@kumonga68.bsky.social
came across a speech by a Republican in 1950 condemning McCarthyism, and it struck me how much of what she said still applies today
www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mar...
www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mar...
American Rhetoric: Margaret Chase Smith -- "Declaration of Conscience"
Full text speech of Margaret Chase Smith speech "Declaration of Conscience"
www.americanrhetoric.com
January 17, 2026 at 7:32 AM
came across a speech by a Republican in 1950 condemning McCarthyism, and it struck me how much of what she said still applies today
www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mar...
www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mar...
"Inside the polling booth every American man and woman stands as the equal of every other American man and woman. There they have no superiors. There they have no masters save their own minds and consciences."
Franklin D. Roosevelt, speech, Worcester, Mass., Oct. 21, 1936
Franklin D. Roosevelt, speech, Worcester, Mass., Oct. 21, 1936
October 30, 2025 at 6:13 PM
"Inside the polling booth every American man and woman stands as the equal of every other American man and woman. There they have no superiors. There they have no masters save their own minds and consciences."
Franklin D. Roosevelt, speech, Worcester, Mass., Oct. 21, 1936
Franklin D. Roosevelt, speech, Worcester, Mass., Oct. 21, 1936
"The goal of education is the advancement of knowledge and the dissemination of truth."
John F. Kennedy, Address, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mas., 1956
John F. Kennedy, Address, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mas., 1956
September 21, 2025 at 6:16 PM
"The goal of education is the advancement of knowledge and the dissemination of truth."
John F. Kennedy, Address, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mas., 1956
John F. Kennedy, Address, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mas., 1956
"He who incites to strife is worse than he who takes part in it."
Aesop, "The Trumpeter Taken Prisoner," Fables (6th C. B.C.?), Tr. Thomas James
Aesop, "The Trumpeter Taken Prisoner," Fables (6th C. B.C.?), Tr. Thomas James
September 2, 2025 at 10:24 PM
"He who incites to strife is worse than he who takes part in it."
Aesop, "The Trumpeter Taken Prisoner," Fables (6th C. B.C.?), Tr. Thomas James
Aesop, "The Trumpeter Taken Prisoner," Fables (6th C. B.C.?), Tr. Thomas James
"What could be more essential in a pluralistic society like ours than that every citizen see dignity in every other human being everywhere?"
Kurt Vonnegut, "William Ellery Channing," Palm Sunday (1970)
Kurt Vonnegut, "William Ellery Channing," Palm Sunday (1970)
September 2, 2025 at 4:03 AM
"What could be more essential in a pluralistic society like ours than that every citizen see dignity in every other human being everywhere?"
Kurt Vonnegut, "William Ellery Channing," Palm Sunday (1970)
Kurt Vonnegut, "William Ellery Channing," Palm Sunday (1970)
"Every government degenerates when trusted to rulers of the people alone. The people themselves therefore are its only safe depositories."
Thomas Jefferson, Notes On The State Of Virginia (1784-85), 14
Thomas Jefferson, Notes On The State Of Virginia (1784-85), 14
August 30, 2025 at 12:44 AM
"Every government degenerates when trusted to rulers of the people alone. The people themselves therefore are its only safe depositories."
Thomas Jefferson, Notes On The State Of Virginia (1784-85), 14
Thomas Jefferson, Notes On The State Of Virginia (1784-85), 14
"Fetters of gold are still fetters, and silken cords pinch."
English Proverb
"If men and women are in chains, anywhere in the world, then freedom is endangered everywhere."
John F. Kennedy, Campaign Statement, Washington, D.C., Pulaski Day, Oct. 2, 1960
English Proverb
"If men and women are in chains, anywhere in the world, then freedom is endangered everywhere."
John F. Kennedy, Campaign Statement, Washington, D.C., Pulaski Day, Oct. 2, 1960
August 29, 2025 at 4:01 AM
"Fetters of gold are still fetters, and silken cords pinch."
English Proverb
"If men and women are in chains, anywhere in the world, then freedom is endangered everywhere."
John F. Kennedy, Campaign Statement, Washington, D.C., Pulaski Day, Oct. 2, 1960
English Proverb
"If men and women are in chains, anywhere in the world, then freedom is endangered everywhere."
John F. Kennedy, Campaign Statement, Washington, D.C., Pulaski Day, Oct. 2, 1960
"There is no stronger craving in the world than that of the rich for titles, except that of the titled for riches."
Hesketh Pearson, The Marrying Americans (1961)
Hesketh Pearson, The Marrying Americans (1961)
August 29, 2025 at 3:57 AM
"There is no stronger craving in the world than that of the rich for titles, except that of the titled for riches."
Hesketh Pearson, The Marrying Americans (1961)
Hesketh Pearson, The Marrying Americans (1961)
"Our whole system of government is based on "We the people," but if we the people don't pay attention to what's going on, we have no right to bellyache or squawk when things go wrong."
Ronald Reagan, An American Life (1990)
Ronald Reagan, An American Life (1990)
August 26, 2025 at 7:26 PM
"Our whole system of government is based on "We the people," but if we the people don't pay attention to what's going on, we have no right to bellyache or squawk when things go wrong."
Ronald Reagan, An American Life (1990)
Ronald Reagan, An American Life (1990)
"In America there must be only citizens, not divided by grade, first and second, but citizens, east, west, north, and south."
John F. Kennedy, campaign address, National Conference on Constitutional Rights and American Freedom, New York, Oct. 12, 1960
John F. Kennedy, campaign address, National Conference on Constitutional Rights and American Freedom, New York, Oct. 12, 1960
August 26, 2025 at 7:26 PM
"In America there must be only citizens, not divided by grade, first and second, but citizens, east, west, north, and south."
John F. Kennedy, campaign address, National Conference on Constitutional Rights and American Freedom, New York, Oct. 12, 1960
John F. Kennedy, campaign address, National Conference on Constitutional Rights and American Freedom, New York, Oct. 12, 1960