It Can't Happen Here

by Sinclair Lewis

Whatever might happen, exulted Doremus, the revolt proved that belief in America and hope for America were not dead.

it took the impertinent idiocy of demanding that they march down into the desert and help steal a friendly country to jab them into awakening and into discovering that, while they had been asleep, they had been kidnaped by a small gang of criminals armed with high ideals, well-buttered words, and a lot of machine guns.