Mark Twain Speaks to Our Present Bellicosity

Mark Twain wrote an essay on the duty of righteous dissent in the early 1900’s.  Twain’s concern was the American military actions in the Philippines and the reaction of the American public to that event.  The essay, though written over a hundred years ago, speaks to our present bellicosity toward our allies, Iran, and the rest of the world.

Twain was astounded by the public response to the war (prohibiting independence to the Philippines), which seemed to him to say, “Our Country, right or wrong.”  “…every man,” he wrote, “who failed to shout it or who was silent, was proclaimed a traitor—none but those others were patriots.  To be a patriot, one had to say, and keep on saying, ‘Our Country, right or wrong,’ and urge on the little war.  Have you not perceived that that phrase is an insult to the nation?”

He goes on, “For in a republic, who is ‘the country?’  Is it the Government which is for the moment in the saddle?  Why, the Government is merely a servant—merely a temporary servant; it cannot be its prerogative to determine what is right and what is wrong, and decide who is a patriot and who isn’t.  Its function is to obey orders, not originate them.  Who, then, is ‘the country?’”

In modern day terms, Twain asked:  Is it the media?  Is it the churches?  Is it the President? “Why, these are mere parts of the country, not the whole of it; they have not command, they have only their little share in the command.”  They are but one in a thousand; it is the thousand that  “command.” It is “they who must determine what is right and what is wrong; they must decide who is a patriot and who isn’t.”

“Who are the thousand—that is to say, who are ‘the country?’  In a monarchy, the king and his family are the country; in a republic it is the common voice of the people.  Each of you, for himself, by himself and on his own responsibility must speak.  And it is a solemn and weighty responsibility, and not lightly to be flung aside at the bullying of the pulpit, press, government, or the empty catch-phrases of politicians.  Each must for himself decide what is right and what is wrong, and which course is patriotic and which isn’t….To decide it against your convictions is to be an unqualified and inexcusable traitor, both to yourself and to your country, let men label you as they may. If you alone of all the nation shall decide one way, and that way be the right way according to your convictions of the right, you have done your duty by yourself and by your country—hold up your head! You have nothing to be ashamed of.”

Who are “the country?”  It remains a good question.  Is it the current Administration, “right or wrong”?  Is it Congress?  Is it the press?  No, it is you and me who decide who is a patriot and who isn’t.  It is you and me who decide right and wrong.  Twain’s reaction to “Our Country, right or wrong” hits the nail on the head—“Have you not perceived that that phrase is an insult to the nation?”