In honor of today being President's Day one of my favorite speeches delivered by a President is the Farwell Address given by George Washington. The section I have quoted most often and one that was the topic of a post written in May of 2005 on The Perils of the Two Party System is this:
....Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party generally.
This spirit, unfortunately, is inseparable from our nature, having its root in the strongest passions of the human mind. It exists under different shapes in all governments, more or less stifled, controlled, or repressed; but, in those of the popular form, it is seen in its greatest rankness, and is truly their worst enemy.
The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries which result gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of public liberty.
Happy President's Day...
3 comments:
It is incredible to see how correctly Washington understood party on party hostility so many, many years ago.
My biggest frustration is the sense that most folks don't look beyond the few major media outlets commonly available as their portal into the world. Regardless of one's political affiliation, this is a dangerous state of affairs.
It's also my sense that many folks are more concerned with silly nonsense like Britney Spears shaving her head rather than with Iran's nuclear program.
I truly hope that our major political parties can rise to the challenge, actually lead and start to address issues rather than the sniping we see today.
It is incredible, and also sad because once again we did not listen to the advice that was given to us. Sometimes I wonder what our country would be like had people actually listened to what George Washington said...
I also agree with you that too many of us and the media concentrate on sensationalism rather than news of importance.
Except for the archaic wording, it could have been written today.
Although old and cold, the truth is still the truth. . .
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