Dwight D. Eisenhower Quote

Dwight D. Eisenhower Quote

I think the Idealist would like this quote from Dwight D. Eisenhower:

“I like to believe that people in the long run are going to do more to promote peace than our governments. Indeed, I think that people want peace so much that one of these days governments had better get out of the way and let them have it.”

9 Responses

  1. Mike W. says:

    Hurray! Dan, you just may be getting it.

  2. Reluctant says:

    I didn’t say that I fully agreed with the statement. Just thought you would enjoy it. 😉

    Plus, I believe what he is saying is different from what you typically say. When you say that the government is war-mongering, it’s because of corruption and gaining power.

    I think he is saying that government is more clumsy than corrupt. Perhaps that’s just me twisting it to fit my philosophy though.

  3. Mike W. says:

    I argue that government is corrupt, not because it’s bad or wicked, but because government is force and is run by men who are weak and “it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, that when they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion.” Dan, it’s just the nature of man and the nature of power. Government will always, always, always, tend to power-grabbing; most times that involves corruption. That’s why there need to be separation of powers and checks and balances. That’s why the people (and every branch of government) need to jealously guard their liberties, because the nature of everyone else is to try to grab as much power as they can. My next post it exactly about this (hopefully I will get it out today or tomorrow)

  4. Reluctant says:

    I don’t argue anything you’ve said. I believe that we should jealously guard our liberties.

    But I also believe that the constitution is an inspired document that provides the checks and balances you mention. Yes, the constitution needs to be guarded, but I have confidence that it will be. Perhaps that is because of people like you that are very vocal about it.

    I guess I’m just less doomsday is all.

  5. Dave W. says:

    This quote gets to a point I’ve been ruminating lately; I refuse to believe that the success of the city of Enoch was a top-down operation. I think it was a grass-roots movement from neighbor to neighbor, friend to friend, colleague to colleague.

    Democracy must be chosen by the people, it cannot be instituted for them, or they won’t care about it and they won’t be accountable for it. In the same way, communism/The United Order must be a grass-roots movement.

  6. Mike W. says:

    The Constitution “was” an inspired document, but it has been gutted and the branches of government are not doing their job of checking each other. The most inspired document in the world does NOTHING if people aren’t following it. Conservatives are willing to sit back and say “The Constitution is an inspired document,” and then let politicians and the government ignore the fundamental principles therein. That’s like having the Sermon on the Mount (more than an inspired document) and then ignoring the idea of turning the other cheek, doing our alms in secret, loving our enemy. It doesn’t lessen the power of the ideas: but we must demand that the principles are adhered to.

  7. Mike W. says:

    Dave,

    Your comment is in some contradiction with what you just posted about Freedom and Bread, that government can institute anything for the people. Without love from freedom above all else, freedom will be sacrificed to something else. Love of freedom, I believe, necesitates and love of God and a love of neighbor. All three must be co-existent, otherwise freedom will deteriorate and selfishness and self-interestedness with win the day.

  8. Dave W. says:

    I know it’s contradictory, which indicates the complexity of the concept. My comment on the Eisenhower quote is idealistic, for a different population from what currently exists anywhere. My comment on the Inquisitor was realistic, for the current population of the world.

    Someday I’ll be ready for the grass-roots movement of the city of Enoch, but right now I need a lot of arm-twisting to do what I should.

  9. Mike W. says:

    But do you really need a lot of arm-twisting? Do you freely choose to do good? I think you do. What is twisting your arm?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.