William F. Buckley (pictured above) was born on this day (November 24) in 1925 and today would have been his 95th birthday. Unfortunately, he died on February 27, 2008, at the age of 82.

To recognize his birthday, here are some quotes from William F. Buckley, the first five are courtesy of Lawrence Reed:

1. The largest cultural menace in America is the conformity of the intellectual cliques which, in education as well as the arts, are out to impose upon the nation their modish fads and fallacies, and have nearly succeeded in doing so. In this cultural issue, we are, without reservations, on the side of excellence (rather than ‘newness’) and of honest intellectual combat (rather than conformity).

2. I will not cede more power to the state. I will not willingly cede more power to anyone, not to the state, not to General Motors, not to the CIO. I will hoard my power like a miser, resisting every effort to drain it away from me. I will then use my power, as I see fit. I mean to live my life an obedient man, but obedient to God, subservient to the wisdom of my ancestors; never to the authority of political truths arrived at yesterday at the voting booth.

3. Though liberals do a great deal of talking about hearing other points of view, it sometimes shocks them to learn that there ARE other points of view.

4. Government can’t do anything for you except in proportion as it can do something to you.

5. I get satisfaction of three kinds. One is creating something, one is being paid for it and one is the feeling that I haven’t just been sitting on my ass all afternoon.

6. The amount of money and of legal energy being given to prosecute hundreds of thousands of Americans who are caught with a few ounces of marijuana in their jeans simply makes no sense – the kindest way to put it. A sterner way to put it is that it is an outrage, an imposition on basic civil liberties and on the reasonable expenditure of social energy.

7. Back in the 1930s we were told we must collectivize the nation because the people were so poor. Now we are told we must collectivize the nation because the people are so rich.

8. Truth is a demure lady, much too ladylike to knock you on your head and drag you to her cave. She is there, but people must want her, and seek her out.

9. There is an inverse relationship between reliance on the state and self-reliance.

10. Liberals don’t care what you do so long as it’s compulsory.

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