[denydenydeny]

The bit about "Freedom" is a joke.

I'm surprised to hear this typical lefty nonsense on FR.

The imbd boards, etc., are full of this: "Nyah, nyah, the Greeks had slaves too, so they were no different from the Persians." This kind of idiocy results from a complete anachronistic misunderstanding of history.

The Persians had absolutely no concept of citizenship or individual rights; everything, every animal, every plant, and every person was the personal property of the Shah-an-Shah. That's what "absolute ruler" means. Free Spartans, on the other hand, were citizens, and out of the concept of citizenship grows all of what we today consider human rights, property rights, voting rights, etc.

This is an ENORMOUS distinction. If you insist on viewing Sparta as though you're reading the latest Amnesty International report, they you badly need to read more history. And to look up the word "anachronism" in the dictionary.

It is a homo-erotic acid trip.

Only to people who are, um, inclined to think that way.

[rmlew]

1. I respect Sparta for defending Greece in an action, which allowed Western civilization to form. Democracy existed only because of the actions of this deeply illiberal people. However, you should read up on Thucidides before you lecture me on history.

2. Oiled up soldiers playing around in bared chests on one side and weirdly squirming men on the other. That's just homoerotic.