."— Benjamin Franklin, Speech at the Constitutional Convention, at the conclusion of its deliberations.
“Why of course the people don’t want war. Why should some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece? Naturally, the common people don’t want war: neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But after all it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship…Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger.”— Nazi leader Hermann Goering, at the Nuremberg Trials before he was sentenced to death.
“Patriotism is the virtue of the vicious.” — Oscar Wilde
"I do not find in orthodox Christianity one redeeming feature." — Thomas Jefferson
"During almost fifteen centuries the legal establishment known as Christianity has been on trial and what have been the fruits, more or less, in all places? These are the fruits: pride, indolence, ignorance and servility in the laity, and in both clergy and laity, superstition, bigotry and persecution." — James Madison
However:
"The arc of history is long, but it bends toward justice." — Martin Luther King, Jr.
The people have spoken, and we have a mad president chosen by the angry, fearful, self-righteous and gullible among us. But there are literally tens of millions among us who know better, and I still believe that the great dream that is America -- one of equality, tolerance, liberty and justice -- will never be extinguished from the human heart.
There is nothing to do but to keep moving on.
May your knowledge that much greater things are possible, and that we can bring a better world into being if we are willing to keep working for it, bring you comfort in these dark times.
Peace. Out.
Apparently repeating such lies often enough makes them true for a majority of voting Americans.
“The great masses of people will more easily fall victims to a big lie than to a small one. Especially if it is repeated over and over.” — Adolph Hitler
"In these sentiments, Sir, I agree to this Constitution, with all its faults, — if they are such; because I think a general Government necessary for us, and there is no form of government but what may be a blessing to the people, if well administered; and I believe, farther, that this is likely to be well administered for a course of years, and can only end in despotism, as other forms have done before it, when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic government, being incapable of any other."— Benjamin Franklin, Speech at the Constitutional Convention, at the conclusion of its deliberations.
“Why of course the people don’t want war. Why should some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece? Naturally, the common people don’t want war: neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But after all it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship…Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger.”— Nazi leader Hermann Goering, at the Nuremberg Trials before he was sentenced to death.
“Patriotism is the virtue of the vicious.” — Oscar Wilde
"I do not find in orthodox Christianity one redeeming feature." — Thomas Jefferson
"During almost fifteen centuries the legal establishment known as Christianity has been on trial and what have been the fruits, more or less, in all places? These are the fruits: pride, indolence, ignorance and servility in the laity, and in both clergy and laity, superstition, bigotry and persecution." — James Madison
However:
"The arc of history is long, but it bends toward justice." — Martin Luther King, Jr.
The people have spoken, and we have a mad president chosen by the angry, fearful, self-righteous and gullible among us. But there are literally tens of millions among us who know better, and I still believe that the great dream that is America -- one of equality, tolerance, liberty and justice -- will never be extinguished from the human heart.
There is nothing to do but to keep moving on.
May your knowledge that much greater things are possible, and that we can bring a better world into being if we are willing to keep working for it, bring you comfort in these dark times.
Peace. Out.
posted by le flaneur at 7:47 PM
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