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Herman Hesse Joel S. Goldsmith John McCutcheon Mark Twain's War Prayer |
Marilyn Kelly Populist Party Platform-1892 Richard Bach Robert F. Kennedy |
Unattributed(s)... What shapes us... Winston Churchill Abraham Lincoln |
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All too often idealism and optimism are mistaken for naiveté and ignorance. I consciously choose to be idealistic and optimistic. Every day. (Some days this choice is easier to make than others) (Damian J. Kiska) |
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| “And, by the way, in the new code
of laws which I suppose it will be necessary for you to
make, I desire you will remember the ladies and be more
generous and favorable to them than your ancestors. Do not
put such unlimited power in the hands of husbands.
Remember, all men would be tyrants if they could. If
particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies,
we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold
ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or
representation.”
“But you remember, “ she concluded, “that arbitrary power is like most other things which are very hard… and notwithstanding all your wise laws and maxims, we have it in our power, not only to free ourselves, but to subdue our masters, and, without violence, throw your natural and legal authority at your feet. (Abigail Adams to John Adams, March & May 1776 ) |
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| "From a human point of view,
globalization - a catchall phrase for growing world trade,
the growing linkages between financial markets in
different countries, and the many other ways in which the
world is becoming a smaller place - is the issue
of the 21st century." p.365 ... "In the end, 19th-century imperialism was a diversion. It's hard not to suspect that the Bush doctrine is also a diversion - a diversion from the real issues of dysfunctional security agencies, a sinking economy, a devastated budget and a tattered relationship with our allies." p. 390 ... "If I have ended up more often than not writing pieces that attack the right wing, it's because the right wing now rules - and rules badly. It's not just that the policies are bad and irresponsible; our leaders lie about what they are up to." (Preface, p.xxvi) (Paul Krugman, "The Great Unraveling: Losing Our Way In The New Century") |
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| "The biggest security concern of
Americans today is not Iraq or Osama. It's the fear that
America itself could be weakened by short-term, greedy
decisions, taken by politicians squandering our hard-won
surplus or corporate executives squandering our pensions
and undermining our markets. And Americans are right to be
concerned. Because without a strong America holding the
world together, and doing the right thing more often than
not, the world really would be a Hobbesian jungle." ... "How we learn to live in a world where technology every day is erasing more and more walls - making it so much easier to communicate, trade, and integrate, but also so much easier for small groups to reach around the world and wreak great havoc thousands of miles away - is the great challeng of the new century." (Thomas L. Friedman in "Longitudes And Attitudes: The World in the Age of Terrorism") |
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| "Going in and occupying Iraq,
thus unilaterally exceeding the United Nations' mandate,
would have destroyed the precedent of international
response to aggression that we hoped to establish. Had we
gone the invasion route, the United States could
conceivably still be an occupying power in a bitterly
hostile land." ( George H.W. Bush (Bush senior) and Brent Scowcroft in their 1998 book, "A World Transformed") |
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| "…Franz Ferdinand, who was the
nephew of Austro-Hungarian Emperor, was killed by a group called "The Black Hand". And because they were a Serbian nationalist society, the empire declared war on Serbia. Then Russia, which was bound by a treaty, was forced to mobilize; which meant that Germany had to declare war on Russia. Then France declared war on Germany. And that was World War I. Because the emperor's nephew was killed…" (Aaron Sorkin, West Wing) |
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| "Republicans admire the U.S.
Government so much that they would like to buy it." "I don't give them Hell. I just tell the truth about them and they think it's Hell." "Given the choice between a Republican and someone who acts like a Republican, people will vote for the real Republican all the time." Harry S. Truman |
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| "...
Winters was none of these [regular army, fatherly, or
flamboyant], nor was he humorous or obstinate. "Nor
at any time did Dick Winters pretend to be God, nor at any
time did he act other than a man!", according to Rader. He
was an officer who got the men to perform because he
expected nothing but the best, and "you liked him so much
you just hated to let him down." He was, and is, all but
worshipped by the men of E Company." (Stephen E. Ambrose, Band of Brothers, p 23) |
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| "Oh Lord our
God, help us to tear their soldiers to bloody shreds with
our shells; help us to cover their smiling fields with the
pale forms of their patriot dead; help us to drown the
thunder of guns with the shrieks of their wounded,
writhing in pain; help us to lay waste their humble homes
with a hurricane of fire; ...help us to turn them out
roofless with their little children to wander unfriended
the wastes of their desolated land.... We ask it, in the
sprit of love, of Him Who is the Source of Love." (Mark Twain, after viewing a pre-emptive war in the Philippines a century ago) |
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| "... It is always a simple matter
to drag 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. This is easy. All
you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and
denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing
the country to danger. It works the same in every
country." (Herman Goerring, explaining his work on behalf of the Furher) |
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| "Unless we put medical freedom
into the Constitution, the time will come when medicine
will organize it to an underground dictatorship. To
restrict the art of healing to one class of men and deny
equal privileges to others will constitute the Bastille of
medical science. All such laws are un-American and
despotic and have no place in a republic. The Constitution
of this republic should make special privilege for medical
freedom as well as religious freedom." (Dr. Benjamin Rush - George Washington's physician, & only physician to sign the Declaration of Independence ) |
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| "Will
the stories told, when I am old, remind us plain and clear
... That courage has no meaning without fear. And the past is not a window ... but a mirror" "...He's too old for games, and he's too bold to tame, and he sees all the signals much clearer." "... each Christmas come since World War I, I've learned it's lessons well. That the ones who call the shots won't be among the dead and lame. And on each end of the rifle... we're the same." (John McCutcheon) |
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| "Innovation is a twofold threat
to the scientific hierarchy. First, it threatens their
oracle authority. Secondly, it evokes the deeper fear that
their whole laboriously constructed authoritarian edifice
may collapse." ... "Resistance to innovation is clearly demonstrated, not by the ignorant masses, but by professionals with a vested interest in tradition and the monopoly of learning." (Arthur Koestler, The Age of Velokovsky) |
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| "CAPITALISM: The extraordinary
belief that the nastiest of men, for the nastiest of reasons, will somehow work for the benefit of us all." (John Maynard Keynes) |
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| "It is not the strongest of the
species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change." (Charles Darwin) |
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| They who
would give up an essential liberty for temporary security,
deserve neither liberty or security. "There is no such thing as a good war or a bad peace." (Benjamin Franklin) |
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| God who
gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that his justice cannot sleep forever. (Thomas Jefferson) |
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"I pray "Cat's fight a
lot "Labor is
prior to, and independent of, capital. Let us have
faith that right makes might, |
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| "People
like us, who believe in physics, know that the distinction between past, present, and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion." "Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds." (Albert Einstein) |
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"A ship in a harbor is safe... "Things don't get better without getting different." "Tomorrow is promised to no one." "It's
not what you know... or who you know...
it's who knows you." |
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"Illumination dissolves all material ties and
binds men together with the golden chains of spiritual
understanding; it acknowledges only the leadership of
the Christ; it has no ritual rule but the divine,
impersonal, universal Love; no other worship than the
inner flame which is ever lit at the shrine of Spirit.
This union is the free state of spiritual brotherhood.
The only restraint is the discipline of Soul; therefore,
we know liberty without license; we are a united
universe without physical limits, a divine service to
God without ceremony or creed. The illumined walk
without fear - by Grace
"There is no God out here in space. The God there is, is hidden within us, waiting for each one of us to discover for himself. We do not have to go any place in time or space. The spiritual journey, the greatest of all adventures, is not made in time or space. It is a journey in consciousness - and this journey no one can make for us." (Joel S. Goldsmith)
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| When you awaken to who and what
you are, everyone automatically awakens to who and what you are, without a word spoken. (Rusty Berkus, in "Appearances: Clearings Through the Masks of Our Existence") |
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| "It is from
numberless diverce acts of courage and belief that human
history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal,
or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out
against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope,
and crossing each other from a million different centers
of energy and daring those ripples build a current which
can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and
resistance." (Robert F. Kennedy - Affirmation Day, the
University of Cape Town, South Africa, 1966)
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"...God didn't
put us here for recognition, or a pat on the back. (Father Mulcahey - M*A*S*H)
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| "Don't be
dismayed good-byes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends." "Argue for your limitations, and sure enough, they're yours." (Richard Bach, Illusions) |
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| He left us... All of us... a
powerful legacy. A way of thinking and acting that makes us Klingon. If his words hold wisdom, and his philosophy is honorable, what does it matters if he returns? What is important is that we follow his teachings. Perhaps the words are more imporant than the man. (Kahless - Star Trek: Next Generation) |
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| Corruption
dominates the ballot-box, the Legislatures, the Congress
and touches even the ermine of the bench. The fruits of
the toil of millions are boldly stolen to build up
colossal fortunes for a few, unprecedented in the history
of mankind; and the possessors of these, in turn, despise
the Republic and endanger liberty. (National platform of the Populist Party, 1892) |
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| "I wanted only to try to live in
accord with the promptings which came from my true self. Why was that so very difficult?" (Herman Hesse, Demian) a longer excerpt... |
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| "I look back across those years
like someone who is safely on the other side of a tight rope. Only now that it's over do I scare myself. What shapes us... is not how weak we can be... but how strong." (I'll fly Away) |
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You... A hand open, an arm raised high - willing to help and love yet always climbing and striving for the best. High goals and hopes always met with force, optimism, and a content smile. Thank you for your kindness and though I hope all the best things in this world for you, I'm sure you will attain them. Me... a non-secret admirer (Marilyn Kelly) |
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| "Owing to the neglect of our defenses and
the mishandling of the German problem in the last five
years, we seem to be very near the bleak choice between
War and Shame. My feeling is that we shall choose Shame,
and then have War thrown in a little later, on even more
adverse terms than at present" (Winston Churchill in a letter to Lord Moyne,
1938)
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"Your thoughts about
taking school seriously, and growing with the experience
of learning and probing new ideas seems great. Keep it
up. There is so much to discover and learn that it seems
a great challenge to go about it somewhat seriously; and
yet try enjoying the enterprise, maintaining a
bit of self-criticism and humor in the process. It is
all such a big job that to make sense of it all is a bit
difficult - a moment of laughter a the prospect, and at
ourselves, comes in quite handy at vital moments." (Tom Lobe - one of Damian's professors at
UofM)
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