Wednesday, August 02, 2006

The wisdom of H.L. Mencken

Quote of the day:

"I BELIEVE THAT LIBERTY IS THE ONLY GENUINELY VALUABLE THING THAT MEN HAVE INVENTED, AT LEAST IN THE FIELD OF GOVERNMENT, IN A THOUSAND YEARS. I BELIEVE THAT IT IS BETTER TO BE FREE THAN TO BE NOT FREE, EVEN WHEN THE FORMER IS DANGEROUS AND THE LATTER SAFE. I BELIEVE THAT THE FINEST QUALITIES OF MAN CAN FLOURISH ONLY IN FREE AIR - THAT PROGRESS MADE UNDER THE SHADOW OF THE POLICEMAN'S CLUB IS FALSE PROGRESS, AND OF NO PERMANENT VALUE. I BELIEVE THAT ANY MAN WHO TAKES THE LIBERTY OF ANOTHER INTO HIS KEEPING IS BOUND TO BECOME A TYRANT, AND THAT ANY MAN WHO YIELDS UP HIS LIBERTY, IN HOWEVER SLIGHT THE MEASURE, IS BOUND TO BECOME A SLAVE." HENRY LOUIS MENCKEN (1880-1956)

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