If I were the devil, I wouldnt be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the treeThee. So Id set about however necessary to take over the United States. Id subvert the churches firstI would begin with a campaign of whispers. With the wisdom of a serpent, I would whisper to you as I whispered to Eve: Do as you please. Do as you please. To the young, I would whisper, The Bible is a myth. I would convince them that man created God instead of the other way around. I would confide that what is bad is good, and what is good is square. And the old, I would teach to pray. I would teach them to pray after me, Our Father, which art in Washington
And then Id get organized. Id educate authors on how to lurid literature exciting, so that anything else would appear dull and uninteresting. Id threaten TV with dirtier movies and vice versa. Id pedal narcotics to whom I could. Id sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction. Id tranquilize the rest with pills.
If I were the devil Id soon have families that war with themselves, churches that war that themselves, and nations that war with themselves; until each in its turn was consumed. And with promises of higher ratings Id have mesmerizing media fanning the flame. If I were the devil I would encourage schools to refine young intellects, and neglect to discipline emotionsjust let those run wild, until before you knew it, youd have to have drug sniffing dogs and metal detectors at every schoolhouse door.
Within a decade Id have prisons overflowing, Id have judges promoting pornographysoon I could evict God from the courthouse, and then the schoolhouse, and then from the houses of Congress. And in His own churches I would substitute psychology for religion, and deify science. I would lure priests and pastors into misusing boys and girls, and church money. If I were the devil Id make the symbols of Easter an egg and the symbol of Christmas a bottle.
If I were the devil Id take from those, and who have, and give to those wanted until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious. What do you bet I could get whole states to promote gambling as the way to get rich? I would question against extremes and hard work, and Patriotism, and moral conduct. I would convince the young that marriage is old-fashioned, that swinging more fun, that what you see on the TV is the way to be. And thus I could undress you in public, and I could lure you into bed with diseases for which there is no cure. In other words, if I were to devil Id keep on doing on what hes doing. Paul Harvey, good day.
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We all grew up with Paul Harvey, but around 1980 the mainstream Left couldn’t stand him anymore, countering his message with their Liberal version: Garrison Keillor.
Prairie Home Companion established that now-familiar sneering NPR faux-folksy antidote to Paul Harvey’s popularity. Dripping with postmodern sarcasm, the Left is not above co-opting the style of Rural America. They know how to fight dirty... and it’s high time that conservative America does battle with socialism in the same way. Breitbart knew this.
I'm sorry but I have to call BS on this. I don't think most people would have known what either a drug-sniffing dog or a metal detector was in 1965.
I do recall hearing Mr. Harvey say these very words much later, in the '80s or '90s.
The world is going to hell in a handbasket....Good day :)
ping