In a two-party system, if both parties ignore public opinion, there is no place voters can turn. Howard Zinn More Quotes by Howard Zinn More Quotes From Howard Zinn There is no act too small, no act too bold. The history of social change is the history of millions of actions, small and large, coming together at critical points to create a power that governments cannot suppress. Howard Zinn bold-actions government together It's a strange thing, we think that law brings order. Law doesn't. How do we know that law does not bring order? Look around us. We live under the rule of law. Notice how much order we have? Howard Zinn law order thinking Civil disobedience is not something outside the realm of democracy. Democracy requires civil disobedience. Without civil disobedience democracy does not exist. Howard Zinn realms democracy doe If there is going to be change, real change, it will have to work its way from the bottom up, from the people themselves. That's how change happens. Howard Zinn real peace people And in such a 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 jobs people thinking There is one central characteristic of anarchism on the matter of means, and that central principle is a principle of direct action - of not going through the forms that the society offers you, of representative government, of voting, of legislation, but directly taking power. Howard Zinn direct-action government mean People of the United States have to really consider whether they want to be an empire. Sweden is not worried about terrorism. New Zealand is not worried about terrorism. Holland is not worried about terrorism. Why not be a modest little country without all of these enormous ambitions? Howard Zinn ambition country people Objectivity is impossible and it is also undesirable. That is, if it were possible it would be undesirable, because if you have any kind of a social aim, if you think history should serve society in some way; should serve the progress of the human race; should serve justice in some way, then it requires that you make your selection on the basis of what you think will advance causes of humanity. Howard Zinn objectivity race thinking The rule of law does not do away with the unequal distribution of wealth and power, but reinforces that inequality with the authority of law. It allocates wealth and poverty in such calculated and indirect ways as to leave the victim bewildered. Howard Zinn distribution-of-wealth law doe With the indiscriminate nature of modern military technology (no such thing as a "smart bomb," it turns out) all wars are wars against civilians, and are therefore inherently immoral. This is true even when a war is considered "just," because it is fought against a tyrant, against an aggressor, to correct a stolen boundary. Howard Zinn smart military war Most wars, after all, present themselves as humanitarian endeavors to help people. Howard Zinn helping war people The memory of oppressed people is one thing that cannot be taken away, and for such people, with such memories, revolt is always an inch below the surface. Howard Zinn taken memories people My hope is that the memory of death and disgrace will be so intense that the people of the United States will be able to listen to a message that the rest of the world, sobered by wars without end, can also understand: that war itself is the enemy of the human race. Howard Zinn race memories war Any humane and reasonable person must conclude that if the ends, however desireable, are uncertain and the means are horrible and certain, these means must not be employed. Howard Zinn uncertain ends mean The establishment, whatever rewards it gives us, will also, if necessary to maintain it's control, kill us Howard Zinn rewards establishment giving I’m worried that students will take their obedient place in society and look to become successful cogs in the wheel - let the wheel spin them around as it wants without taking a look at what they’re doing. I’m concerned that students not become passive acceptors of the official doctrine that’s handed down to them from the White House, the media, textbooks, teachers and preachers. Howard Zinn media successful teacher If what your country is doing seems to you practically and morally wrong, is dissent the highest form of patriotism? Howard Zinn patriotism form country What is called “apathy” is, I believe, a feeling of helplessness on the part of the ordinary citizen, a feeling of impotence in the face of enormous power. It’s not that people are apathetic; they do care about what is going on, but don’t know what to do about it, so they do nothing, and appear to be indifferent. Howard Zinn feelings believe people Education becomes most rich and alive when it confronts the reality of moral conflict in the world. Howard Zinn alive reality world Where progress has been made, wherever any kind of injustice has been overturned, it’s been because people acted as citizens, and not as politicians. They didn’t just moan. They worked, they acted, they organized, they rioted if necessary to bring their situation to the attention of people in power. And that’s what we have to do today. Howard Zinn progress citizens people
