“The continuous disasters of man's history are mainly due to his excessive capacity and urge to become identified with a tribe, nation, church or cause, and to espouse its credo uncritically and enthusiastically, even if its tenets are contrary to reason, devoid of self-interest and detrimental to the claims of self-preservation.We are thus driven to the unfashionable conclusion that the trouble with our species is not an excess of aggression, but an excess capacity for fanatical devotion.” IfsMenSelfReasonNationsCausesInterestChurchTroubleCapacityClaimsSpeciesDuesDrivenContraryDisasterDevotionConclusionUrgesExcessAggressionTribesPreservationSelf InterestSelf PreservationDetrimentalCredo Author:Arthur Koestler
“When the South has trouble with its Negroes - when the Negroes refuse to remain in their "place" - it blames "outside agitators" and "Northern interference." When the nation has trouble with the Northern Negro, it blames the Kremlin.” NationsTroubleBlameSouthRefuseInterferenceKremlin Author:James A. Baldwin
“Formerly, a nation that broke the peace, did not trouble to try and prove to the world that it was done solely from higher motives. ... Now war has a bad conscience. Now every nation assures us that it is bleeding for a human cause, the fate of which hangs in the balance of its victory ... No nation dares to admit the guilt of blood before the world.” WorldTryingHumansWarDoneNationsCausesFateTroubleBloodBalanceVictoryHigherProveConscienceGuiltDareBrokeWar Of The WorldsMotiveBleeding Author:Ellen Key
“War proves nothing. To kill a man does not prove that he was in the wrong. Bloodletting cannot change men's spirits, neither can the evil of men's thoughts be driven out by blows. If I go to my neighbor's house, and break her furniture, and smash her pictures, and bind her children captive, it does not prove that I am fitter to live than she - yet according to ethics of nations it does. I have conquered her and she must pay me for my trouble; and her house and all that is left in it belongs to my heirs and successors, forever. That is war!” IfsMenChildrenDoeWarSpiritEvilHouseLeftNationsPayBreakForeverTroubleProveEthicsBlowDrivenNeighborFurnitureHeirsCaptivesSuccessorsBloodletting Book:In Times Like These Source: In Times Like These
“But if you will recall the history of our civil troubles, you will see half the nation bathe itself, out of piety, in the blood of the other half, and violate the fundamental feelings of humanity in order to sustain the cause of God: as though it were necessary to cease to be a man in order to prove oneself religious!” IfsMenFeelingsHumanityOrderNationsCausesReligiousHalfTroubleBloodAtheismProveFundamentalsOneselfPositive AtheismCeaseRecallsBe A ManPietyOther Half Author:Denis Diderot
“There has been abroad many times some criticism of our Government, of our people, and our ways, but that has demonstrated, I think, that when they are in real trouble and real difficulty over there, they turn to us as a nation that will be fair with them--one in whose judgment and in whose character they can rely; and that not withstanding differences that have seemed to exist, they are willing to abide by the faith that they have in us, and I think that is a very substantial accomplishment.” PeopleThinkingWayHas BeensRealCharacterGovernmentTurnsNationsDifferencesTroubleWillingPrideJudgmentFairsCriticismDifficultyAccomplishmentRelyPatriotismWithstanding Author:Calvin Coolidge
“It seems like election 2016 has been a whole lot about a person who's very high in the polls, that doesn't have a clue about how to govern.A person who has been filled with scandals, and who could not lead, and, of course, I'm talking about Hillary Clinton.I think America is in trouble, but it's not beyond repair. But it's going to take leadership who sees the greatness of this country, and who believes that once again we can be one nation, under God.” ThinkingBelievePersonsHas BeensCountryWholeSeemsAmericaCoursesNationsTalkingTroubleGreatnessElectionFilledClintonClueScandalPollsOne Nation Under God Author:Mike Huckabee
“The future was and remains the quintessential American art form. Other nations sit back and let their futures happen; we construct ours. We can let the future happen, or take the trouble to imagine it. We can imagine it dark or bright - and in the long run, that's how it will be.” LongArtHappensRunningFormNationsDarkImagineTroubleRemainsLong RunsConstructsQuintessential Author:David Gelernter
“That is the problem with comedy in India. Spoofing sells. Come up with original comedy about the hilarious nation we are, with funny accents and odd rituals, and we get into trouble.” ProblemNationsComedyTroubleIndiaOriginalsSellsCome UpOddRitualAccents Author:Cyrus Broacha
“As a nation, we must choose between the sanctity of life ethic and the quality of life ethic. I have no trouble identifying the answer our nation has always given to this basic question, and the answer that I hope and pray it will give in the future.” GivingGivenNationsAnswersQualityTroublePrayingEthicsQuality Of LifeSanctityIdentifyingSanctity Of LifeHope And Pray Author:Ronald Reagan
“The trouble with celebrating Independence Day is that we tend to look back at what made this the great nation that it is and give little thought to a future that threatens that which free men hold dearest, namely freedom.” MenGivingLooksLittlesMadeNationsTroubleIndependenceCelebrateFree ManIndependence DayGreat Nations Author:Lyn Nofziger
“If you wish to prosper, let your customer prosper. When people have learned this lesson, everyone will seek his individual welfare in the general welfare. Then jealousies between man and man, city and city, province and province, nation and nation, will no longer trouble the world.” PeopleIfsMenWorldIndividualNationsWishCitiesLibertyTroubleEconomicLessonsEconomicsCustomersWelfareProvincesGeneral Welfare Author:Frederic Bastiat
“Reading their letters and the First Amendment of the US Constitution, I infer that this nation's founders noted that religions have been at the center of great deal of trouble, so they precluded the US government from getting involved in religion, i.e. "... shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." Over the centuries, various religions have laid claim to various morals; consider the difficulties outsiders are having today in the Middle East, for example.” FirstsHas BeensGovernmentTodayLawReadingNationsDealsMoralTroubleMiddleCenturyExampleInvolvedExerciseLettersConstitutionClaimsDifficultyVariousEastEstablishmentMiddle EastAmendmentsOutsidersFoundersFirst AmendmentUs Constitution Author:Bill Nye
“I believe in adequate defense at the coastline and nothing else. If a nation comes over here to fight, then we'll fight. The trouble with America is that when the dollar only earns 6 percent over here, then it gets restless and goes overseas to get 100 percent. Then the flag follows the dollar and the soldiers follow the flag.” IfsBelieveWarAmericaFightingI BelieveNationsTroublePercentDollarsSoldierI Believe InDefenseFlagsAntiwarRestlessAdequateCoastline Author:Smedley Butler