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Liberty is of small value to the lower third of humanity. They greatly prefer security, which means protection by some class above them. They are always in favor of despots who promise to feed them. The only liberty an inferior man really cherishes is the liberty to quit work, stretch out in the sun, and scratch himself.

H. L. Mencken

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H. L. Mencken
Age: 75 †
Born: 1880
Born: September 12
Died: 1956
Died: January 29
Autobiographer
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Historian
Journalist
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Literary Critic
Satirist
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Baltimore
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Henry Louis Mencken
Men
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Protection
Favor
Despots
Class
Thirds
Quit
Scratch
Values
Sun
Feed
Scratches
Means
Promise
Lower
Inferior
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Value
Quitting
Inferiors
Work
Security
Favors
Stretch
Really
Liberty
Prefer
Greatly
Always
Humanity
Third
Cherish
Cherishes

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The more noisy Negro leaders, by depicting all whites as natural and implacable enemies to their race, have done it a great disservice. Large numbers of whites who were formerly very friendly to it, and willing to go to great lengths to help it, are now resentful and suspicious.
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A politician normally prospers under democracy in proportion ... as he excels in the invention of imaginary perils and imaginary defenses against them.
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