"Charity. To love human beings in so far as they are nothing. That is to love them as God does."
Simone Weil (190943), French philosopher and mystic. "The New York Notebook" (1942; published in First and Last Notebooks, edited by Richard Rees, 1970).
"Jesus was the first socialist, the first to seek a better life for mankind."
Mikhail Gorbachev (b. 1931), Soviet political leader. Daily Telegraph (London, 16 June 1992).
"Advocates of capitalism are very apt to appeal to the sacred principles of liberty, which are embodied in one maxim: The fortunate must not be restrained in the exercise of tyranny over the unfortunate."
Bertrand Russell (18721970), British philosopher, mathematician. Sceptical Essays, "Freedom in Society" (1928).
During the recent spirited discussion in the comments section over my article "The Children of Cain" (OpEdNews, April 19, 2010) the primary critic of the article made the following statement:
"What the TPM (Tea Party Movement) is concerned about is the USA becoming the USSA (United Socialist States of America, he cleared that up in a later post). Perhaps the following better describes conservatives' concerns:
You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away men's initiative and independence.
You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could, and should, do for themselves.
Rev. William J.H. Boetcker, 1916."
