Robert A. Heinlein Quotes
Pacifism is a shifty doctrine under which a man accepts the benefits of the social group
without being willing to pay; and claims a halo for his dishonesty.
Heinlein, Robert A. Starship Troopers. G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1959, p. 116.
There was a Sedition law which made it a Federal felony to encourage anyone not to join or support the military during the First World War. The Socialist Politician and Candidate for President, Eugene Debbs and others, were jailed for less seditious statements. Helen Keller was a remarkable woman who was blind and deaf, and yet she became a great orator and social reformer. The administration died not relish the reaction if they put this popular, blind, deaf woman in jail so she was never charged. The law of course was unconstitutional, but it took years to reach that determination. Until then, the Sedition Act was one of the worst examples of infringement in American history since the original Alien and Sedition Acts of John Adams.
Robert Anson Heinlein was an American science fiction author, aeronautical engineer, and naval officer. Sometimes called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was among the first to emphasize scientific accuracy in his fiction, and was thus a pioneer of the subgenre of hard science fiction. His published works, both fiction and non-fiction, express admiration for competence and emphasize the value of critical thinking. His work continues to have an influence on the science-fiction genre, and on modern culture more generally.
