"There are all kinds of devices invented for the protection and
preservation of countries: defensive barriers, forts, trenches,
and the like... But prudent minds have as a natural gift one safeguard
which is the common possession of all, and this applies especially
to the dealings of democracies. What is this safeguard? Skepticism.
This you must preserve. This you must retain. If you can keep this,
you need fear no harm."
by:
Demosthenes
(384-322 BC) Greek statesman and orator of ancient Athens
Source:
Oration
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More skepticism would prevent going to war based on rumor and suspicion.
 -- A.Jurgensen, Stuart, FL     
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    Skepticism is one half of the protection the other half is more import and that is action - skepticism without action is like a bowl without food. The action part may have stopped us invading another country.
     -- Robert, Sarasota     
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     -- Anonymous, Reston, VA US      
    The Press that for so long hammered the opinion that no weapons of mass destruction were found in Iraq failed to widely report when more than 500 weapons were found with sarin gas. A couple of media outlets reported it, but most said nothing, embarrassed at there former error combined with arrogant insistence. It was only natural that the government that had nine times (documented) used these weapons should still have them. Skepticism, yes; but what do you call it when the truth is denied? Blindness.
     -- David L Rosenthal     
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     -- Joe, Rochester, MI      
    Question Authority.
     -- E Archer, NYC     
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    David, That was old stuff America gave Iraq to fight against Iran
     -- Robert, Sarasota     
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    We needed more skeptics in 2003 when everyone was supporting the invasion of a sovereign country on a hunch there would be "mushroom clouds" if we did not take preemptive action. If skeptics spoke out, as some of us did, we were labeled as weak on terrorism and reminded of 9/11. The only justification given now is; Saddam was a very bad person, even if he was no threat to us or our allies..
     -- Jack, Green, OH     
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    Time for me to drag out my periodical reference to The Smothers Brothers song, "They're rioting in Africa, they're starving in Spain, there's hurricanes in Florida and Texas needs rain. The whole world is festering with unhappy souls: the French hate the Germans, the ____ hate the Poles. South Africa hates ____ , the _____ hate ___ .... and I don't like anybody very much." ( Missed more than I thought I would .. Oh, well. THE point ? NO STABILITY IN OUR WORLD.
     -- Bobble, No. Ferrisburgh, VT     
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    Too late here. 4 generations of people propagandized by the FEDERAL education system to be 'world citizens', not US citizens. And, along with that is the redistribution of US wealth for the so called 'damage' done to other nations because of the 'US caused global warming', the biggest social engineering plot of the UN (aka IMF, World Bank) to date...
    "This is the first time in the history of mankind that we are setting ourselves the task of intentionally, within a defined period of time, to change the economic development model that has been reigning for at least 150 years, since the Industrial Revolution." Christiana Figueres Executive Secretary of the UN convention on UN climate Change
    She has some other pretty profound statements if you put her name into google on capitalism, communism, and the like.
    Ask yourself, what is the 'defined period' of time? Answer: the 21st century hence, Agenda 21, now morphed into Future Earth.
    Who was the economic development model that reigned the past 150 years? USA and Western Europe. How are they doing now? Well, in the USA as of 12-2015 (the link to that news is available on google) the middle class is no longer in the majority. Also, our less than economically stable nation is bringing in thousands of new people. People who will find no jobs as business has moved to other countries (that is why our middle class is gone). All will be on public assistance. Food for thought.

     -- Abby     
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    Abby, well said. Skepticism would still be good but, re-educating over 80 years of the occupying statist theocracy's government seminaries (public schools), the progressive religion's proselyting through their media and politics and otherwise entrenched dumming down will the very tough.
     -- Mike, Norwalk     
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     -- Ronw13, OR      
    I don't know what happened to my comment  it must have been censored!
     -- Robert Edwards, somewhere in the USA     
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    Sorry, Robert.  We've got a bug in the system that often does not save responses if the page has been open for more than 15 minutes before sending.  So, long responses are usually the ones that get hit.  We are working on it.  Try copying your text before sending, then redo if it does not get saved.  You are not being censored, we value your comments greatly.  Cheers!
     -- Editor, Liberty Quotes     
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     -- jim k, Austin      
     
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