Quotes & Quips

Food For Thought:

To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace. — George Washington, Speech to Congress, January 8, 1790.

So much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don’t even know that fire is hot. — George Orwell, 1940.

Prosperity makes apathy an affordable self-indulgence.
— The Economist, August 6, 2005.

The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
— Proverbial idiom, late 16th century.

Dustin's favorites:

There are three kinds of men: The ones that learn by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence and find out for themselves.— Will Rogers

"We're nobody's damned suburb!"— Richard Greene, former Mayor of Arlington, Texas.

"Men, this stuff that some sources sling around about America wanting out of this war, not wanting to fight, is a crock of bullshit. Americans love to fight, traditionally. All real Americans love the sting and clash of battle. You are here today for three reasons. First, because you are here to defend your homes and your loved ones. Second, you are here for your own self-respect, because you would not want to be anywhere else. Third, you are here because you are real men and all real men like to fight. When you, here, everyone of you, were kids, you all admired the champion marble player, the fastest runner, the toughest boxer, the big league ball players, and the All-American football players. Americans love a winner. Americans will not tolerate a loser. Americans despise cowards. Americans play to win all of the time. I wouldn't give a hoot in hell for a man who lost and laughed. That's why Americans have never lost nor will ever lose a war; for the very idea of losing is hateful to an American."
— General George Patton, inspiring G.I.s somewhere in England on June 5th, 1944.

The following is a heated exchange between Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson from a famous scene in A Few Good Men. Memo to liberals -- be careful you don't bite the hand that feeds you!

Col. Jessep: You want answers?
Lt. Kaffee: I think I'm entitled to them.
Col. Jessep: You want answers?
Lt. Kaffee: I want the truth!
Col. Jessep: You can't handle the truth! Son, we live in a world that has walls. And those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg? I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago and you curse the Marines. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know - that Santiago's death, while tragic, probably saved lives. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives... You don't want the truth. Because deep down, in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me on that wall. You need me on that wall. We use words like honor, code, loyalty... We use these words as the backbone to a life spent defending something. You use 'em as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom I provide, then questions the manner in which I provide it! I'd rather you just said thank you and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon and stand a post. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you're entitled to!

"In the first place we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the man's becoming in very fact an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red flag, which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization, just as much as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."
— Theodore Roosevelt, on immigrants and being an AMERICAN in 1907.

"Don't get stuck on stupid, reporters. We are moving forward. And don't confuse the people please. You are part of the public message. So help us get the message straight. And if you don't understand, maybe you'll confuse it to the people. That's why we like follow-up questions..... You are stuck on stupid. I'm not going to answer that question."
— Lt. Gen. Russel Honore, reprimanding reporters during a press conference in New Orleans on September 20, 2005.