by toscaveritas » Sun Aug 21, 2005 3:29 pm
To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."<br> -- Theodore Roosevelt <br><br>I believe in the equality of man; and I believe that religious duties consist in doing justice, loving mercy, and endeavoring to make our fellow-creatures happy.<br>Thomas Paine <br><br>To establish any mode to abolish war, however advantageous it might be to Nations, would be to take from such Government the most<!--EZCODE UNDERLINE START--><span style="text-decoration:underline"> lucrative of its branches.</span><!--EZCODE UNDERLINE END--><br>Thomas Paine <br><br> David Sharp, US Marine Commandant General 1966<br><br>"I believe that if we had and would keep our dirty, bloody, dollar soaked fingers out of the business of these [Third World] nations so full of depressed, exploited people, they will arrive at a solution of their own ... And if unfortunately their revolution must be of the violent type because the "haves" refuse to share with the "have-nots" by any peaceful method, at least what they get will be their own, and not the American style, which they don't want and above all don't want crammed down their throats by Americans." <br><br>Smedley D. Butler, USMC Major General 1933<br><br><br>"War is just a racket. A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of people.<br><br>Only a small inside group knows what it is about. It is conducted for the benefit of the very few at the expense of the masses.<br><br>I believe in adequate defense at the coastline and nothing else. If a nation comes over here to fight, then we'll fight. The trouble with America is that when the dollar only earns 6 percent over here, then it gets restless and goes overseas to get 100 percent. Then the flag follows the dollar and the soldiers follow the flag.<br><br>I wouldn't go to war again as I have done to protect some lousy investment of the<!--EZCODE UNDERLINE START--><span style="text-decoration:underline"> bankers. </span><!--EZCODE UNDERLINE END-->There are only two things we should fight for. One is the defense of our homes and the other is the Bill of Rights. War for any other reason is simply a racket...<br><br>In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism.<br><br>Abraham Lincoln, 16th US President Nov 21, 1864<br><br>"I see in the near future a crisis approaching. It unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. The money powers preys upon the nation in times of peace and conspires against it in times of adversity. <!--EZCODE UNDERLINE START--><span style="text-decoration:underline">It is more despotic than a monarchy, more insolent than autocracy, more selfish than bureaucracy. It denounces, as public enemies, all who question its methods or throw light upon its crimes</span><!--EZCODE UNDERLINE END-->. I have two great enemies, the Southern Army in front of me & the <!--EZCODE UNDERLINE START--><span style="text-decoration:underline">financial institutions </span><!--EZCODE UNDERLINE END-->at the rear, the latter is my greatest foe. Corporations have been enthroned, and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people <!--EZCODE UNDERLINE START--><span style="text-decoration:underline">until the wealth is aggregated in the hands of a few, and the Republic is destroyed."</span><!--EZCODE UNDERLINE END--><br><br>letter to William Elkins, Nov 21, 1864 (just after the passage of the National Banking Act) Lincoln was killed on April 15, 1865 six days after General Robert E. Lee surrendered his Confederate army. <br><br> <p></p><i></i>