#pol

Civil government, so far as it is instituted for the security of property, is in reality instituted for the defense of the rich against the poor, or of those who have some property against those who have none at all. ↗

— Adam Smith

#democracy #freedom #history #hope #individualism

The problem is that the people with the most ridiculous ideas are always the people who are most certain of them." (The Decider, July 21, 2007) ↗

— Bill Maher

#humour #ideas #idiocy #politics #ridicule

Value your freedom or you will lose it, teaches history. 'Don't bother us with politics', respond those who don't want to learn. ↗

— Richard Stallman

#freedom #history #learn #lose #politics

It is only on the battlefield of ideas that the best ones can be recognized and ultimately prevail. Only those afraid of the truth seek to silence debate, intimidate those with whom they disagree, or slander their ideological counterparts. Those who know they are right have no reason to stifle debate because they realize that all opposing arguments will ultimately be overcome by fact. ↗

— Glenn Beck

#ideology

I looked at Thalia. "You're afraid of heights." Now that we were safely down the mountain, her eyes had their usual angry look. "Don't be stupid." That explains why you freaked out on Apollo's bus. Why you didn't want to talk about it." She took a deep breath. Then she brushed the pine needles out of her hair. "If you tell anyone, I swear—" No, no," I said. "That's cool. It's just… the daughter of Zeus, the Lord of the Sky, afraid of heights? ↗

— Rick Riordan

#percy-jackson #thalia-grace #zeus #grace

You're not to be so blind with patriotism that you can't face reality. Wrong is wrong, no matter who does it or says it. ↗

— Malcolm X

#politics #wrong

Little sister!" Apollo called. If his teeth were any whiter he could've blinded us without the sun car. "What's up? You never call. You never write. I was getting worried!" Artemis sighed. "I'm fine, Apollo. And I am not your little sister." "Hey, I was born first." "We're twins! How many millennia do we have to argue— ↗

— Rick Riordan

#artemis #percy-jackson #sisters

One night I was standing on Third Avenue playing my guitar, when this big Irish policeman came strolling by, and stopped to listen to my singing and playing. When I was done, he politely handed me a ticket for disturbing the peace, while at the same time telling me how much he liked my voice. I wish I still had that ticket. ↗

— Frank Stallone

#big #came #disturbing #done #guitar

The United States is a nation of laws, badly written and randomly enforced. ↗

— Frank Zappa

#state

For the powerful, crimes are those that others commit. ↗

— Noam Chomsky

#double-standards #hypocrisy #politics #power #war-crimes