— Michael Scheuer American counterterrorism analyst 1952
Hardball with Chris Matthews, November 16 2004
2000s
„Civil war, in Macchiavel's account, is a disease; but tyranny is the death of a state. Gentle ways are first to be used, and it is best if the work can be done by them; but it must not be left undone, if they fail.“
Source: Discourses Concerning Government (1689), Ch. 3, Sect. 3.
Context: If these rules have not been well observed in the first constitution, or from the changes of times, corruption of manners, insensible encroachments, or violent usurpations of princes, have been rendered ineffectual, and the people exposed to all the calamities that may be brought upon them by the weakness, vices, and malice of the prince, or those who govern him, I confess the remedies are more difficult and dangerous; but even in those cases they must be tried. Nothing can be feared that is worse than what is suffered, or must in a short time fall upon those who are in this condition. They who are already fallen into all that is odious, shameful, and miserable, cannot justly fear. When things are brought to such a pass, the boldest counsels are the most safe; and if they must perish who lie still, and they can but perish who are most active, the choice is easily made. Let the danger be never so great, there is a possibility of safety, whilst men have life, hands, arms, and courage to use them; but that people must certainly perish, who tamely suffer themselves to be oppressed, either by the injustice, cruelty, and malice of an ill magistrate, or by those who prevail upon the vices and infirmities of weak princes. It is in vain to say, that this may give occasion to men of raising tumults, or civil war; for tho' these are evils, yet they are not the greatest of evils. Civil war, in Macchiavel's account, is a disease; but tyranny is the death of a state. Gentle ways are first to be used, and it is best if the work can be done by them; but it must not be left undone, if they fail. It is good to use supplications, advices, and remonstrances; but those who have no regard to justice, and will not hearken to counsel, must be constrained. It is folly to deal otherwise with a man who will not be guided by reason, and a magistrate who despises the law; or rather, to think him a man, who rejects the essential principle of a man; or to account him a magistrate, who overthrows the law by which he is a magistrate. This is the last result; but those nations must come to it, which cannot otherwise be preserved.
Algernon Sidney16
British politician and political theorist 1623 - 1683Related quotes
„Whatever can be done, can be undone.“
— Robert Jordan, A Crown of Swords
Rand al'Thor
A Crown of Swords (15 May 1996)
— James M. McPherson American historian 1936
North & South Magazine http://thecivilwarhomepagediscussion2824.yuku.com/forum/getrefs/id/16744/type/0 (January 2008), Vol. 10, No. 4, p. 59
2000s
— Sun Tzu, book The Art of War
(zh-TW) 孫子曰：國之上下，死生之地，存亡之道，不可不察也。
The Art of War, Chapter 1 · Detail Assessment and Planning
— Omar Bradley United States Army field commander during World War II 1893 - 1981
As quoted in Peace Pilgrim: Her Life and Work in Her Own Words (1992) by Peace Pilgrim, p. 113.
— Epictetus philosopher from Ancient Greece 50 - 138
Golden Sayings of Epictetus
Context: Canst thou judge men?... then make us imitators of thyself, as Socrates did. Do this, do not do that, else will I cast thee into prison; this is not governing men like reasonable creatures. Say rather, As God hath ordained, so do; else thou wilt suffer chastisement and loss. Askest thou what loss? None other than this: To have left undone what thou shouldst have done: to have lost the faithfulness, the reverence, the modesty that is in thee! Greater loss than this seek not to find! (91).
„A wrongdoer is often a man who has left something undone, not always one who has done something.“
— Marcus Aurelius, book Meditations
Ἀδικεῖ πολλάκις ὁ μὴ ποιῶν τι, οὐ μόνον ὁ ποιῶν τι.
IX, 5
Source: Meditations (c. 121–180 AD), Book IX
„The result of toppling tyranny in divided countries is usually civil war and ethnic cleansing.“
— John Gray British philosopher 1948
"The death of this crackpot creed is nothing to mourn," http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2007/jul/31/comment.politics1 The Guardian (2007-07-31)
— Stanley Baldwin Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom 1867 - 1947
Speech to the Classical Association (8 January 1926), quoted in On England, and Other Addresses (1926), p. 106.
1926
„A state of war only serves as an excuse for domestic tyranny.“
— Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, book The Gulag Archipelago
The Gulag Archipelago (1973).
— Louis Farrakhan leader of the Nation of Islam 1933
August 15, 2015 http://www.wnd.com/wnd_video/farrakhan-retaliation-we-must-rise-up-and-kill-those-who-kill-us/ (15 August 2015)
— Haidakhan Babaji teacher in northern India
30 September 1982.
The Teachings of Babaji
— Ally Carter, I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You
Source: I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You
„What is done cannot be undone, but one can prevent it happening again.“
— Anne Frank victim of the Holocaust and author of a diary 1929 - 1945
Source: The Diary of a Young Girl
— George Soros Hungarian-American business magnate, investor, and philanthropist 1930
Introduction, p. xxv
The Age of Fallibility (2006)
Context: We must recognize that as the dominant power in the world we have a special responsibility. In addition to protecting our national interests, we must take the leadership in protecting the common interests of humanity. I go into some detail as to what that entails.
Mankind’s power over nature has increased cumulatively while its ability to govern itself has not kept pace. There is no other country that can take the place of the United States in the foreseeable future. If the United States fails to provide the right kind of leadership our civilization may destroy itself. That is the unpleasant reality that confronts us.
— William McKinley American politician, 25th president of the United States (in office from 1897 to 1901) 1843 - 1901
Attributed by James F. Rusling "Interview with President McKinley" The Christian Advocate (22 January 1903), as remarks from a meeting with clergymen on 21 November 1899. The overtly religious part is disputed in Lewis Gould (1980) The Presidency of William McKinley.