“The State…has had a vested interest in promoting attitudes that would tend to make us skeptical of our own abilities, fearful of the motives of others, and emotionally dependent upon external authorities for purpose and direction in our lives.”

When you are dumb and ignorant you are totally dependent on politicians and the church, and that is very dangerous -- the more ignorant we are the easier we are to manipulate. The usual ploy is to go on the offensive against factions when in reality it should be the other way round.

TERRORISM: The unlawful use of force by an organized group against people with the intention of coercing society for political reasons. Our government violates the U.S. Constitution and our rights ... daily. According to The Patriot Act, our own government is a terrorist organization!

While this seems to be an accurate description of how the GOP and RRR are running the state in America today, there is nothing inherant about this state of affairs. So, while I concur with both Robert's and Joe's statements above, I find this Shaffer quote unworthy.

Anon from Reston has no trouble blaming Republicans for any and everything, yet, his denial of the Statist principles of the Left are just an example of the hypocrisy of a 'party-man'. Any quote that casts a shadow on his beloved Democrats gets an immediate 'ZERO'. It is ignorance like this that goes to show how well the statist indoctrination has taken hold of him and many like him. His responses are as predictable as the setting sun -- just as was planned for him. Snap out of it.

As in promoting attitudes for an unjustified war, hmmmm.

The State's vested interest in sectarianism as the national establishment of religion, i.e. promoting attitudes against the motives of all other religions has made fearful skeptics emotionally dependent upon external authorities. All religions (believing in that which is greater than the human experience, political, etc.) have developed to address the perceptions and experiences of man (some more, some less accurate in the eternal scheme of things). The dissection of all religions will reveal that which made the individual and his society greater or more deviate. True freedom of religion would eliminate much ignorance and the current state's tyranny, and prove the above quote's truthfulness.

Sounds EXACTLY what the Obama Admistration is Pulling Off!!!

Those "external authorities" just might be the government.

Statism absolutely requires a dependent and compliant populace conditioned into servitude.  After a few generations, the people will have long forgotten what it means to be sovereign and self-determining.  Then comes the culling of the herd...