Portuguese Proverb Quotes
All bite the bitten dog.
In modern politics, knowledge of the wisdom of this proverb, tries to spin situations, and intimidate others from overt criticism. When a President is attacked by many, it encourages even more attacks.
Portuguese Proverb
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
This proverb only makes sense in the light of understanding the Arab concept of revenge—“blood.” In a rural desert environment where little can be expected of government, the Arabs have developed a law enforcement and peace keeping mechanism which while primitive from modern standards, nevertheless worked to some degree. It is that revenge—“blood” is a moral necessity and obligation of all people, and revenge is not limited by time or to the individuals involved in the first incidence. The immediate family are the first to exact revenge, but the extended family follows and often the entire clan. Sometimes revenge is tribal or even national. Anyone who fails to revenge a member in his group is not only a disgrace, but is a clear and present danger to the group because then they can be attacked with impunity. So revenge is a strong obligation of the group members and blood must be paid with blood no matter how many generations it may take. The only thing that keeps me and my family safe, is the surety what whosoever kills one of us will themselves be killed or if they die a natural death we will take revenge on one of the evildoers relatives. Crime must never pay!
The nation was in the midst of a major steel strike and the President felt that the steel companies had reneged on their promises:
