"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling, which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself." - John Stuart Mill (1806-1873)
Nothing is lower than a pacifist. He is by definition, a supporter of tyranny and bullies.
The Gunslinger
True dat.
ReplyDeleteBit of a connection here,I think.Just picked up "Long Recessional" political biography of Rudyard Kipling by David Gilmour (no,not the guitarist from Pink Floyd).He loved the British Empire and it's best sides,knew that wars sometimes have to be fought,but wondered what that "burden" would do to the culture,how it would contaminate it in the end.Sound familiar?
ReplyDeleteIntimately, depressingly familiar.
ReplyDeleteWhy oh why do we become wise too late....every single time?