This excerpt from Conan O’Brien’s acceptance speech for the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor is quite good.

Twain was suspicious of populism, jingoism, imperialism, the money-obsessed mania of the Gilded 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.”

(thx, andy)

Tags: Conan O’Brien · Mark Twain · video