George McGovern Quotes

That we are to stand by the President right or wrong is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.

A man who says that no patriot should attack the war until it is over... is saying no good son should warn his mother of a cliff until she has fallen.

By God, you can't fight a war unless the people support it.

Useful as a war against France, undertaken by the Government against the will of the people would be for our revolutionary development, just so dangerous must be the effect upon our democratic development of a war supported by blind popular enthusiasm.

War springs from the love and loyalty which should be offered to God being applied to some God substitute, one of the most dangerous being nationalism.

I believe in America. I'm one of those silly flag wavers.

I am bitterly opposed to my country entering the war, but if, notwithstanding my opposition, we do enter it, all of my energy and all of my power will be behind our flag in carrying it on to victory.

I wish the American media would take a great look at the views of the people in Congress and find out, are they pro-America or anti-America? I think people would be - would love to see an expose like that.

I don't like war. I particularly don't like the celebration of war, which I think the administration is a little bit guilty of.

There's always a reaction based on fear. People assume if you're criticizing a decision to go to war, then you're saying something against the soldiers-which is not the case.

I was opposed to World War II, and indeed on June 22, 1941 when Hitler invaded the Soviet Union I suddenly found myself the lone supporter of peace since everybody else had, because of their communist beliefs, shifted over to become supporters of the war.

The Iraq War. No one took to the streets over it. It certainly would have been appropriate. If anybody even hinted we should... you were called un-American and not supporting the troops.

The poetry of heroism appeals irresistibly to those who don't go to a war, and even more to those whom the war is making enormously wealthy. It's always so.

Here's the thing. Just because you're pro-troops doesn't mean you're pro-war. And just because you're anti-war doesn't mean you're anti-troops. Just because you don't support the war people think you are anti-troops and you are a bad guy.

The Union, which can alone insure internal peace, and external security to each State, Must and Shall be Preserved, cost what it may in time, treasure, and blood.

All these stories are grist to the mill of the government because they build up a very useful war psychosis.

There was a patriotic fervor and the Administration used it so that if you challenged anything you were made to feel that there was something wrong with that.... And there was even almost a patriotism police which, you know, they'd be up there on the internet sort of picking anything a Christiane Amanpour, or somebody else would say as if it were disloyal... Especially right after 9/11. Especially when the war in Afghanistan is going on.

Just so you know, we're on the good side with y'all. We do not want this war, this violence, and we're ashamed that the president of the United States is from Texas.

Any great war must be a popular movement.

Saying my President “right or wrong” is like saying my driver “drunk or sober.”

I can hardly repress our press and our people too. They are thirsting for war against England.

Naturally the common people don't want war ... but after all, it is the leaders of a country who determine the policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in every country.

The English people would never consent to go to war for a cause in which England was not manifestly interested.

We must differentiate between loyalty to one’s country and blind loyalty to the policy that a particular administration happens to be carrying out.

Our involvement in this war is treason to the interests of international socialism.