H. L. Mencken

The idea that the sole aim of punishment is to prevent crime is obviously grounded upon the theory that crime read more

The idea that the sole aim of punishment is to prevent crime is obviously grounded upon the theory that crime can be prevented, which is almost as dubious as the notion that poverty can be prevented.

The notion that a radical is one who hates his country is naive and usually idiotic. He is, more likely, read more

The notion that a radical is one who hates his country is naive and usually idiotic. He is, more likely, one who likes his country more than the rest of us, and is thus more disturbed than the rest of us when he sees it debauched. He is not a bad citizen turning to crime; he is a good citizen driven to despair.

Any man who inflicts the human race with ideas must be prepared to see them misunderstood.

Any man who inflicts the human race with ideas must be prepared to see them misunderstood.

We must respect the other fellow's religion, but only in the same sense and to the extent that we respect read more

We must respect the other fellow's religion, but only in the same sense and to the extent that we respect his theory that his wife is beautiful and his children smart.

To denounce moralizing out of hand is to pronounce a moral judgment.

To denounce moralizing out of hand is to pronounce a moral judgment.