Quote#War
It is an American tradition that a standing army is a standing menace…
Quote byVoltairine de Cleyre · 1866–1912
Commonly attributed — not confirmed in an authoritative edition. Cited on Wikiquote to: Anarchism & American Traditions (1908).
English (original)
It is an American tradition that a standing army is a standing menace to liberty; in Jefferson's presidency the army was reduced to 3,000 men. It is American tradition that we keep out of the affairs of other nations. It is American practice that we meddle with the affairs of everybody else from the West to the East Indies, from Russia to Japan; and to do it we have a standing army of 83,251 men.
— Voltairine de Cleyre
More from Voltairine de Cleyre
Written in red their protest stands, For the Gods of the World to see; On the dooming wall their bodiless hands have blazoned "Upharsin," and flaring brands Illumine the message: "Seize the lands! Open the prisons and make men free!"
There is naught can show A life so trustless! Proud be thy crown! Ruthless, like none, save the Sea, alone!
Years! Years, ye shall mix with me! Ye shall grow a part Of the laughing Sea
Fair, cold, and faithless wert thou, my own! For that I love Thy heart of stone!
As the peoples always move,—as Life, which is greater than the peoples, always moves. And the business of the revolutionist, the Seeker for the Changes of Old Forms, the dreamer of Liberty and Plenty, is to be with them in their struggle, …
Gods of the World! Their mouths are dumb! Your guns have spoken and they are dust. But the shrouded Living, whose hearts were numb, have felt the beat of a wakening drum Within them sounding — the Dead men’s tongue — Calling: "Smite off …