Fun_People Archive
22 Sep
QOTD Kennedy & Woodcock

Date: Fri, 22 Sep 95 02:35:50 -0700
From: Peter Langston <psl>
To: Fun_People
Subject: QOTD Kennedy & Woodcock

Forwarded-by: bostic@bsdi.com (Keith Bostic)
Forwarded-by: qotd-request@ensu.ucalgary.ca (Quote of the day)
Forwarded-by: Rod Bustos <bustos_ra@Mercer.EDU>
Forwarded-by: Terry Labach <terry>

We are not afraid to entrust the American people with unpleasant facts,
foreign ideas, alien philosophies, and competitive values. For a nation
that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open
market is a nation that is afraid of its people.

	-- John F. Kennedy, former U.S. president

It was then that the American authorities turned up the facts about my
past as an anarchist activist---the past from which I had already
distanced myself mentally.  At that time I was working on the final
revision of my book, and Proudhon was much in my mind on the day I went
down to the consulate in Vancouver for the crucial interview.  I imagine
that my past as editor of _Freedom_ was enough, under the McCarran Act,
to keep me out, but the consul had the air of giving me a last chance when
he asked if I was still an anarchist.  I thought a moment and, with
Proudhon in my mind, answered, 'fundamentally and philosophically, yes.'
It was enough for him, and for me.  I was excluded in perpetuity from the
United States, the only country in the world I have been unable to enter,
and I settled down with great satisfaction to be a writer in my own
country, which I have in no way regretted.

	-- writer and anarchist George Woodcock, on being denied entry
	   into the United States to take a job at the University of
	   Washington.  This was done under the McCarran Act, which
	   allowed U.S. officials to deny entry into the U.S. of those
	   people espousing foreign ideas and alien philosophies.

© 1995 Peter Langston