<It isn't easy to speak up when it seems as if your society has taken leave of its senses, that the herd is stampeding because of an unusual alignment of its fears and emotions. It would take an almost superhuman discipline, but try to keep in mind that at times like these, voices of dissent are particularly valuable because it's so easy to follow the majority right off the cliff's edge. Listening isn't an obligation to agree, but it's a necessary duty. If you really consider yourselves patriots, you have a duty to consider the possibility that you're wrong and might be leading our country into disaster.

Just plain brilliant, Robert. I think you ought to post this in Community, too.

I've been so strongly reminded by the past year-or-so's developments of something that rancoured just as badly 35 years ago - the deliberate misquoting ad nauseum of the following, which I reproduce in full as memory best serves:

My country, right or wrong - if right, to be kept right; if wrong, to be made right.

(emphasis mine)

I return to the Zone precisely because it is a microcosmic reflection of the larger chaos of public opinion, including the still small voice of compassion from across the Atlantic (bless you, Raoul). You've reminded me, Robert, that even in this out-of-the-way corner of cyberspace I have a duty to speak as well as to listen.

Thanks for that, and for this excellent post.

Fox