Found at Samizdata the other day.
Every decent man is ashamed of the government he lives under.
H.L. Mencken
I am interpreting this to mean not the actual institutions themselves, but the people who hold those positions of power, as well as their actions.
What say ye?
No shame, Phil, just anger.
Anger is a primal emotion, and will usually drown out other emotions which arise from thinking.
My government is so corrupt, I’m afraid I can’t get by my anger at it’s complete corruption to analyze whether or not I should be ashamed of it, too.
I interpreted this to mean; If a man lives under a government, then well he should be ashamed of either it, or the fact that he must subject himself to government rule. We, as citizens of the United States, do not live under a government per se, the government exists (and bothers us) to the extent that we allow it to. I am afraid to say, that ideal seems to be slipping these days.
Much of what the government does shame me, and it should shame anyone able to read our Constitution and Declaration of Independence. I could go on and on, from 1st amendment violations (McCain – Feingold), to 2nd amendment (need I say more), to 4th & 5th amendment (RICO) to 10th amendment (Roe v. Wade). Children graduating high school can barely READ the Constitution, let alone locate their own home state on a map. Welfare, foreign aid, the UN, the IRS, and a raft of other maladies. Where does it end?
Yes, I AM ashamed of my government, but I am more ashamed of my countrymen. My countrymen who elect these thieves and malcontents to office to hold power. My countrymen who KEEP electing these same said treasonous rats, knowing full well who they are, and their utter and blatant disdain for our Founding Charter, which they were sworn to uphold and defend. Where and how does this end? I am afraid I don’t know, but I am terrified at what we will leave for our next generation.
“When the legislature is in session, no man’s liberty is safe.”
(I believe) Thomas Jefferson
Sorry, thought I closed that “i” tag…
Got it.
I never feel shame for the actions (or lack thereof) of _other_ men.
As regards “our” “government”, to quote Mencken again: “Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin to slit throats.” Those times seem to have shorter and shorter periods in between.