Henry David Thoreau Quote

"The fate of the country does not depend on how you vote at the polls --
the worst man is as strong as the best at that game;
it does not depend on what kind of paper
you drop into the ballot-box once a year,
but on what kind of man you drop from your chamber
into the street every morning."

by:	Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) American author, poet, philosopher, polymath, abolitionist, naturalist, tax resister, development critic, surveyor, historian, and transcendentalist
Source:	Slavery in Massachusetts (1854)
Rating:
Categories:	Character, Freedom, Integrity, Vote
	Tweet

So true. Voting for liberty will do nothing if we do not live free. Live by just laws and society will be the better for it.  -- Ben, Orem, UT      4 1
We hold this truth absolute. Since the Warren Court, the Supreme Court has legislated that the government is no longer of, by, for, or represent the people but have inherent right as an independent organic ethos. I have on this blog given dozens of Supreme Court decisions stating that the policing agencies (the executive) is/are not answerable to, or responsible for 'We The People'. We can vote for an overlord of choice and then listen to the government run media lie to us about how we've done our patriotic duty in making a difference. We can vote for neocon fascists or liberal communists and the destruction of the free constitutional republic continues unabated. As noble sovereigns we still have personal capitalism to vote with, by way of example we can by Fords and not socialist Government Motor cars. We can drop from our chambers and as Gandi, live only natural law and reject the tyranny of the foreign despots.  -- Mike, Norwalk      5
I think they are both related. What is a neocon fascist? I know that liberals, fascists, communists, progressives and socialist are all the same but what the hell is a neocon fascist?  -- warren, olathe      2
(-; warren, lol, its a redundancy for emphatic effect.;-) You're right, they're all slightly different applications of the same collectivist root.  -- Mike, Norwalk      3
Thoreau is absolutely correct that the our personal destiny and our national destiny depends on each of us individually but he is incorrect and speaks against the Constitution since he is speaking against representative government which the Constitution established and enhanced over the years. Proof that as he says the man or men on the street matter is the latest public opinion campaign being launced by RePower America. Check it out on the net. If our vote does not matter then why complain about getting one or the other politician. Why all the railing about Obama if it doesn't matter. Mike probably buys Japanese and Korean cars subsidized, aided and abetted by the Japanese and Korean governments who give their people universal health care etc.  -- Waffler, Smith      1 5
Waffler, a question for you. What does the Constitution or, the original organization set forth as a representative republic have to do with the statist theocracy that now infests this land, knowing what the Supreme Court (by way of social engineering) has legislated over and over again? And, you're probably right about my vehicles; in fact, that Ford truck I just sold was probably mostly made in Canada (of course Canada isn't under the same Constitutional jurisprudence that the U.S. once was, those socialist universal health care kanooks;-).  -- Mike, Norwalk      4
Mike. lets not forget that the Constitution also gaurantees "We the People" the right to fire an unjust government. I like the points you made. Especially the Buy Ford not Gov. Motors Corp., which is exactly what I've done.  -- J Carlton, Calgary      4
Warren, a neocon fascist might be defined as a "Big Government Conservative" working hand in hand with corporatism, (which is an oxymoron), as opposed to an actual conservative.  -- J Carlton, Calgary      4
Mike a question for you "What is a statist theocracy"? J I love my F250 6.0 diesel. I have been driving it all over NM the last week, visiting all the statist sites like White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico States International Space Science Museum, AF Bases (Holloman, Cannon) etcetera, Mike is right about one thing it seems that the state or society or whatever you call it is everywhere out here Mike what do you mean by social engineering. Back in the '40's it was illegal for a negro and white to marry in California. A couple apparently sued the state and the law was changed. Which was social engineering, the law banning the practice or the court that over turned it. The law which controlled people and claimed to protect unborn children from a mixed heritage or the court which freed people and tossed the unborn into a brave new world.  -- Waffler, Smith      1
This is the very point I try to make when people say we must vote -- who decides the choices?! Where are the truly brilliant characters with honor and integrity in our choices? We were given some really bad choices last year for president -- but no one gets elected these days that isn't promising someone a share in the spoils. A candidate who promises to reduce government and subsidies will find little support because the average American has been conditioned to give up his power and to let government provide for us -- anyone running on a contrary platform will have difficulty. And that is why a populist democracy eventually ends in totalitarianism. Freedom means responsibility -- that's why most men dread it. Mike is on a roll today! BTW, I have family in Canada and the national health care system there is not anything like what is being proposed by the tricksters in Congress and the White House -- everyone is insured and additional private insurance is available for coverage for more expensive treatments. And no one is forced to buy insurance or be fined! The American people are being conned (again).  -- E Archer, NYC      4
What are the choices indeed? Hillary 'cross your fingers' Clinton, Donald 'the octopus' Trump and Gary 'what's Aleppo?' Johnson. May I suggest that money and power are the prerequisites for candidacy rather than honour and integrity - unfortunately. Possibly the fate of more than the country is at stake. The world waits with baited breath for the US to decide.  -- Mick, Manchester      1
Waffler, over the years on this blog, I have defined ad nauseam the topics you would have re-defined - especially, "What is a statist theocracy"?. Once again, maybe for the new entrants to this site. Falling within a contemporary subject matter or categorical topic of political science; "statism" is the belief of should and/or actual application of a centrist state (along with its body politic) having overall control of economics, social policy and politically correct (PC) expressions toward the living and property. "Statist" is a practitioner of "statism". Religion is: an object of conscience, inalienable with, inclusive of and enabled by an ethic(s), a moral(s), a value (system) or an orientation of correctness / enlightenment, believed sufficiently conventional and sacrosanct as to enable an attributable action. Religion entails beliefs that are outside the absolute of the laws of nature and of natures God (natural law - gravity, physics, fiscal law, larceny, etc). Religion is: real piety in practice, consisting in the performance of all known duties to ⋯ our fellow men. (Bouviers Law Dictionary) Religion alleges the authoritative ability to convert inalienable right to privilege - such as license. Religion is: A pursuit or interest to which someone ascribes supreme importance: (Oxford Dictionary) An extremely terse list exemplifying what religion is outside the application of natural law / constitutional law are: caring for the ill, clothing the naked, feeding the hungry, financing the indigent, housing the homeless, defining the sacrament of marriage, mandating applications of birth control and setting up free speech zones (so that the lords anointed(s) may not be harassed). Theocracy is: a State, or government thereof, that governs both at law (natural law) and religion. Religion, ⋯ frequently associated ⋯ with despotism, to reign, by its power, or under its shadow, has sometimes attempted to reign alone, (Bouviers Law Dictionary) Waffler, by definition, current Amerika is a statist theocracy, I hope that helps. This election cycle may be a exception to the rule of the quote's 'The fate of the country does not depend on how you vote at the polls.' Individuals will have to stand sovereign and resist criminal Hitlerys plunging the country into nuclear war and possible annihilation; or, vote for the offered alternative, moving forward in a more prosperous statist theocracy.  -- Mike, Norwalk      5
-- Jim K, Austin, Tx
" Individuals will have to Stand Sovereign and Resist " Exception to the rule of the quote, is, the point of Thoreau's passiveness, while wishing to resist tyranny. Close on the heals of Liberty, tyranny is always in the room to oppose the Truths, doctrines of freedom provided for the individual. Notice Thoreau went to the country to seek enlightenment from nature. Never mentioning to Hunt, trap, fish or providing his needs in these manners. He returned to the city, a bleeding heart, wishing to "free the slaves" did more harm to the sovereign individual than ever good. I suspect Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Lord Acton, Robert E. Lee and many more like minded individuals would concur, Thoreau is a sunshine patriot, not even worthy to carry the sponge to wipe up the blood, shed for our sacred Liberty. Archer brings to mind the conditioning over time to become a passive socialist who wishes to keep and bear arms. torn between two wants. Independence, and dependency upon the paps of socialist government in old age. Ignorance abounds. Nature does not suffer fools well. so its stands to reason, foolish children, prop babies, keep by the nanny state. Some thinking, social security is not welfare. Lukewarm does not get the job done ! The vote to cast is obvious in this current election. IF you are A Patriot of Liberty. We the People move forward one step at a time. Vote, join the Convention of States movement, and begin passing around the AFFIDAVIT OF REVOCATION AND RESCISSION. Time for talk comes to an end ! First there must be a willing mind, and then the doing of it. I am not Ashamed of the Liberty given to me by God, nor afraid of the responsibility to suffer for it.  -- Ronw13, Oregon      4
Thanks, Mike!  I've always loved your take on "the statist theocracy infesting this land." ;-)  -- E Archer, NYC      1
Voting doesn't mean too much, its the person who's continually prepares themselves for the challenge that the environmental conditions offer that performs the leadership responsibilities, and  -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown      1

Tweet  Rate this quote! How many stars? 0 1 2 3 4 5	What do YOU think?
Your name:	Your town:     CLICK JUST ONCE!

Get a Quote-A-Day! Free!
Liberty Quotes sent to your mail box.
Email: