The action we take and the decisions we make in this decade will have consequences far into this century. If America shows weakness and uncertainty, the world will drift toward tragedy. That will not happen on my watch.
George W. BushRead
I've made it clear, Madam President, that the war against terrorism is not a war against Muslims, nor is it a war against Arabs. It's a war against evil people who conduct crimes against innocent people.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes that the fight against terrorism is not a conflict against any specific culture or religion, but rather against those who commit acts of violence and harm against the innocent.
In this quote, George W. Bush seeks to clarify that the ongoing struggle against terrorism should not be misconstrued as a war against the Muslim faith or Arab communities. Instead, he asserts that the true enemy is the malevolent individuals who perpetrate violence against innocent civilians. This distinction is crucial to promote understanding and prevent further division based on misconceptions about entire groups of people, advocating for a focus on justice against criminal acts rather than prejudice against cultures or religions.
Themes
TerrorismEvilInnocenceJusticeClarity
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech addressing community tension about violence, one might use this quote to emphasize that the fight is against acts of terror, not against specific groups.
More from George W. Bush
All quotes →Thousands of lives were suddenly ended by evil, despicable acts of terror. The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning, huge structures collapsing, have filled us with disbelief, terrible sadness and a quiet, unyielding anger.
George W. BushRead
Freedom itself was attacked this morning by a faceless coward, and freedom will be defended.
George W. BushRead
Use power to help people. For we are given power not to advance our own purposes nor to make a great show in the world, nor a name. There is but one just use of power and it is to serve people.
George W. BushRead
Adoption was such a positive alternative to abortion, a way to save one life and brighten two more: those of the adoptive parents.
George W. BushRead
We are not deceived by their pretenses to piety. We have seen their kind before. They are the heirs of all the murderous ideologies of the 20th century. By sacrificing human life to serve their radical visions - by abandoning every value except the will to power - they follow in the path of fascism, and Nazism, and totalitarianism. And they will follow that path all the way, to where it ends: in history's unmarked grave of discarded lies.
George W. BushRead
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