Abstain Quotes
In that era votes were taken be legislators dropping dried beans in different jars. The Ancient Greek word for “beans” was metaphorical for “politics.” Pythagoras advised the students at his academy and all others of means to avoid politics. He was concerned that politics would distract a person from more important activities such as philosophy, mathematics and science. Worse that the hypocrisy and compromises made in politics would corrupt honest, rational thinking.
After the U.S. Ambassadors to Chile refused to deliver a demarche {610338} to the Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet on U.S. objections to a proposed assassination, the State Department decided not to act and as a result the former Chilean foreign minister, Orlando Letelier and his American assistant were murdered in Washington DC the next morning. This incident became known as the Condor scheme. Incredibly, for years the State Department covered up the fact that they had advance knowledge of a murder that was committed in the United States and did not act. Pinochet, many years later was tried for his many crimes.
