Patriotism Quotes And Sayings

by allinspiration.com

“If I knew something that would serve my country but would harm mankind, I would never reveal it; for I am a citizen of humanity first and by necessity, and a citizen of France second, and only by accident.”
– Montesquieu

“Wise men say, and not without reason, that whosoever wished to foresee the future might consult the past.”
– Nicolo Machiavelli

“Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed; as they are in almost every kingdom in Europe. The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword; because the whole body of the people are armed, and constitute a force superior to any band of regular troops that can be, on any pretense, raised in the United States. A military force, at the command of Congress, can execute no laws, but such as the people perceive to be just and constitutional; for they will possess the power, and jealousy will instantly inspire the inclination, to resist the execution of a law which appears to them unjust and oppressive.”
– Noah Webster

“Love and business and family and religion and art and patriotism are nothing but shadows of words when a man’s starving!”
– O. Henry 

“Such is the patriot’s boast, where’er we roam, his first, best country ever is, at home.”
– Oliver Goldsmith

“Patriotism, the virtue of the vicious.”
– Oscar Wilde

“The love of one’s country is a splendid thing.  But why should love stop at the border?”
– Pablo Casals

“Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are ruined.”
– Patrick Henry

“Have we the means of resisting disciplined armies, when our only defense, the militia, is put in the hands of Congress? Of what service would militia be to you when, most probably, you will not have a single musket in the state? For, as arms are to be provided by Congress, they may or may not provide them.”
– Patrick Henry

“If one’s patriotism is merely instinctive it is irrational and irresponsible, and consequently a danger to one’s country.”
– Paul Monroe

“Patriotism is a salt against rottenness, a glorious spur to high endeavour; it recovers the half-obliterated virtue of loyalty, calls every man to service, and ennobles great and small alike.”
– Percy Dearmer

“It is our conduct, our patriotism and belief in our American way of life, our courage that will win the final battle.”
– Prescott Bush 

“No other factor in history, not even religion, has produced so many wars as has the clash of national egotisms sanctified by the name of patriotism.”
– Preserved Smith

“When a whole nation is roaring patriotism at the top of its voice, I am fain to explore the cleanness of its hands and the purity of its heart.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

“What, Sir, is the use of a militia? It is to prevent the establishment of a standing army, the bane of liberty …. Whenever Governments mean to invade the rights and liberties of the people, they always attempt to destroy the militia, in order to raise an army upon their ruins.”
– Representative Elbridge Gerry

“Politics is too partisan, and sometimes patriotism is cast aside. Patriotism is honor and love of your country and your brothers and sisters. With politics I get the impression that it’s all about what’s good for the party and not necessarily what’s good for the country.”
– Ricardo Montalban 

“Nationalism is a silly cock crowing on his own dunghill.”
– Richard Aldington

“Patriotism is a lively sense of collective responsibility. Nationalism is a silly cock crowing on its own dunghill and calling for larger spurs and brighter beaks.”
– Richard Aldington

“No free government was ever founded, or ever preserved its liberty, without uniting the characters of the citizen and soldier in those destined for the defense of the state…Such are a well regulated militia, composed of the freeholders, citizen and husbandman, who take up arms to preserve their property, as individuals, and their rights as freemen.”
– Richard Henry

“Whereas, to preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them; nor does it follow from this, that all promiscuously must go into actual service on every occasion. The mind that aims at a select militia, must be influenced by a truly anti-republican principle; and when we see many men disposed to practice upon it, whenever they can prevail, no wonder true republicans are for carefully guarding against it.”
– Richard Henry Lee

“A militia, when properly formed, are in fact the people themselves…and include all men capable of bearing arms.”
– Richard Henry Lee

“A generation which ignores history has no past and no future.”
– Robert Heinlein

“Patriotism is not endlessly bragging that out country is the best; rather it is wanting one’s country to be the best that it can be and helping it to be that best, which is a very different matter.”
– Robert Stam

“I couldn’t help but say to [Mr. Gorbachev], just think how easy his task and mine might be in these meetings that we held if suddenly there was a threat to this world from another planet.  [We'd] find out once and for all that we really are all human beings here on this earth together.”
– Ronald Reagan

“I have no sense of nationalism, only a cosmic consciousness of belonging to the human family.”
– Rosika Schwimmer

“Patriotic societies seem to think that the way to educate school children in a democracy is to stage bigger and better flag-saluting.”
– S.I. Hayakawa

“It is sweet to serve one’s country by deeds, and it is not absurd to serve her by words.”
– Sallust

“We’re being sold a brand new idea of patriotism. It never occurred to me that patriotism had to be advertised. Patriotism is something you deeply felt. You didn’t have to wear it on your lapel or show it in your window or on a bumper sticker. That kind of patriotism does not appeal to me at all.”
– Sam Shepard

“Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.”
– Samuel Johnson

“A great deal of what passes by the name of patriotism in these days consists of the merest bigotry and narrow-mindedness; exhibiting itself in national prejudice, national conceit, and national hatred. It does not show itself in deeds, but in boastings–in howlings, gesticulations, and shrieking helplessly for help–in flying flags and singing songs–and in perpetual grinding at the hurdy-gurdy of long-dead grievances and long-remedied wrongs. To be infested by such a patriotism as this is perhaps among the greatest curses that can befall any country.:
– Samuel Smiles

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