Bundle of Sticks

In unity there is strength.

   A tightly bound set of wooden rods holding an axe head has been a symbol of unity and power since the years of the Roman Empire, and was used in America on the reverse side of the 10-cent coin from 1916 to 1945.
   While the symbol itself was accepted, the Latin word that accompanied it was appropriated by European political movements for its implied idea of strength in unity.
   Unfortunately, unity for some meant exclusion of those who disagreed. In extreme form, this led to violence against those who did not conform to some "preferred" set of beliefs.
   So while the Latin-based word for unity and strength began its modern life as a worthwhile symbol, in practice its meaning became corrupted by political groups that converted an otherwise democratic system to a dictatorship.
   It's called fascism.