Nowadays, the U.S. has 800~ military bases encircling the globe. But back when the U.S. war machine was just getting started, most Americans were against it.
Mark Twain was first pro-imperialism--until he saw what the U.S. government did after winning the Spanish-American war:
The Spanish lost the last remnants of their empire, including control of their colony the Philippines.
Instead of recognizing the Philippine declaration of independence, the U.S. annexed it. Then when they resisted, the U.S. waged war on them from 1899 to 1902--resulting in hundreds of thousands of Filipino civilian deaths.
Twain was vice-president of the American Anti-Imperialist League from 1901, until his death in 1910. Show solidarity by buying our graphic t-shirt featuring this Twain quote: "I am an anti-imperialist. I am opposed to having the eagle put its talons on any other land."
(We also have merch of 70+ other Twain quotes on 60~ different products on Redbubble here)
American founding fathers were against war and empire--we included this James Madison quote in the introduction of our new Pocket Constitutions ($4.95 on Amazon):
"Of all the enemies to public liberty war is, perhaps, the
most to be dreaded, because it comprises and develops
the germ of every other. War is the parent of armies;
from these proceed debts and taxes; and armies, debts,
and taxes are the known instruments for bringing the
many under the domination of the few...No nation could
preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare."
Below are some more relevant anti-war/empire quotes from founding fathers and a few others--let me know if you'd like them on t-shirts too :)
"It is our policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world." - George Washington
"Peace, commerce and honest friendship with all nations; entangling alliances with none." - Thomas Jefferson
"America... goes not abroad, in search of monsters to destroy. She is the well-wisher to the freedom and independence of all." - John Quincy Adams
"The goal is to use Afghanistan to wash money out of the tax bases of the US and Europe through Afghanistan and back into the hands of a transnational security elite. The goal is an endless war, not a successful war" - Julian Assange of Wikileaks--a political prisoner for exposing truth