War is not a computer-generated missile striking a digital map. War is the color of earth as it explodes in our faces, the sound of child pleading, the smell of smoke and fear. Women survivors of war are not the single image portrayed on the television screen, but the glue that holds families and countries together. Perhaps by understanding women, and the other side of war ... we will have more humility in our discussions of wars... perhaps it is time to listen to womens side of history.
Interpretation
War is a deeply human experience that goes beyond statistics and images, emphasizing the importance of women's voices in its narrative.
This quote by Zainab Salbi highlights the stark realities of war, emphasizing that it is not merely a calculated conflict represented on a screen. It illustrates the visceral impact of war on lives, especially on women who endure and survive its consequences, urging society to recognize their vital role in rebuilding families and communities. Salbi advocates for listening to women's perspectives to gain a deeper, more humble understanding of the complexities involved in discussions about war.
In practice
During a lecture on the impact of conflict on society, one might include this quote to emphasize the human aspects of war.
In every single culture I encountered, there were always women who defied cultural norms to do what they believed was right for them. This phenomenon has never been related to how rich, poor, successful or not successful the woman may be.
I find it amazing that the only group of people who are not fighting and not killing and not pillaging and not burning and not raping, and the group of people who are mostly — though not exclusively — who are keeping life going in the midst of war, are not included in the negotiating table.
Every woman must own her story; otherwise we are all part of the silence.
As women, we must speak out, speak up, say no to our inheritance of loss and yes to a future of women-led dialogue about women's rights and value.
There's a lot of projection that if you're in service then you shouldn't look good. I'm no different from anybody else. I like clothes, I like shoes, I like to go have nice dinners, I like to dance. Just because I've dedicated myself to serving women, why do you think I need to sacrifice myself?
In my 20s I was such a serious, boring-looking person. I would never do my nails. I never even danced. But I was taught by the women. They had gone through hell, but they would dance and sing. I came to realise I can't argue for a happy world if I am not happy myself.
The decision to relax rather than to grip, even in the face of impatience or fear, is a conscious and brave choice.
I am not sorry. I will never be sorry. I would do everything I did again if I had to. Everything.
We live in the kind of world where courage is the most essential of virtues; without courage, the other virtues are useless.
No sane man is unafraid in battle, but discipline produces in him a form of vicarious courage.
We've been blessed with the opportunity to stand for something - for liberty and freedom and fairness. And these are things worth fighting for, worth devoting our lives to.
Let my name stand among those who are willing to bear ridicule and reproach for the truth's sake, and so earn some right to rejoice when the victory is won.
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