Vanity: What was that J. S. Mills quote last night on O'Reilly?

O'Reilly Factor Special last night ^ | 12.16.01 | Max

[maxwell]

Question for y'all: On the O'Reilly Factor Special last night on Fox, Air Force Major Sweet (sp?) read a quote from John Stuart Mills in response to O'Reilly's question, "What answer do you have for folks who ask you why you would give your life for your country?"

That quote was fantastic but unfortunately I've burned all my short-term memory brain cells with various noxious substances including but not limited to Sharpy marker fumes. Does anybody know that particular piece that the Major read?

Thanks.

FReegards,
Max

\_/ \_/ \_/

[maxwell]

bump for answers

[choicenotecho]

Max, you're far too intellectual for this group. Go out and run a few intervals to clear your head.

[maxwell]

please please please! I wanna put it on my profile page!

[maxwell]

Intellectual my Republican a$$... Everybody here watches O'Reilly!

Hey choice! How's it going! Missed you at the Christmas party! B. M. got the roast, like we all figured... You shoulda been there!

[RonDog]

Perhaps he meant the JSM quote that I have posted on my profile page (click on RonDog at the bottom of this reply.)

"War is an ugly thing, but..."

[maxwell]

YES! That's it. If you don't mind I might follow your lead. That quote resonated so hard and just kicked a$$ bigtime. I wish more folks could see it... Especially some folks I've run into...

[Wild_VoiceSF]

Didn't catch O'Rielly last night, but this seems appropriate: "War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things; the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight; nothing he cares about more than his own personal safety; is a miserable creature who has no chance of being free, unless made and kept so by the exertions of better persons than himself." -- John Stuart Mills Hope that helps.

[Native American Female Vet]

I am rewinding my tape now. Will post it for you as soon as I am done

[MeekOneGOP]

Ya got my curiosity up now BUMP! !

[Native American Female Vet]

Your fast!

[maxwell]

Yep, thanks alot, appreciate it even though I misspelled his name, haha... RonDog has the exact quote I wanted on his profile page. I appreciate it folks.

[maxwell]

Here 'tis from RonDog--

War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things: the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks nothing worth a war, is worse. When a people are used as mere human instruments for firing cannon or thrusting bayonets, in the service and for the selfish purposes of a master, such war degrades a people. A war to protect other human beings against tyrannical injustice; a war to give victory to their own ideas of right and good, and which is their own war, carried on for an honest purpose by their own free choice--is often the means of their regeneration. A man who has nothing which he cares about more than he does about his personal safety is a miserable creature who has no chance of being free, unless made and kept so by the existing of better men than himself. As long as justice and injustice have not terminated their ever renewing fight for ascendancy in the affairs of mankind, human beings must be willing, when need is, to do battle for the one against the other.
John Stuart Mill, "The Contest in America," pp. 208-09, in John Stuart Mill, Dissertations and Discussions (Boston: William V. Spencer, 1867). [bold mine]

DAMN that's good stuff.

[MeekOneGOP]

Whoa! Personal safety and Freedom BUMP!! Thanks!

[RonDog]

If you follow the John Stuart Mill link at the end of the quote on my profile page, you can read the LONG version.

[Schnucki]

When a people are used as mere human instruments for firing cannon or thrusting bayonets, in the service and for the selfish purposes of a master, such war degrades a people.

That would be the Clinton years.

A war to protect other human beings against tyrannical injustice; a war to give victory to their own ideas of right and good, and which is their own war, carried on for an honest purpose by their own free choice--is often the means of their regeneration.

And this would appear to be the Bush years.

[pray4liberty]

A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight; nothing he cares about more than his own personal safety; is a miserable creature who has no chance of being free, unless made and kept so by the exertions of better persons than himself."

Take that, peaceniks.

[jackbill]

A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight; nothing he cares about more than his own personal safety; is a miserable creature who has no chance of being free, unless made and kept so by the exertions of better persons than himself."

I guess that nails Colman McCarthy and the rest of the "peace at any cost" crowd.

[Jaidyn]

That is good stuff! I just watch the documentaries about Afghanistan, Somalia and other third world countries and figure I would rather be dead than live like they do so the alternative is to do everything in your power not to be like the failed countries. Besides, I'm not ugly enough yet to hide behind a blanket.

[RonDog]

See also the profile pages of the folks listed in the To: box of THIS reply:

Great minds think alike! ;-