"Beware the leader who bangs the drums of war in order to whip the citizenry into a patriotic fervor, for patriotism is indeed a double-edged sword. It both emboldens the blood, just as it narrows the mind. And when the drums of war have reached a fever pitch and the blood boils with hate and the mind has closed, the leader will have no need in seizing the rights of the citizenry. Rather, the citizenry, infused with fear and blinded by patriotism, will offer up all of their rights unto the leader and gladly so. How do I know? For this is what I have done. And I am Caesar."
-- Caius Julius Caesar* --
(July 13, 100 - March 15, 44 BCE)
* There is considerable evidence that Julius Ceasar did not say this and that these words began circulating around the internet in 2001 attributed to him. My own research has not been able to discover who, if anybody, spoke these words. I do like them, however, and this so accurately describes what he did that I couldn't resist making this webpage.
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