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Patriotism: Breeding Ground For War

Comment by Larry Ross, May 2, 2007

Every leader who wants his people to support and fight in his wars appeals to their 'patriotism'. He also uses other trigger words and values to invoke patriotic fervour such as "defending our liberties, freedoms and democracy".

He tries to sell the idea that to be ''patriotic' a citizen must accept the leaders definitions of who is the enemy and how he must be defeated.

As George Bush told Americans when he announced his 'war on terror'  "You are either with us or with the terrorists". There are no doubts, questions or choices. To be patriotic means following the leader and accepting his lies.

Variations on these themes have worked throughout history, resulting in massive death and suffering.

While there is growing doubts, America today still follow the leaders lies, slavishly fund and fight his wars, drop his bombs and are ready to accept the leader's next big lies and covert tricks to justify bigger, wider wars any country the leader names.

The mass media and Congress almost always accept, repeat, embrace and act on the leader's lies, as they did in America for George Bush's war on Iraq and are doing for his planned war on Iran. 

Some of history's greatest minds comment on this human folly:

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"Patriots always talk of dying for their country and never of killing for their country."

Bertrand Russell, attributed

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"I'm fed up to the ears with old men dreaming up wars for young men to die in."

George McGovern

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"The ability and inclination to use physical strength is no indication of bravery or tenacity to life.
The greatest cowards are often the greatest bullies.
Nothing is cheaper and more common than physical bravery."

Clarence Darrow, Resist Not Evil

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"Nationalism is a silly cock crowing on his own dunghill."

R. Aldington

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"Patriotism is the belief your country is superior to all other countries because you were born in it."

George Bernard Shaw

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"To me, it seems a dreadful indignity to have a soul controlled by geography."

George Santayana

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"I wouldn't call it fascism exactly, but a political system nominally controlled by an irresponsible,
dumbed down electorate who are manipulated by dishonest, cynical,
controlled mass media that dispense the propaganda of a corrupt political establishment
can hardly be described as democracy either."

Edward Zehr

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Also go to Profound Quotes and search the thousands of other examples of sanity express by clear thinkers.