Freedom =/= Equality, and there can exist imperfect freedom. My own feeling is that America and the West historically draws much of its deep moral fiber from Sparta- much more than Athens. The Spartan idea of freedom and the American conservative idea of freedom are fairly similar.
And as for black and white, it's not, which is why it is so riveting. The Persians could and did make a good argument that everything else but freedom would be better for Greece if the Greeks just surrendered. In exchange for a small gift of allegiance, they would receive greater prosperity, greater equality (cept for King Xerxes anyway), and more of just about anything they might want. On the other side of the scale stood one thing only: freedom. And not even what we might consider a good notion of freedom, an idea of freedom that we would think had a lot of problems. And yet, even this, this freedom was so important to the Greeks that they abandoned every other consideration to fight a war in which they were vastly outnumbered and defeat seemed all but certain. That is how much they cared for freedom, and that is why it induces tears.
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