"The liberties of our Country, the freedom of our civil constitution are worth defending at all hazards: And it is our duty to defend them against all attacks. We have received them as a fair inheritance from our worthy ancestors: They purchased them for us with toil and danger and expense of treasure and blood; and transmitted them to us with care and diligence. It will bring an everlasting mark of infamy on the present generation, enlightened as it is, if we should suffer them to be wrested from us by violence without a struggle; or be cheated out of them by the artifices of false and designing men."
Samuel Adams, Essay in the Boston Gazette, October 14, 1771
"Fascism begins the moment a ruling class, fearing the people may use their political democracy to gain economic democracy, begins to destroy political democracy in order to retain its power of exploitation and special privilege."
Tommy Douglas, quoted in Straight Through the Heart, 1995
"As nightfall does not come at once, neither does oppression. In both instances, there is a twilight when everything remains seemingly unchanged. And it is in such twilight that we all must be most aware of change in the air - however slight - lest we become unwitting victims of the darkness."
William O. Douglas, Supreme Court Justice, The Douglas Letters, 1987
"When you legitimize yourself entirely by inventing enemies, the truth ceases to matter, normal restraints of civilization and decency cease to matter, the checks and balances of normal politics cease to matter. The dangers of fascist politics come from the particular way in which it dehumanizes segments of the population. It limits the capacity for empathy among other citizens, leading to the justification of inhumane treatment, from repression of freedom, mass imprisonment, and expulsion to, in extreme cases, mass extermination."
Jason Stanley, How Fascism Works, 2018
“Truth and love will overcome lies and hatred. The dormant goodwill in people needs to be stirred. People need to hear that it makes sense to behave decently or to help others, to place common interests above their own, to respect the elementary rules of human coexistence.
They want to be told this publicly. They want to know that those ‘at the top’ are on their side. They want to feel recognized and cultivated. For goodwill to develop and have an impact it must hear this, so that the world does not ridicule it.”
Vaclav Havel, Summer Meditations, 1991
This was an interesting Comex option expiration day for the precious metals, primarily gold.
The metals were under early selling, but as the day wore on gained a footing and rallied back for a gain.
Silver in particular just crushed the metals bears.
VIX rose initially, but then fell back during the day as well.
The Dollar rallied sharply and held it.
Bitcoin continued to slide and closed below 110k.
Let's see what happens tomorrow, and how things are held into the weekend.
Have a pleasant evening.
