Historically, the most terrible things - war, genocide, and slavery - have resulted not from disobedience, but from obedience. Howard Zinn More Quotes by Howard Zinn More Quotes From Howard Zinn When we organize with one another, when we get involved, when we stand up and speak out together, we can create a power no government can suppress. Howard Zinn together-we-canspeaks-outgovernment If we have learned anything in the past ten years, it is that these lovely things about America were never lovely. We have been expansionist and aggressive and mean to other people from the beginning. And we've been aggressive and mean to people in this country, and we've allocated the wealth of this country in a very unjust way. We've never had justice in our courts for the poor people, for black people, for radicals. Now how can we boast that America is a very special place? It's not that special. It really isn't. Howard Zinn meancountrypast Nations are not communities and never have been. The history of any country, presented as the history of a family, conceals the fierce conflicts of interest (sometimes exploding, often repressed) between conquerors and conquered, masters and slaves, capitalists and workers, dominators and dominated in race and sex. And in such as world of conflict, a world of victims and executioners, it is the job of thinking people, as Albert Camus suggested, not to be on the side of the executioners. Howard Zinn jobscountrysex The cry of the poor is is not always just, but if you don't listen to it, you will never know what justice is. Howard Zinn crypoorjustice We need to decide that we will not go to war, whatever reason is conjured up by the politicians or the media, because war in our time is always indiscriminate, a war against innocents, a war against children. Howard Zinn timewarchildren Whenever I become discouraged (which is on alternate Tuesdays, between three and four) I lift my spirits by remembering: The artists are on our side! I mean those poets and painters, singers and musicians, novelists and playwrights who speak to the world in a way that is impervious to assault because they wage the battle for justice in a sphere which is unreachable by the dullness of ordinary political discourse. Howard Zinn artistjusticemean We've never had our injustices rectified from the top, from the president or Congress, or the Supreme Court, no matter what we learned in junior high school about how we have three branches of government, and we have checks and balances, and what a lovely system. No. The changes, important changes that we've had in history, have not come from those three branches of government. They have reacted to social movements. Howard Zinn lovelygovernmentschool Protest beyond the law is not a departure from democracy; it is absolutely essential to it. Howard Zinn truthlawmeaningful When a social movement adopts the compromises of legislators, it has forgotten its role, which is to push and challenge the politicians, not fall in meekly behind them. We who protest...are not politicians. We are citizens. Whatever politicians may do, let them first feel the full force of citizens who speak for what is right, not for what is winnable, in a shamefully timorous Congress. Howard Zinn roleschallengesfall The problem in this world is not civil disobedience...th e problem in this world is civil obedience. Howard Zinn obedienceproblemworld Because of the control of the media by corporate wealth, the discovery of truth depends on an alternative media, such as small radio stations, networks, programs. Also, alternative newspapers, which exist all over the country. Also, cable TV programs, which are not dependent on commercial advertising. Also, the internet, which can reach millions of people by-passing the conventional media. Howard Zinn mediadiscoverycountry In the United States today, the Declaration of Independence hangs on schoolroom walls, but foreign policy follows Machiavelli. Howard Zinn independenceunited-stateswall What matters most is not who is sitting in the White House, but "who is sitting in" - and who is marching outside the White House, pushing for change. Howard Zinn what-matterswhitehouse Memorial Day will be celebrated ... by the usual betrayal of the dead, by the hypocritical patriotism of the politicians and contractors preparing for more wars, more graves to receive more flowers on future Memorial Days. The memory of the dead deserves a different dedication. To peace, to defiance of governments. Howard Zinn memorial-daybetrayalmemories George Orwell said, "Whoever controls the past controls the future," by which he meant that history is incredibly important in shaping the world view of the next generation of people. Howard Zinn viewspeoplepast Since war itself is the most extreme form of terrorism, a war on terrorism is profoundly self-contradictory. Howard Zinn terrorismselfwar Capitalism has always been a failure for the lower classes. It is now beginning to fail for the middle classes. Howard Zinn middlefailingclass Terrorism has replaced Communism as the rationale for the militarization of the country [America], for military adventures abroad, and for the suppression of civil liberties at home. It serves the same purpose, serving to create hysteria. Howard Zinn militaryhomecountry What most of us must be involved in--whether we teach or write, make films, write films, direct films, play music, act, whatever we do--has to not only make people feel good and inspired and at one with other people around them, but also has to educate a new generation to do this very modest thing: change the world. Howard Zinn playwritingpeople What we have is a more sophisticated form of imperialism, which is economic. But lurking in the background, always ready to go, is an armed force. Howard Zinn imperialismeconomicsophisticated
