"It is not patriotic to commit young Americans to war unless our national security clearly requires it." ― George McGovern Topic(s): War More From George McGovern "The highest patriotism is not a blind acceptance of official policy, but a love of one’s country deep enough to call her to a higher plain." "I did frequently refer to my war record in World War II, but not in any flamboyant way." "Well, we ought to be stirred, even to tears, by society’s ills." More In War "It is our duty still to endeavor to avoid war; but if it shall actually take place, no matter by whom brought on, we must defend ourselves. If our house be on fire, without inquiring whether it was fired from within or without, we must try to extinguish it."― Thomas Jefferson "We live in the time where we have fictitious election results that elects a fictitious president. We live in a time where we have a man sending us to war for fictitious reasons."― Michael Moore "It is forbidden to kill; therefore all murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets."― Voltaire