Peter, of course I was being facetious. ;-)
To quote Rod Paddock from the "Ethics" thread:
THOMAS BABINGTON MACAULAY (1800-1859) -- British writer and politician
"The measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he never would be found out."
ABIGAIL VAN BUREN ("Dear Abby") advice columnist
"The best index to a person's character is (a) how he treats people who can't do him any good, and (b) how he treats people who can't fight back."
To this you might add the quote attributed to Burke:
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."But then there is another quote attributed to somebody very famous indeed: "turn the other cheek". I believe that the Beatitudes may have some relevant commentary as well. ;-)
"... They ne'er cared for us
yet: suffer us to famish, and their store-houses
crammed with grain; make edicts for usury, to
support usurers; repeal daily any wholesome act
established against the rich, and provide more
piercing statutes daily, to chain up and restrain
the poor. If the wars eat us not up, they will; and
there's all the love they bear us."
-- Shakespeare: Coriolanus, Act 1, scene 1
