Conan O'Brien's Mark Twain Prize Acceptance Speech
Conan O’Brien’s acceptance speech for the Mark Twain Prize needs to drilled into the ears and brains of many Americans right now.
“Twain's remedy for ignorance about the world around us was to travel. At a time when travel was very long and very difficult, Twain circled the globe and he wrote 'Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts.’
Twain was suspicious of populism, jingoism, imperialism, the money obsessed mania of the guilded age, and any expression of mindless American might or self-importance. Above all, Twain was a patriot in the best sense of the word. He loved America but knew it was deeply flawed.
Twain wrote 'Patriotism is supporting your country all of the time, and your government when it deserves it.’“
h/t Jasmine, Jonathan