Mark Twain's 'Battle Humn of the Republic' (1901)

[handy]

It was obvious to Twain 110 years ago.
August 29, 2012

Mark Twain's 'Battle Humn of the Republic' (1901)

Posted by Lew Rockwell on August 29, 2012 02:42 PM


Mine eyes have seen the orgy of the launching of the Sword;
He is searching out the hoardings where the stranger’s wealth is stored;
He hath loosed his fateful lightnings, and with woe and death has scored;
His lust is marching on.


I have seen him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps;
They have builded him an altar in the Eastern dews and damps;
I have read his doomful mission by the dim and flaring lamps—
His night is marching on.


I have read his bandit gospel writ in burnished rows of steel:
“As ye deal with my pretensions, so with you my wrath shall deal;
Let the faithless son of Freedom crush the patriot with his heel;
Lo, Greed is marching on!”


We have legalized the strumpet and are guarding her retreat;
Greed is seeking out commercial souls before his judgement seat;
O, be swift, ye clods, to answer him! be jubilant my feet!
Our god is marching on!


In a sordid slime harmonious Greed was born in yonder ditch,
With a longing in his bosom—and for others’ goods an itch.
As Christ died to make men holy, let men die to make us rich—
Our god is marching on.


(Thanks to Michael Badgett)

[busyb555]

Sadly you missed nearly all of your history lessons. At one time this grand country was respected, but then that would have come from learning about honor and integrity, which you obviously missed too. You are way too busy bashing things to have come to much on your own, so you and your kind endlessly throw rocks instead of helping the rest of us try to save America. If you get your way, some day you will look back and understand how much you caused ALL of us to loose. Shame on you.
B

It was obvious to Twain 110 years ago.
August 29, 2012

Mark Twain's 'Battle Humn of the Republic' (1901)

Posted by Lew Rockwell on August 29, 2012 02:42 PM


Mine eyes have seen the orgy of the launching of the Sword;
He is searching out the hoardings where the stranger’s wealth is stored;
He hath loosed his fateful lightnings, and with woe and death has scored;
His lust is marching on.


I have seen him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps;
They have builded him an altar in the Eastern dews and damps;
I have read his doomful mission by the dim and flaring lamps—
His night is marching on.


I have read his bandit gospel writ in burnished rows of steel:
“As ye deal with my pretensions, so with you my wrath shall deal;
Let the faithless son of Freedom crush the patriot with his heel;
Lo, Greed is marching on!”


We have legalized the strumpet and are guarding her retreat;
Greed is seeking out commercial souls before his judgement seat;
O, be swift, ye clods, to answer him! be jubilant my feet!
Our god is marching on!


In a sordid slime harmonious Greed was born in yonder ditch,
With a longing in his bosom—and for others’ goods an itch.
As Christ died to make men holy, let men die to make us rich—
Our god is marching on.


(Thanks to Michael Badgett)

[handy]

Aww, how cute. I get home from a wonderful time sharing the creativity of Black Rock City and discover I've been attacked by a troll of the 'shoot the messenger' ilk.

Your ASSumptions regarding my knowledge of history, and my sense of honor and integrity may reflect your personal fantasies regarding your self-righteous (but badly misplaced) anger, but they have no connection to me, so they're easy to laugh off.

I bashed nothing. I merely pointed to the fact that Mark Twain saw the dangers (and reality) of the corrupt corporatocracy over 110 years ago. Apparently you missed that, hence your malicious little screed.

Me and my kind?! My, what a divisive and confrontational attitude. Are you off your meds?

Pointing out wrongnesses so that they may be addressed and corrected does not equate to throwing rocks.

...helping the rest of us try to save America... So-o-o, which part of "the rest of us" are you talking about? The part that wants the current mass murderer to stay in power? Or the part that wants to give the wannabe mass murderer a shot? I'll pass on both, thank you.

I'll continue to be useful and helpful where I can, guided by the Non-Aggression Principle and the Golden Rule, both of which have stood me well for the last 65 years.

I have caused YOU to lose (not loose) nothing, and have no reason to feel shame.

I will set aside a brief moment to feel pity for you, but only this once. Get a life, Troll.

P. S. Regarding the concept of "helping the rest of us try to save America", what, exactly, are you doing?
Heavy on the EXACTLY. Tell me a story, if you have the guts.

Have a nice day.

Sadly you missed nearly all of your history lessons. At one time this grand country was respected, but then that would have come from learning about honor and integrity, which you obviously missed too. You are way too busy bashing things to have come to much on your own, so you and your kind endlessly throw rocks instead of helping the rest of us try to save America. If you get your way, some day you will look back and understand how much you caused ALL of us to loose. Shame on you.
B

[podfish]

oh come on - you expected to get away with quoting such a divisive unAmerican figure as Mark Twain? Who hid behind a pseudonym while he bashed America, and co-resided on this planet with Karl Marx?? I must admit, I do find it baffling that it's so common for people to claim criticism is by definition not allowed. Instead of saying it's either untrue or at best misguided, there's a group that reacts as if it's just not acceptable.

[starshippe]

. . .i have always enjoyed the wit and clarity of mark twain. he had a unique gift of weaving words together in such a manner as to defy argument. they stood with the strength of truth.

. . .if u have never read his war prayer, here is a very nice experience for u.....

. . .https://warprayer.org/

. . .it was too politically incorrect for its time, the spanish american war, and had to wait for his death before it was published. as he had noted before, "only a dead man can tell the truth in this world." i'm doing the best i can to quote him there but may be off a word or two.

peace

["Mad" Miles]

Yeah, that duplicitous, pesky Samuel Clemens hiding behind his pseudonym of Mark Twain. Defaming this great country!!! No wonder he was so unpopular in his time and vilified ever since!! Traitor!!!

And those Liberal/Communist/Socialists who keep him in the Public School curriculum? Clearly their subversive agenda needs to be exposed for all to see. When Public Ed is privatized and the Teacher's Unions (who only care about high salaries and keeping bad teachers in the class room, who have no concern or regard to the education of our youth) are smashed, busted and all schools have become Charters, we can finally flush ALL of the subversive, Anti-American, content from our classrooms! "Mark Twain", goes first!

True patriots long to return this country to the time it was truly great, the late 1800's and early 1900's, The Golden Age (Gilded? What are you? A godless Commie!!?) when unpatriotic slime like Clemens were lucky not to have been tarred and feathered and ridden out of town on a rail. If not left to swing from the nearest tree!

Good times, good times...