Sunday, October 1, 2017
THE LAST REFUGE OF A SCOUNDREL
The question as to why a man, who has demonstrated a complete lack of patriotism, obtaining 5 deferments from military service and bragging about not paying his taxes, and beset by charges for actions approaching treason to his country, suddenly becomes interested in patriotic symbols, was answered by Samuel Johnson, more than 200 years ago. Johnson defined patriotism as the last refuge of a scoundrel.
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Yep. Samuel Johnson ... our H. L. Mencken (in the 20th Century): “The notion that a radical is one who hates his country is naïve and usually idiotic. He is, more likely, one who likes his country more than the rest of us, and is thus more disturbed than the rest of us when he sees it debauched. He is not a bad citizen turning to crime; he is a good citizen driven to despair.” ― H.L. Mencken
ReplyDeleteThere's always P. J. O'Rourke to step up to the plate.
I like your citation.
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