Especially true when a government is truly democratic.

How dismayed and sickened he would be if he could see what has happened since.

A good example of the ignorance of George Will.

And here is another perceptive and humanitarian truth of war: "He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, science for him the spinal cord would fully suffice. This disgrace to civilization should be done away with at once. Heroism at command, senseless brutality, deplorable love-of-country stance, how violently I hate all this, how despicable an ignorable war is; I would rather be torn to shreds than be a part of so base an action! It is my conviction that killing under the cloak of war is nothing but an act of murder." -- Albert Einstein

Yes, sir. Let's tear down our public schools (if parents can't afford to educate them, tough), let's keep those minorities in their ghettos, keep wages low and unemployment high, and let the sick and disabled take care of their own. Let's build a wall to keep out all those foreigners and put our darkies on the farms, and while we're at it put some of our great ole-time preachers up there in Washington. What this country needs is some hell-fire, brim-stone preaching and more use of tar and feathering. Hell, let's get rid of these damn rules for food, drugs, police, safety---all these government interferences. Next thing they'll try to do is steal our social security and Medicare.

Hey, fellas, the subject was science versus religion. Too many of you responders have such a neurotic abhorrence of socialism, a topic you least understand, that your minds have ceased to work. Of course, since Darrow was not a laissez faire capitalist, you can't admit he is right on any subject.

No wonder democracy is disappearing in the U.S. Few people understand the meaning of it. I wonder how Mr. Wachtmeister explains the fact that research proves the Swedes and other Scandinavian citizens are so GREATLY more contented, more healthy, served by better government, and are better educated than U. S. citizens? That is socialism, not capitalism. It may not be perfect but the results are markedly superior to our system.

Mr. or Ms. Mann of Kalamazoo, it is refreshing to know there are a few people left who actually know the definitions of socialism, Marxism, imperialism, capitalism, and now corporatism, which is a synonym of fascism. Hope you continue to respond.

Right on, Jesse O'Shea and Aastair. It's obvious many have never read Du Bois, a very great man.

If there is any doubt as to the truth of this statement even if it comes from (not a liberal, but foaming conservative) Ted Koppel, just google Project for the New American Century (PNAC) which right wing war lovers penned before Shrub became President.

You should know the Manhattan Institute was founded by the infamous William Casey, the infamous director of the CIA under Reagan. He was in favor dismantling all social programs and instituting corporate control of the whole country. You as an individual would have no rights and that included protection of law.

I think Mr. Archer is right.

I think Reston has it right as he usually does. Cal, I take it that the southern states 'local rights' of slavery is something you approved?

This is a poor representative sample of Emerson's wisdom. In fact, many come out of school not even knowing words. And speaking of words, I have noticed that no matter the subject, whether fact, fiction or fantasy, some responders see nothing but a morbid trepidation of socialism. In which case not even words were learned in school.

A nothing quotation.

Reston and Archer have it right. And I really wonder if some readers could write an opinion of any kind without raising the bugaboo of socialism, the definition of which is completely unknown to them, or quoting the Bible, misbegotten relic of men who wrote the nonsense and superstitions of three to five thousand years ago. How in hell could this collection of evil and incredulous acts be believed over all that has been learned since?:

Sad but true.

The responses today are encouraging! It seems more and more people are shaking the puerile superstitions of religion formed before man had even created alphabets. And the idea of religion being the source of morality is utter nonsense. Early humans had to learn cooperation and basic behavior in order to live---long before religion was invented.

The reasons for war are always greed and power. It is raw ignorance to think that Roosevelt's reason for joining WWII was economic.

Thank you, Heathen Steven. That quotation from Gen. Butler was key to understanding the man and the truth of war and fascistic corporations. And thanks to Samuel for more light. To Bobby, there is contradiction in your statement. The government Messrs. Jefferson, Adams, Madison and others was certainly not a bad one. Succeeding politicians have made it so, but it was not only the most democratic ever but the very first one to be founded without the handicap of religious ties, the first secular government in history. A pity it has been vitiated by the true believers.

More trash.

And the U.S. military is the necessary power for the billionaires to sustain perpetual war. With 800 plus military bases in more than 125 countries, total control of MSM, and the aid of religious nonsense democracy is a thing of the past. The only enemy of the powerful is thinking people and they are in short supply. Orwell's '1984' was a few decades premature but right on in reality.

Thanks, Reston, for the good sense that is so rare in these responses.

What a lousy bunch of quotations.

For god's sake, when will people learn that our government is just the OPPOSITE of socialistic. It is closer to FASCISM than any other form. If you can't swallow that, look up the definition in an encyclopedia or reputable source. The examples are 1)militaristic, 2)pro-wars, 3)run by the rich, 4)a controlled press, 5)propagandistic, 6) uses religion to blind the populace, etc, etc.