There is no plausible theory under which the record of the Pentagon Papers can be interpreted as relating to the national defense.
Noam ChomskyRead
When Rumsfeld gets up on television and says we have definitive intelligence that al Qaeda is working with Iraq, how is an ordinary citizen supposed to react? They won't tell you the evidence, and when anyone asks, they say, 'Well, you know: It's secret.'
Interpretation
The quote highlights the challenge of trusting government claims without transparency.
Noam Chomsky's quote reflects on the difficulties faced by ordinary citizens when presented with government assertions, particularly regarding serious accusations like those involving national security. It underscores the frustration that arises when evidence is withheld under the pretext of secrecy, leaving the public to navigate complex narratives without the necessary information to critically assess the truth behind such claims.
In practice
This quote can be used in a discussion about government accountability at a town hall meeting.
There is no plausible theory under which the record of the Pentagon Papers can be interpreted as relating to the national defense.
The 'free-floating intellectual' may occupy himself with problems because of their inherent interest and importance, perhaps to little effect.
If you're teaching today what you were teaching five years ago, either the field is dead or you are.
There are very few people who are going to look into the mirror and say, 'That person I see is a savage monster;' instead, they make up some construction that justifies what they do.
The Republican Party has become overwhelmingly so extreme that it's hardly a traditional political party anymore.
There is still much debate about whether torture has been effective in eliciting information - the assumption being, apparently, that if it is effective, then it may be justified.
If ever this free people, if this Government itself is ever utterly demoralized, it will come from this incessant human wriggle and struggle for office, which is but a way to live without work.
We do not create terrorism by fighting the terrorists. We invite terrorism by ignoring them.
Remember, Republican economic policies quadrupled the debt before I took office and doubled it after I left. We simply can't afford to double-down on trickle-down.
When they call the roll in the Senate, the Senators do not know whether to answer 'Present' or 'Not guilty.'
The very nature and purposes of Government make it impossible for administrative officials to represent fully or to bind the employer in mutual discussions with Government employee organizations.
Look: I don't want to live with a nuclear Iran. I would like to make it uncomfortable for them to seek it.
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