National Criticism Quotes

I am still baffled by those who feel that criticizing America is unpatriotic, a view increasingly being adopted in the United States since 9/11 as an excuse to render suspect what has always been an American right. An active, brave, outspoken (and heard) citizenry is essential to a healthy democracy.

That nation is as depraved in its politics as in its morals.... England is the monster against which we should be always prepared.

The United States of America is a flawed society. As it comprises human beings, it must be flawed. But in terms of the goodness achieved inside its borders and spread elsewhere in the world, it has been the finest country that ever existed. If you were to measure the moral gulf between America and those who despise it, the divide would have to be calculated in light-years.

The greatest patriotism is to tell your country when it is behaving dishonorably, foolishly, viciously.

People are lying all the time as to what a murderous nation we are. So let it be known. We're behaving abominably. It's like having a relative go absolutely nuts. Somebody has to say, "I think Uncle Charlie's off his rocker." We are behaving in a bizarre manner.

If we have learned anything in the past ten years, it is that these lovely things about America were never lovely. We have been expansionist and aggressive and mean to other people from the beginning. And we've been aggressive and mean to people in this country, and we've allocated the wealth of this country in a very unjust way. We've never had justice in our courts for the poor people, for black people, for radicals. Now how can we boast that America is a very special place? It's not that special. It really isn't.

Being critical of the nation is a far cry from being unpatriotic or anti-American. In fact, most social criticism . . . is based on a love of America's ideals and a concern we're not living up to them.

To retain his dignity, an artist must live in opposition. He must be critical of his country. If not, then he is worthless.

The message to the NSA is coming from every branch of our government, from every corner of our nation. NSA, you’ve gone too far!

The German national character is a favorite subject of character experts, probably because the less mature a nation, the more she is an object of criticism and not of history.

France has neither winter, nor summer, nor morals. France is miserable because it is filled with Frenchmen, and Frenchmen are miserable because they live in France.

The left can't wait to condemn this country. The left can't wait to tell stories of how we have, I don't know, just made messes of things, as their justification for chopping us down to size and for disqualifying us superpower status. We haven't earned it. We've built our nation on the backs of slaves and other discrimination and so forth.