William Faulkner Quote

"We cannot choose freedom
established on a hierarchy of degrees of freedom,
on a caste system of equality like military rank.
We must be free not because we claim freedom,
but because we practice it."

by:	William Faulkner (1897-1962)
Source:	Harper’s Magazine, June 1956
Rating:
Categories:	Freedom, Liberty, Military, Responsibility
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I like it.  -- Mike, Norwalk
Great quote. Sadly though too many of us have been trained to sit and clap like seals waiting for the government to throw us a fish....chanting yes we can yes we can...  -- J Carlton, Calgary
Practicing means putting into action and putting into action means living it in your own life and of course that means living how our forefathers lived. Can you handle it?  -- Anon
We have often not practiced it, and too often our forefathers did not practice it. Writing in 1956 I have to believe that Faulkner, a son of Mississippi, had in mind the caste system of Jim Crow, and discrimination throughout the nation. The election of Barack Obama is maybe the greatest example of US having arrived, at least politically, at a higher level, not heierarchically, but at a much higher level of practicing freedom. America looked upon by much of the world (and correctly) as a nation of white people, elected a black man (or at least half black and half white) as President. We are, if only just lately, starting to practice our freedom. LET FREEDOM RING!  -- Waffler, Smith      1
Perfect! if only it were so... I hear Europe is going Liberal perhaps we should follow.  -- RBESRQ
Robert, if your talking about their desocialistizing <-(-;do you like that word?;-); backing off socialized medicine, etc. I'm with you, I think we should head that way also. They already have more than 10X (+) fewer criminal laws than the US.  -- Mike, Norwalk
Waffler, I think it's neither good nor bad that America elected a black man as I don't beleive it is relevant or significant. I would love to see Alan Keyes as President though if "black" is the criteria you wish to use. But Obama is a step to PreConstitutional times in that he is NOT an American. If he is, then why has he spent millions to hide his past? And why has Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas stated that the Supreme Court has been evading all question regarding Obama's eligibility? I meanif he's American, it should be a slam dunk right? But he isn't...so that's just not progress...that's treason.  -- J Carlton, Calgary      1
Claence Thomas has no jurisdiction until a case is brought before him. A case has not and will not because they ain't no case and never will be. It is only idiots who think there is. My comments are concerning American freedom and that a minority or presumed minority man of different racial make uip than the majority can be elected. Guys like you J also think Hitler is alive, and the holocaust never happened. I think it is good for the body politic that a man can be elected based on his brain and not on his color or party or m  -- Waffler, Smith

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