Δαφνη Ευτυχια Αρθουρος

"There are two kinds of patriotism -- monarchical patriotism and republican patriotism. In the one case the government and the king may rightfully furnish you their notions of patriotism; in the other, neither the government nor the entire nation is privileged to dictate to any individual what the form of his patriotism shall be. The Gospel of the Monarchical Patriotism is: 'The King can do no wrong.' We have adopted it with all its servility, with an unimportant change in the wording: 'Our country, right or wrong!'

"We have thrown away the most valuable asset we have -- the individual right to oppose both flag and country when he (just he, by himself) believes them to be in the wrong. We have thrown it away; and with it all that was really respectable about that grotesque and laughable word, Patriotism."

-- Mark Twain (b. 1835-11-30, d. 1910-04-21), diary, 1905 or 1906 [thanks to fidhle for sending me this quotation]