"No man escapes
When freedom fails,
The best men rot in filthy jails;
And they who cried: “Appease, Appease!”
Are hanged by men they tried to please."
by:
Hiram Mann
[George Hiram Mann] (1872-1955) New York City self-taught attorney, took a case involving overtime payments for 1,400 Navy yard workers, settled 27 years later when Congress passed a bill authorizing $332,342.72 for the back pay.
Source:
28 March 1947, Wall Street Journal, Letters to the Editor, Hiram Mann, New York City
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Reader comments about this quote:
Some things just cannot be compromised.
 -- Dude, L.A.     
  • 7
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     -- Noshad, Burnaby      
    I heard Jordan Maxwell use this quote. Wow, says so much and is so deep in so few words. One of my favorite quotes!
     -- dan francis, spokane valley     
  • 13 1
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    Actual quote is word "escapes" not "survives."
     -- W. B. Prince, N. Myrtle Beach, SC     
  • 1
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     -- Cynthia, Brownsville,Tx.      
     -- donna      
     -- Anonymous      
    This poem has been in my mind since high-school (1950). I think of it often as I am watching the reality of it happening today (2012). In 1953 I offered my life to protect my country and I would do it again. What is currently happening is the slow demise of the country I love and I am helpless to do anything to save it. Our freedom is in the hands of men who are extremely selfish and greedy. WE need to make some changes; and I'm not so sure the men running for office are any different than those that are ruining our country now. God help us! Gene Scalf.
     -- Gene Scalf, Colorado Springs     
  • 18
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     -- JP, Fort Lauderdale      
     -- Cheryl Ann Goad, Burns, Oregon      
    Very wise man.
     -- E.J.S., P.H. Michigan     
  • 4
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    I thank God every day for President Trump, Vice President Pence, their families, and all who sacrifice so much for our freedoms. May God protect and preserve them.
     -- Jose Bessa, Southampton, UK.     
  • 16 3
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    A timely quote today when freedom and our free press are under attack by Mssrs. Trump and Pence. They have never had to sacrifice much, and have contempt for those who have. Our wonderful democracy is swiftly becoming an oligarchy. Sadly, these forces of darkness have far too many appeasers.
     -- SMK, Austin, Texas     
  • 1 21
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    i think that any body who thinks we were suppose to be a democracy or believes we are, needs to stay home and play with themselves and not vote.
     -- johnny mac, colorado     
  • 10 1
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     -- Michael, Lewisville TX      
    It's incorrect. The original text is "No man escapes..." Here.
     -- Jay, Hancock ME     
  • 3
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    Thanks, Jay.  We've made the correction.  Cheers.
     -- Editor, Liberty Quotes     
  • 3
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    Sadly, there is no such thing as a wonderful democracy.  The US was not founded as a democracy.  Democracy is probably the worst form of government devised by man, nothing more than mob rule.  Or, as Benjamin Franklin stated: "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what's for dinner.  Liberty is a well armed lamb."  As for swiftly becoming an oligarchy, that's ludicrous.  It's been an oligarchy for more than a hundred years.
     -- Howard Romano, Bangkok     
  • 11
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     -- Howard Romano, Bangkok      

    And here we sit, some 15 years after the original post.

    Times are rough, and look like they're going to get worse.


     -- Pony, Rolling Meadows, IL     
  • 5
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    Hilarious!
     -- E Archer, NYC     
  • 6
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    mmmm 2024 and the wheels still in spin   uk

     -- paul, lincoln     
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    Who? Specifically, who tried to please someone and got hanged.  There maybe some biased vague point in all this, but It must be understood you are dealing with the mentality ill and they're just not all present. The mental health provider is constantly trying to give the ill the cognitive repairs they require to keep circumstances balanced, and as always,
     -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown     
  • 2
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    With further consideration, you could say this is your military experience. You go kill others in another country and when you return, with your medal of "honor," your local community kills you as justification for killing others.  The evil empire is phony, they will thank you for your "service," and when you turn your back they will call you the opportunist mercenary.  Socialism is the challenge of socialized behavior to create respect for all life.
     -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown     
  • 2
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    Sillik, from your god complex status (uniquely being the sole practitioner and divine creator of socialism) what have you created?
     -- Mike, Norwalk     
  • 2
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    A chance for human survival.
     -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown     
  • 2
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    They will call me the mercenary to my face of course because I'm not a gangster.
     -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown     
  • 2
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    Sillik, 🤪 hahaha, lololol, can you be more specific without using circular word salad to take the place something scientifically provable — outside your religion.
     -- Mike, Norwalk     
  • 2
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    By way of illustration but, not by way of limitation. I am personally acquainted with an individual that beat the case against him brought by the IRS  —  BUT,  went to jail for contempt. I know an individual that was bussed from prison to prison (he was never in one place long enough we could get him out — on habius corpus or otherwise). I knew an activist couple who's home was completely cleared out (unknown to everyone, even their children) and then were reported dead of cancer a few months later in prison. They were cancer free and otherwise healthy before being imprisoned without charges.
     -- Mike, Norwalk     
  • 2
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    Absolutely true.  Stark, ugly reality in beautiful poetry.  
     -- empty pockets, Mandeville     
  • 1
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    J6 prisoners come to mind.  Can you imagine if Trump had not won?  They would still be in there and under horrendous conditions.  Classic communist/fascist/socialist tactics — imprison the dissenters. 

    I sure would like to see some politicos put behind bars for their deceitful actions over the last 10 years.  Biden issued pre-emptive pardons on some of the worst offenders — is that even lawful?  If you don't hang a few treasonous politicians from time to time, they will never stop.
     -- E Archer, NYC     
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    This is a mentally ill individual's conclusion, the healthy mentality conclude there's always a rational explanation and sensible solution to all obstacles. We must stay positive of and in the human endeavor.
     -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown     
    		•  
    Also, the mentally ill's insistence of solving problems with additional problems is truly misguided to say the least.  The healthy mentality solves problems with rational solutions.
     -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown     
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