Progressive Buttons Blog

There’s an historical quote that is quite appropriate to the current political moment, and so you’ll hear it quite often cited by those who are well-educated and politically enlightened in the United States: “Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”

Ten points for using the quote in conversation. But who actually said it? Most people don’t know, so, here’s where you can get some extra credit.

Ten extra points for mentioning that the words come originally from Benjamin Franklin. It drives the right wing to froth at the mouth with fury when you point out that one of the Founding Fathers was not in favor of the Commander In Chief wrecking American freedom just to make some nervous nellies feel more secure.

Benjamin Franklin went to France too – that really drives the Republicans nuts.