"Mankind naturally and generally love to be flatter’d: Whatever sooths our Pride, and tends to exalt our Species above the rest of the Creation, we are pleas’d with and easily believe, when ungrateful Truths shall be with the utmost Indignation rejected. “What! bring ourselves down to an Equality with the Beasts of the Field! with the meanest part of the Creation! ’Tis insufferable!” But, (to use a Piece of common Sense) our Geese are but Geese tho’ we may think ’em Swans; and Truth will be Truth tho’ it sometimes prove mortifying and distasteful." Benjamin Franklin

Mike, I don't subscribe to the liberal/conservative debate. I am a historical researcher who does not accept misattributions. If you know Franklin's body of work, as I do, you know that these words were not his thinking on the subject matter. I also read your above comment about Democrats. Sounds to me as if you have strained your brain with bias. By the way, debase is a verb. It means the Editor has no respect for Franklin, and I have no respect for the Editor. Good day.

No such thing Editor. By claiming such drivel, you debase Franklin's memory. If you didn't hear Franklin speak it, or it was not recorded for future generations, don't print it! You do not have the right to mislead.

I don't think, I know that Ben Franklin never uttered these words. Liberty Quotes should know that these words were never uttered by Franklin, if Liberty Quotes was not so biased in favor of reporting error. I love the source: "ATTRIBUTED."