Wed 7 May 2008
H.L. Mencken on Politics
Posted by ME under politics, quotations
Tags: H.L. Mencken, politics, quotations
The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary. - H. L. Mencken
7 Responses to “ H.L. Mencken on Politics ”
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May 7th, 2008 at 10:02 pm
Can you name a 5-year period since 1776 when there has not been some “enemy” (foreign or domestic) against which the government has warned the people, and sworn to protect them?
I’m just a young pup of 29, and I can’t think of a single year of my life where there wasn’t something the gubbamint wanted us to be afraid of…
May 7th, 2008 at 10:46 pm
Native Americans (before and after 1776), British, European immigrants, African-Americans, Japanese, Communists, Latin American immigrants, and now terrorists.
Nope, I can’t name that 5 year period, GKB…..
I’m sure I left out a few groups, but….
May 7th, 2008 at 10:53 pm
1492-1890: Indians.
May 8th, 2008 at 2:56 am
1947: Little Green Men
May 8th, 2008 at 9:12 am
Between the collapse of the Soviet Union and 9/11, Bill Kristol & co. were trying to make it “the Chinese,” with some degree of success.
May 8th, 2008 at 9:17 am
I’ve always felt that the absolute worst case of villainizing occurred in D2: Mighty Ducks (1994) when Iceland’s hockey team was cast as the bad guys.
May 8th, 2008 at 9:53 am
And now John McCain promises to expand the infamous Bush Axis of Evil:
Adding to President George W. Bush’s list of rogue nations — or his infamous axis of evil (Iran, North Korea and Iraq) — the presumptive Republican nominee “singled out” China, Iran, Myanmar, Sudan, North Korea and Saudi Arabia for restricting religious freedom — “a subject of great importance.”