Harry Browne (17 June 1933 – 2006) was an American politician, libertarian writer and public speaker, investment analyst and the author of more than twenty books and thousands of articles.
In his 1995 book “Why Government Doesn’t Work” he wrote:
“The politicians’ stirring phrases are meant to keep our eyes averted from the reality of war — to make us imagine heroic young men marching in parades, winning glorious battles, and bringing peace and democracy to the world.
But war is something quite different from that.
It is your children or your grandchildren dying before they’re even fully adults, or being maimed or mentally scarred for life. It is your brothers and sisters being taught to kill other people — and to hate people who are just like themselves and who don’t want to kill anyone either. It is your children seeing their buddies’ limbs blown off their bodies.
It is hundreds of thousands of human beings dying years before their time. It is millions of people separated forever from the ones they love.
It is the destruction of homes for which people worked for decades. It is the end of careers that meant as much to others as your career means to you.
It is the imposition of heavy taxes on you and on other Americans and on people in other countries — taxes that remain long after the war is over. It is the suppression of free speech and the jailing of people who criticize the government.
It is the imposition of slavery by forcing young men to serve in the military.
It is goading the public to hate foreign people and races — whether Arabs or Japanese or Cubans or Serbs. It is numbing our sensibilities to cruelties inflicted on foreigners.
It is cheering at the news of enemy pilots killed in their planes, of young men blown to bits while trapped inside tanks, of sailors drowned at sea.
Other tragedies inevitably trail in the wake of war. Politicians lie even more than usual. Secrecy and cover-ups become the rule rather than the exception. The press becomes even less reliable.
War is genocide, torture, cruelty, propaganda, and slavery.
War is the worst cruelty government can inflict upon its subjects. It makes every other political crime — corruption, bribery, favoritism, vote-buying, graft, dishonesty — seem petty.”
Harry Browne (17 giugno 1933- 2006) fu un politico americano, scrittore e oratore del partito libertario, consulente finanziario e autore di oltre venti libri e migliaia di articoli .
Nel suo libro del 1995 “Perché il governo non funziona” scrisse:
“Le commoventi frasi dei politici hanno lo scopo di distogliere lo sguardo dalla realtà della guerra, di farci immaginare giovani eroici che marciano in parate, vincono battaglie gloriose e portano pace e democrazia nel mondo.
Ma la guerra è qualcosa di completamente diverso.
Sono i tuoi figli o i tuoi nipoti che muoiono prima ancora di essere completamente adulti, o che sono mutilati o segnati mentalmente per tutta la vita. Ai tuoi fratelli e sorelle viene insegnato ad uccidere altre persone e ad odiare persone che sono proprio come loro e che non vogliono uccidere nessuno. Sono i tuoi figli che vedono le membra dei loro amici strappate dai corpi.
Sono centinaia di migliaia di esseri umani che muoiono anni prima del tempo. Milioni di persone separate per sempre da quelli che amano.
È la distruzione delle case per le quali le persone hanno lavorato per decenni. È la fine di carriere che per altri sono importanti proprio come la tua carriera per te.
È l’imposizione di tasse pesanti a te, ad altri americani e a persone di altri paesi, tasse che rimangono per molto tempo dopo la fine della guerra. È la soppressione della libertà di parola e l’incarcerazione delle persone che criticano il governo.
È l’imposizione della schiavitù costringendo i giovani a prestare servizio militare.
È spingere la gente a odiare persone e razze straniere, siano essi arabi o giapponesi, cubani o serbi. Intorpidisce la nostra sensibilità verso crudeltà inflitte agli stranieri.
È esultare per la notizia di piloti nemici uccisi nei loro aerei, di giovani fatti a pezzi intrappolati all’interno di carri armati, di marinai annegati.
Altre tragedie inevitabilmente seguono la scia della guerra. I politici mentono ancora più del solito. Segretezza e insabbiamenti diventano la regola piuttosto che l’eccezione. La stampa diventa ancora meno affidabile.
La guerra è genocidio, tortura, crudeltà, propaganda e schiavitù.
La guerra è la peggiore crudeltà che il governo può infliggere ai suoi cittadini. Fa sembrare meschino ogni altro crimine politico – corruzione, concussione, favoritismo, compravendita di voti, estorsioni, disonestà.”
Thank you, Luisa, for your very apt post. In view of what is happening in Ukraine, I agree with every word of Harry Browne, but in the case of Hitler, without World War II, you and I would be now speaking German!
And so sometimes, you have to defend your country, as Ukrainians are doing now, and we were doing then. .
Joanna
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I warmly thank you for your wise reflection. Joanna
🙏🥀🙏🥀🙏
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You are welcome!
Joanna
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‘ Why Government Doesn’t Work ? ‘ is a mute question everyone would very desperately eager to know . Harry Browne has rightly given the answer in one word i.e war . The government is more eager to go for war than to work for the people of its own . The war is fought with other country but taxes on the name of war are imposed on its own people as if taxes are collected not for the welfare of the people but for fighting war as such . Moreover , our youths in military become virtually slave as such , as they are at any cost resort to destruction of enemies on the order of the government . So government has no time for other developmental works as such . That’ why Harry Browne has rightly said ‘ War is the worst cruelty government can inflict upon his subject ‘. Thus , war simply means genocide , torture , cruelty , propaganda , and slavery . And it bigger crime than corruption , bribery , favoritism etc . Thanks Luisa for introduction to us such a libertarian writer and the American politician .
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As always, I warmly thank you for your profound reflections
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Thanks !
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My pleasure, always 🙏
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Thanks for sharing it.
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A pleasure, always 🙏
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Attuale purtroppo Lu….
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Tremendamente attuale, Paola cara 🖤
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Tutto tragicamente vero…
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Purtroppo . . .🖤
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[…] War […]
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Thank you very much 🙏
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Wars are started due to the narcissism and avarice of man. One country’s war brings us all to the edge of the abyss. Which of us has not wished Putin dead or deposed? If humans are truly smarter and more advanced than animals, why can we not rise above our baser instincts? Putin’s “military action” is not a war. It is an invasion and an attempt to destroy then world one nation at a time. Who will be next? Humanity needs to take a step back and look at itself. Happy Friday Luisa. Allan
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Thank you for your wise and sad reflection on such a tragic topic🙏💙🙏
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Wow, Dear Luisa, What a wonderful article dedicated to Mr. Harry Browne! This post touched my heart and as I read his view on the War, I was moved to tears. You are doing a fabulous job of presenting us with articles on great personalities born on each day of the month. Hats off to you. Lots of love, hugs and smiles. 🥰🥰😘😘😘😍😍
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At this moment in which we hear war on our doorstep in Europe, it seemed right to me to remember its horrors💙🖤💙
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infatti la prima vittima della guerra è la verità
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Proprio così!
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Parole che suonano tristemente attuali, 😔. Credo che nessuno si sarebbe mai aspettato, nel 2022, di vedere lo scoppio di una nuova guerra con tutte le conseguenze che ne porta.
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Hai ragione; nessuno avrebbe creduto che potesse capitare una cosa simile qui vicino a noi
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… e, purtroppo, sembra una situazione destinata a durare ancora a lungo, 😔.
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😢😢😢
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What a powerful assessment of politicians who take their countries to war. Nobody could possibly argue with his sentiments, but sometimes you have to stand up to bullies or the world would become an even bigger mess.
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“You have to stand up to bullies or the world would become an even bigger mess” you say, and I agree, but I would add that we should be far-sighted and avoid bullies from becoming too powerful
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I couldn’t agree more Luisa. The world we live in today has made it easier for bullies to exist I’m sorry to say. Take care my lovely 💙
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Thank you, Malc
Have a lovely weekend 🌷🌹🌷
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Never a truer word said.
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So glad you agree with his views 🌹🌹🌹
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I absolutely do and I know my father who fought in three conflicts last century would totally agree too. I never knew his father but what I do know is that the boy who came home from that particular sabre rattling conflict, was not the boy who went away to it and my father suffered as a result.
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Thank you for this beautiful reflection.
My father also went to war and was even taken prisoner, and he always wished me never to have such a tragic experience.
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xxxxxxxxxxx. Way back my dad and his older brother tried to run away to the Spanish Civil War. And one of the things their dad who ran away to ww1 at 14 ,did for them was stop them. Later my dad who was in a WW2 reserved occupation joined up His brother was sent to prison as a conscientious objector. Ultimately Dad who was trained and had risen fairly high up in bomb disposal left the army and marched for ban the bomb. When we lived in our last house, and that was over along period of time in our married life, our neighbour, an older man, had been a Japanese prisoner of war and yes, he thought the same as your dad.
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Thanks a lot again, dear Shey!
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War diminishes us all actually
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So true!!!
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I love his accuracy in all he says, never seen a word as true as this. ❤️
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Thanks a lot, dear Daphny: 🙏🙏🙏his analysis was true in 1995 and even truer today
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You’re most welcome, dear Luisa! You said it right. 👍
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🙏🌼🙏
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Su l’ “homo homini lupus” solo uno sarebbe stato il rimedio possibile, ma avrebbe dovuto essere preso più di mille anni fa . . . Ma ci pensate se si fosse avverato quello che ho pensato, del quale ovviamente chiedo scusa..
RIPRESA DI CONSIDERAZIONI
DOPO L’AGGRESSIONE ALL’UCRAINA
Vi prego non chiamate blasfemia
questa, se pur sballata, idea mia.
Mi sono sempre chiesto: “Perché Dio
invece di mandare sulla terra
‘Suo figlio’ per al mondo dare avvio
a pace eterna, scongiurar la guerra,
non mandava ‘Sua figlia’? Ho in mente
— lo affermo in piena consapevolezza —
che avremmo avuto pace eternamente
ed avremmo vissuto in bellezza,
non soltanto, ovvio, di aspetto
ma tutta interna nell’animo nostro.
Se a governare, parlando con rispetto,
le donne stessero per nulla il mostro
che si chiama ‘guerra’ allignato
avrebbe, ciò in quanto mai mai
le mamme tutte avrebbero mandato
i figli a morire o incontro a guai.
“Domina sed mater” splendente
sta in basso a un quadro con Madonna e figlio,
quel ‘sed’ or va da “anche” a “inutilmente”,
purtroppo, e così lacrima ciglio.
Solo la donna può salvare tutto,
soltanto lei può cancellare il brutto,
dare la vita eliminando il lutto,
scartare l’uomo un poco farabutto!
Con Lei giammai ci sarebbe stata
la guerra . . . Ah, se l’avrebbe scongiurata!
E’ l’Ucraìna che in questo momento
mi fa pensare che . . . ehm . . . non mento.
Non si fermano al volo i malanni
che quaggiù stanno da 2000 anni.
Siccome rappresenta Raffaello
“Madonna della Seggiola” non può
mandare il suo frutto al macello.
Lei col Suo sguardo dice: “Ah, se lo so,
come chiunque lo sa bene . . . O no?”
Quindi per ciò che accade oggidì
sarebbe stato meglio se . . . Eh, sì
non avremmo un’Ucraina così!
(Cassandro)
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La tua creazione racchiude una riflessione profonda che condivido
Grazie, sempre, e buon weekend🙏🙏🙏
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Tutto purtroppo così vero, condivido ogni sua parola 😌 Buona serata cara Luisa e grazie per questo post, dovrebbe leggerlo chi intendo io 🥀🥀🥀👏👏👏
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,,, e anche chi intendo io 😘😘😘
Buona serata
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Il livello di menzogne di questo periodo è davvero incredibile. Ne raccontano sempre, ad ogni guerra, ma così è troppo. È grottesco, è ridicolo perfino. Non si può nemmeno definire indottrinamento, è lavaggio del cervello puro e semplice. E io temo il dopo: a che serve tutto questo lavorio se non a prepararci ad una “inevitabile” guerra? (per chiudere: sia chiaro che non parteggio per Hitler _ oggi come oggi bisogna sempre premettere di non essere qualcosa _ ma non credo proprio che se avesse vinto lui avremmo parlato tutti tedesco. Forse un po’ meno inglese, quello sì. E mi pare che siano stati gli ucraini a vietare l’insegnamento del russo dalle scuole, non viceversa…)
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Purtroppo la verità è la prima vittima di una guerra… e forse non verrà mai a galla perché la storia poi la scriveranno i vincitori
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That rings so true. I do think of the Ukraine though.
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I posted this quote because it is so relevant … Unfortunately 😢
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You got that right, dear Luisa.
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👍🌷🌷🌷
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Chapeau.
Sottoscrivo.
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🙏💙🙏💙🙏
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❤
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Very true. We are very lucky that we have stopped regarding war as something glorious like one would have done less than two centuries ago.
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We have become aware of the great lie behind so-called heroism
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War its criminal, and done for the bassesest of reasons, when we should return to the old ways when we used to salute people with the words: Peace be with you.
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[…] War […]
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Thanks a lot for reblogging 🙏🙏🙏
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Peccato che queste parole le dicano solo scrittori o uomini che non stanno al potere. Se eleggessimo uno così dovremmo circondarlo di forze di protezione ma avrebbe la vita dura e corta! ciao
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Sono d’accordo con te: chi con la guerra vuole guadagnare la propone come atto di eroica lotta per la libertà
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Merci pour ce super post Luisa, ma prière tous les jours est que cette guerre cesse et ne s’étendra jamais.
Belle journée
Bisous
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C’est ma propre prière, tous les jours – 🙏🙏🙏
Merci d’avoir laissé ton commentaire
Bisous
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Terribile la guerra e insensata
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🖤🖤🖤
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la guerra è perfettamente descritta. Gli eroi muoiono.
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Muoiono tanti, troppi, ma non quelli che l’hanno istigata…
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quelli se ne stanno al caldo delle loro stanze del potere
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E’ sempre così, purtroppo 🖤
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purtroppo è vero
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All so true. We know it, yet we continue to fight wars. 😢
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This is the tragedy of us, human beings, who allow ourselves to be convinced that economic interests may be called patriotism, defense, homeland, etc
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E aveva ragione da vendere
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Certo, ma chi ha le leve del comando finge di non sapere: la guerra è santa, sempre e fatta per la pace
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TIME TO SEE THE LIGHT IS NOW!!! Join 🔺ILLUMINATI🔺 and achieve
WEALTH, FAME AND
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🌷🌷🌷
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Aren’t you interested to join
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