If freedom makes social progress possible, so social progress strengthens and enlarges freedom. The two are inseparable partners in the great adventure of humanity.
Robert KennedyRead
I can understand the Chinese Wall: it was built as a defense against marauders. But a wall such as that in Berlin, built to prevent people from seeking freedom, is almost beyond comprehension.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote contrasts the purpose of defensive walls with those that restrict freedom, highlighting the moral implications of such barriers.
In this quote, Robert Kennedy reflects on the nature of walls and barriers, using the Great Wall of China as a symbol of protection and the Berlin Wall as a symbol of oppression. He emphasizes that while some walls serve legitimate purposes, the Berlin Wall's function of keeping people from seeking freedom is fundamentally difficult to grasp, indicating a profound moral concern for human rights and liberty.
Themes
FreedomWallsOppressionDefenseBerlinMorality
In practice
Example use cases
Using this quote during a speech about human rights.
More from Robert Kennedy
All quotes →Elections remind us not only of the rights but the responsibilities of citizenship in a democracy.
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Within the United States, we have put great emphasis upon political freedoms. Because it has been our experience that these freedoms can lead to others.
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It is one thing to open job opportunities. It is another to train people to fill them, or to persuade American enterprise to seek Negro as well as white applicants.
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Our attitude towards immigration reflects our faith in the American ideal. We have always believed it possible for men and women who start at the bottom to rise as far as the talent and energy allow. Neither race nor place of birth should affect their chances.
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The Gross National Product measures neither our wit nor our courage, neither our wisdom nor our learning, neither our compassion nor our devotion to our country. It measures everything, in short, except that which makes life worthwhile, and it can tell us everything about America - except whether we are proud to be Americans.
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