#liberty

What good does it do me, after all, if an ever-watchful authority keeps an eye out to ensure that my pleasures will be tranquil and races ahead of me to ward off all danger, sparing me the need even to think about such things, if that authority, even as it removes the smallest thorns from my path, is also absolute master of my liberty and my life; if it monopolizes vitality and existence to such a degree that when it languishes, everything around it must also languish; when it sleeps, everything must also sleep; and when it dies, everything must also perish? ↗

— Alexis de Tocqueville

#life

In particular those who are condemned to stagnation are often pronounced happy on the pretext that happiness consists in being at rest. This notion we reject, for our perspective is that of existentialist ethics. Every subject plays his part as such specifically through exploits or projects that serve as a mode of transcendence; he achieves liberty only through a continual reaching out towards other liberties. There is no justification for present existence other than its expansion into an indefinitely open future. Every time transcendence falls back into immanence, stagnation, there is a degradation of existence into the ‘en-sois’ – the brutish life of subjection to given conditions – and of liberty into constraint and contingence. This downfall represents a moral fault if the subject consents to it; if it is inflicted upon him, it spells frustration and oppression. In both cases it is an absolute evil. Every individual concerned to justify his existence feels that his existence involves an undefined need to transcend himself, to engage in freely chosen projects. ↗

— Simone de Beauvoir

#philosophy #life

Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of those who threaten it. ↗

— United States Department of the Navy

#liberty #life #patriotism #life

To preserve liberty it is essential that the whole body of people always possess arms and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them. ↗

— Richard Henry Lee

#always #arms #body #especially #essential

It is our happiness to live under the government of a PRINCE who is satisfied with ruling according to law; as every other good prince will - We enjoy under his administration all the liberty that is proper and expedient for us. ↗

— Jonathan Mayhew

#administration #enjoy #every #expedient #good

There is no liberty, if the power of judging be not separated from the legislative and executive powers. ↗

— Henry Middleton

#judging #legislative #liberty #power #powers

Our enemy is motivated by hatred and will not stop planning more plots against until they are ultimately defeated. Today was an important and necessary victory in the war, but there is a long road ahead. We must remain committed if we are to succeed and protect our liberty. ↗

— Timothy Murphy

#ahead #committed #defeated #enemy #hatred

The life and liberty and property and happiness of the common man throughout the world are at the absolute mercy of a few persons whom he has never seen, involved in complicated quarrels that he has never heard of. ↗

— Gilbert Murray

#common #common man #complicated #few #happiness

Americans want our leaders to defend our values, our culture, our legacy of liberty and our way of life, not apologize. ↗

— Christine O'Donnell

#culture #defend #leaders #legacy #liberty

I know my country has not perfected itself. At times, we've struggled to keep the promise of liberty and equality for all of our people. We've made our share of mistakes, and there are times when our actions around the world have not lived up to our best intentions. ↗

— Barack Obama

#actions #around #best #best intentions #country