Quote from Benjamin Franklin

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Because of fear of enemies and the need for security, the people in fascist regimes are persuaded that human rights can be ignored in certain cases because of 'need.' The people tend to look the other way or even approve of torture, summary executions, assassinations, long incarcerations of prisoners, etc.

—Dr. Lawrence Britt
Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it.

—George Bernard Shaw
[George W. Bush] can intercept your e-mails, your phone calls, open your regular mail, he can break and enter your home. He can even kidnap you, claiming [he is] seeking foreign intelligence.

—Bruce Fein
We will bankrupt ourselves in the vain search for absolute security.

—Dwight D. Eisenhower
[In fascist regimes] The people are rallied into a unifying patriotic frenzy over the need to eliminate a perceived common threat or foe: racial , ethnic or religious minorities; liberals; communists; socialists, terrorists, etc.

—Dr. Lawrence Britt
I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.

—James Madison
Concentrated power has always been the enemy of liberty.

—Ronald Reagan
When even one American - who has done nothing wrong -- is forced by fear to shut his mind and close his mouth, then all of Americans are in peril.

—Harry S. Truman
After all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.

—Hermann Goering
Too many people are thinking of security instead of opportunity. They seem more afraid of life than death.

—James F. Byrnes
When a government takes over a people's economic life it becomes absolute, and when it has become absolute it destroys the arts, the minds, the liberties and the meaning of the people it governs.

—Maxwell Anderson
It must be obvious... that there is a contradiction in wanting to be perfectly secure in a universe whose very nature is momentariness and fluidity.

—Alan Watts
[In fascist regimes] Fear is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses.

—Dr. Lawrence Britt
I think as far as the adverse impact on the nation around the world, this [George W. Bush] administration has been the worst in history. The overt reversal of America's basic values as expressed by previous administrations, including those of George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon and others, has been the most disturbing to me. We now have endorsed the concept of pre-emptive war where we go to war with another nation militarily, even though our own security is not directly threatened, if we want to change the regime there or if we fear that some time in the future our security might be endangered. But that's been a radical departure from all previous administration policies.

—Jimmy Carter
The [George W.] Bush administration has squandered in two years the moral authority America spent generations building...even some of those who were with us are now against us. And those, like Tony Blair, who are still with us pay a political price for it. America is hurt as well. We are less secure when our friends suffer for standing by our side. With fewer partners, we are left to meet dangers alone.

—Gen. Wesley Clark
George W. Bush has practiced policies that have not improved the United States or the world. In fact, the opposite has happened. The world is a less safe place to live and many people throughout the globe who once admired the United States now have a negative and even a hostile view toward us because of the president's policies. So, move over Harding and Nixon and Tyler and Taylor because George W. Bush will be joining your ranks in 2009. In fact, he may become the leading candidate for America's Worst President.

—Robert Guttman
The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.

—Franklin D. Roosevelt
Passwords are like underwear. You shouldn’t leave them out where people can see them. You should change them regularly. And you shouldn’t loan them out to strangers.

—Unknown
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!

—Benjamin Franklin
If you want total security, go to prison. There you're fed, clothed, given medical care and so on. The only thing lacking is freedom.

—Dwight D. Eisenhower

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