John Donne Is Anti-Business (And Anti-Island!)

In my continuing series of my predicting the news, I have the following news flash, in front of a roaring crowd of teenagers forced to read poetry, Willard “Mitt” Romney declared that John Donne is out-of-touch and anti-business.

Okay, so the candidate said no such thing. But he did misquote the president and cast his misquotation in a ridiculous light as it to mean that there was some doubt as to whether the president believes that business is good.

The president gave a speech that included some quotes that are meant to stir the pride in the community that makes the US the great place it is. His quotes included a reminder that nobody succeeds entirely on their own: “If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help. There was a great teacher somewhere in your life. Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive...”

In a recent speech, Mr. Romney has said that the president said “Nobody builds anything. Somebody else built it for you.” This is clearly NOT what the president said, but that does not seem to matter to the presumptive nominee. He seems to build his entire campaign on misquoting the president and tearing down whatever opponent he has – and will say anything he thinks he can get away with.

It just goes to show you that Barnum’s Law applies in politics as well as in all other things: “You'll never go broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.” If you’re not willing to just take someone else’s word for it, here is a link where you can start you research and read the actual context of the speech that “Mitt” is misquoting: In context: Obama's ‘you didn't build that' comment

Remember: if you take the candidate’s word for it John Donne is Anti-Business, and anti-island. He must be; he said that nobody can do anything by themselves. He said that everybody is a part of a communist collective and that they owe everything to that collective. John Donne is anti-American!

Wherever you are today I hope you have enough sense to know when a quote is taken out of context – and enough equanimity to look-up the truth for yourself!

Don Bergquist – July 20, 2012 – Kensington, Minnesota, USA

No Man Is An Island

By

John Donne

No man is an island,

Entire of itself.

Each is a piece of the continent,

A part of the main.

If a clod be washed away by the sea,

Europe is the less.

As well as if a promontory were.

As well as if a manor of thine own

Or of thine friend's were.

Each man's death diminishes me,

For I am involved in mankind.

Therefore, send not to know

For whom the bell tolls,

It tolls for thee.