Oppression Quotes - Page 16

• Freedom has nothing to do with having the right to vote for your oppressor; freedom is not having any form of oppression.

  Ralph Waldo Emerson

  Democracy, Vote, Form

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• The globalisation of information makes people aware of what they have - and have not. Problems and oppression are impossible to hide, and the new and powerful tools of information provide us with more opportunities than ever to react and act.

  Anna Lindh

  Powerful, Opportunity, People

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• The cost in human lives and suffering is so high that we all have to work to end violence and oppression once and for all. We have to proclaim that every human being is equal, in dignity, in freedom -and, as the first article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states, we have to live in a spirit of brotherhood.

  Federico Mayor Zaragoza

  Rights, Brotherhood, Suffering

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• We speak here of the challenge of the dichotomies of war and peace, violence and non-violence, racism and human dignity, oppression and repression and liberty and human rights, poverty and freedom from want.

  Nelson Mandela

  War, Rights, Racism

  Nelson Mandela (2012). “Notes to the Future: Words of Wisdom”, p.166, Simon and Schuster

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• Most codes extend their definitions of treason to acts not really against one's country. They do not distinguish between acts against the government, and acts against the oppressions of the government. The latter are virtues, yet have furnished more victims to the executioner than the former. Real treasons are rare; oppressions frequent. The unsuccessful strugglers against tyranny have been the chief martyrs of treason laws in all countries.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Country, Real, Government

  Thomas Jefferson (1861). “Correspondence”, p.353

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• Human beings are themselves considered consumer goods to be used and then discarded. We have created a 'disposable' culture which is now spreading. It is no longer simply about exploitation and oppression, but something new.

  Pope Francis

  Culture, Something New, Used

  "Pope Francis: Capitalism is 'a new tyranny'" by Katie McDonough, www.salon.com. November 26, 2013.

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• All it has experienced, tasted, suffered: The course of years, generations of animals, Oppression, recovery, friendship of sun and - Wind Will pour forth each day in the song Of its rustling foliage, in the friendly Gesture of its gently swaying crown, In the delicate sweet scent of resinous Sap moistening the sleep-glued buds, And the eternal game of lights and Shadows it plays with itself, content.

  Hermann Hesse

  Song, Sweet, Recovery

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• Crush humanity out of shape once more, under similar hammers, and it will twist itself into the same tortured forms. Sow the same seeds of rapacious licence and oppression over again, and it will surely yield the same fruit according to its kind.

  Charles Dickens

  Crush, Yield, Humanity

  Charles Dickens, General Press (2016). “A Tale of Two Cities: A Story of the French Revolution”, p.339, GENERAL PRESS

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• Freedom is one of the deepest and noblest aspirations of the human spirit. People, worldwide, hunger for the right of self-determination, for those inalienable rights that make for human dignity and progress. America must remain freedom's staunchest friend, for freedom is our best ally and it is the world's only hope to conquer poverty and preserve peace. Every blow we inflict against poverty will be a blow against its dark allies of oppression and war. Every victory for human freedom will be a victory for world peace.

  Ronald Reagan

  Determination, War, Dark

  Second Inaugural Address, delivered 21 January 1985, Rotunda of the Capitol, Washington D.C.

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• I had always hoped that the younger generation receiving their early impressions after the flame of liberty had been kindled in every breast . . . would have sympathized with oppression wherever found, and proved their love of liberty beyond their own share of it.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Flames, Liberty, Receiving

  Thomas Jefferson (1977). “The Portable Thomas Jefferson”, p.431, Penguin

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• The fore horse of this frightful team is public debt. Taxation follow that, and in its turn wretchedness and oppression.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Horse, Team, Taxation

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• The smaller the society, the fewer probably will be the distinct parties and interests composing it; the fewer the distinct parties and interests, the more frequently will a majority be found of the same party; . . . the more easily will they concert and execute their plans of oppression.

  James Madison

  Party, Majority, Found

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (1842). “The Federalist, on the New Constitution, Written in the Year 1788”, p.47

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• The provision of the Constitution giving the war making power to Congress was dictated, as I understand it, by the following reasons: Kings had always been involving and impoverishing their people in wars, pretending generally, if not always, that the good of the people was the object. This our convention understood to be the most oppressive of all kingly oppressions, and they resolved to so frame the constitution that no man should hold the power of bringing this oppression upon us.

  Abraham Lincoln

  Kings, War, Men

  Abraham Lincoln (1926). “An autobiography of Abraham Lincoln: consisting of the personal portions of his letters, speeches and conversations”

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• No guarantees come with children's liberation. But neither the promise of great benefits to all nor the prediction of great difficulties ahead can serve as the reason for granting or denying rights to children. Rights will be granted because without them children are incapacitated, oppressed, and abused.

  Richard Farson

  Children, Rights, Promise

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• The state machine, including the army, the police and the courts, is the instrument with which one class oppresses another. It is an instrument of oppression against all hostile classes; it means violence and is certainly not anything 'benevolent.' 'You are merciless.' Quite so. We definitely do not adopt a benevolent policy towards the reactionary activities of the reactionaries and the reactionary classes.

  Mao Zedong

  Communication, Mean, Army

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• As long as hope remains and meaning is preserved, the possibility of overcoming oppression stays alive.

  Cornel West

  Long, Civil Rights, Overcoming

  Cornel West (2000). “Race Matters”, p.15, Beacon Press

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• Mr. President, passage of this bill will visit the heel of oppression on all the people, vitiate their constitutional shield against tyranny, and materially hasten the destruction of the best design for self-government yet devised by the minds of men. Its passage will mark one of the darkest days in history

  Strom Thurmond

  Men, Self, People

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• A single good government becomes... a blessing to the whole earth, its welcome to the oppressed restraining within certain limits the measure of their oppressions. But should even this be counteracted by violence on the right of expatriation, the other branch of our example then presents itself for imitation: to rise on their rulers and do as we have done.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Blessing, Government, Example

  Thomas Jefferson (2016). “The Papers of Thomas Jefferson: Retirement Series, Volume 12: 1 September 1817 to 21 April 1818”, p.20, Princeton University Press

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• The God of the Bible is the God of liberation rather than oppression; a God of justice rather than injustice; a God of freedom and humanity rather than enslavement and subservience; a God of love, righteousness and community rather than hatred, self-interest and exploitation.

  Allan Boesak

  Spiritual, Self, Justice

  Allan Aubrey Boesak (1978). “Black theology, black power”

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• Oppressors in front of the Lord, truth be told shall inherit oppression, while others receive gold.

  Muhammad Atta-ullah Faizani

  Soul, Gold, Truth Is

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• Where today are the Pequot? Where are the Narragansett, the Mohican, the Pokanoket, and many other once powerful tribes of our people? They have vanished before the avarice and the oppression of the White Man, as snow before a summer sun. Will we let ourselves be destroyed in our turn without a struggle, give up our homes, our country bequeathed to us by the Great Spirit, the graves of our dead and everything that is dear and sacred to us? I know you will cry with me, 'Never! Never!'

  Tecumseh

  Summer, Country, Giving Up

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• It means a great deal to those who are oppressed to know that they are not alone. And never let anyone tell you that what you are doing is insignificant.

  Desmond Tutu

  Ignorance, Mean, Rights

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• It is the indispensable duty of those, who maintain for themselves the rights of human nature, and who possess the obligations of Christianity, to extend their power and influence to the relief of every part of the human race from whatever burden or oppression they may unjustly labor under.

  Benjamin Banneker

  Godly, Rights, Race

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• The oppression of a majority is detestable and odious; the oppression of a minority is only by one degree less detestable and odious.

  William E. Gladstone

  War, Drug, Majority

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• Never forget that turning a blind eye to oppression and watching from the sidelines is itself opression

  Harun Yahya

  Wisdom, Islamic, Eye

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