Notable Quotable 112

Sep 26, 2023

Resistance is feasible even for those who are not heroes by nature, and it is an obligation, I believe, for those who fear the consequences and detest the reality of the attempt to impose American hegemony.

- Noam Chomsky

When even one American-who has done nothing wrong-is forced by fear to shut his mind and close his mouth-then all Americans are in peril.

- Harry S. Truman

Our society is run by insane people for insane objectives. I think we're being run by maniacs for maniacal ends and I think I'm liable to be put away as insane for expressing that. That's what's insane about it.

- John Lennon

Without an unfettered press, without liberty of speech, all of the outward forms and structures of free institutions are a sham, a pretense -- the sheerest mockery. If the press is not free; if speech is not independent and untrammeled; if the mind is shackled or made impotent through fear, it makes no difference under what form of government you live, you are a subject and not a citizen.

- William E. Borah

The normal cycle in the life and death of great nations has been first a powerful tyranny broken by revolt, the enjoyment of liberty, the abuse of liberty -- and back to tyranny again. As I see it, in this country -- a land of the most persistent idealism and the blandest cynicism -- the race is on between its decadence and its vitality.

- Alistair Cooke

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If we'd been born where they were born and taught what they were taught, we would believe what they believe.

- Sign inside a church in Northern Ireland, explaining the origin of intolerance and hate

The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt.

- Bertrand Russell

America is a quarter of a billion people totally misinformed and disinformed by their government. This is tragic but our media is -- I wouldn't even say corrupt -- it's just beyond telling us anything that the government doesn't want us to know.

- Gore Vidal

Only reason can convince us of those three fundamental truths: without a recognition of which there can be no effective liberty: That what we believe is not necessarily true; that what we like is not necessarily good; and that all questions are open.

- Clive Bell (1881-1964)

He who sees the truth, let him proclaim it, without asking who is for it or who is against it.

- Henry George (1839-1897), American political economist. Source: The Land Question, 1881

To speak ill of others is a dishonest way of praising ourselves.

- Will Durant (1885-1981), American psychologist, philosopher