You could be a victim, you could be a hero, you could be a villain, or you could be a fugitive. But you could not just stand by. If you were in Europe between 1933 and 1945, you had to be something.
Interpretation
This quote emphasizes the necessity of taking action in times of crisis rather than remaining passive.
Alan Furst highlights the intense moral choices faced by individuals during the dark period of European history from 1933 to 1945. He suggests that in times of great conflict and oppression, one cannot afford to be a bystander; instead, they must choose to be an active participant in the struggle, whether as a victim, a hero, a villain, or even a fugitive, underlining the importance of personal agency in challenging circumstances.
In practice
During a lecture on moral responsibility, one could use this quote to illustrate the importance of active engagement in social issues.
Nothing has been more detrimental to me than to be considered a symbol, because I never stood for any of that... The civil rights movement thought they would do me harm over the years by disassociating themselves from me. Well, nothing in the world was more to my advantage. I was never one of them... I had my own divine mission.
If I was a boy, nobody would care that I worked out six, seven hours a day when I was 9 years old, no? Why were people always saying 'poor little girl?' I liked to work out and always did more than I was asked to.
When an opponent comes forward, move in and greet him; if he wants to pull back, send him on his way.
I would describe and I have described myself to people who ask as a freedom fighter.
Don't you know that boys don't cry?' Adam grinned. 'Shall I tell you something I've only recently discovered,' I replied, not attempting to hide the tears rolling down my face and not the least bit ashamed of them. 'Boys don't cry, but real men do.
Our way of getting an army able to fight the German army is to declare war on Germany just as if we had such an army, and then trust to the appalling resultant peril and disaster to drive us into wholesale enlistment.
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