Men’s miseries

I have always respected America as a country of democracy. I have always appreciated the respect for the individual, for freedom, freedom of expression. I have always loved the American Constitution. And now I feel it would have been better if I had not come here, because now I am feeling absolutely disappointed. That constitution is bogus. These words: individual, freedom, capitalism, freedom of expression, are all just words. Behind the screen it is the same politician, the same ugly face, the same mean mind – because in my opinion only the meanest people in the world are attracted towards politics; the meanest, the lowest, because they know they can only do something if they have power. You need power only to do something harmful; otherwise love is enough, compassion is enough. And for compassion you need not be a president of a country, for love you need not be a prime minister.
So I say to you: this commune by itself can never become a Jonestown – that is impossible. But these politicians can bomb it, can destroy it. They have been talking in those exact terms: that we should be thrown out of America, that we should be slaughtered. It is possible, because for the politician everything is possible – because every politician is a potential Adolf Hitler, a Joseph Stalin, a Benito Mussolini.

From Unconsciousness to Consciousness, Ch 7, Q 1 (excerpt)