The action we take and the decisions we make in this decade will have consequences far into this century. If America shows weakness and uncertainty, the world will drift toward tragedy. That will not happen on my watch.
George W. BushRead
I have assured His Majesty that our war is against evil, not against Islam. There are thousands of Muslims who proudly call themselves Americans, and they know what I know - that the Muslim faith is based upon peace and love and compassion. The exact opposite of the teachings of the al Qaeda organization, which is based upon evil and hate and destruction.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes that the fight against terrorism is not a conflict against Islam, highlighting the true values of the Muslim faith.
In this quote, George W. Bush clarifies that the war being waged is not against Muslims or Islam as a religion, but against the violent extremism represented by groups like al Qaeda. He points out that the core principles of Islam are rooted in peace, love, and compassion, contrasting these values with the hate-driven ideology of terrorist organizations. This statement aims to distinguish between the majority of Muslims who advocate for peace and those who pervert the teachings of their faith to justify violence.
Themes
PeaceLoveCompassionTerrorismIslamViolenceUnderstanding
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech addressing misunderstandings about Islam.
More from George W. Bush
All quotes βThousands of lives were suddenly ended by evil, despicable acts of terror. The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning, huge structures collapsing, have filled us with disbelief, terrible sadness and a quiet, unyielding anger.
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Freedom itself was attacked this morning by a faceless coward, and freedom will be defended.
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Use power to help people. For we are given power not to advance our own purposes nor to make a great show in the world, nor a name. There is but one just use of power and it is to serve people.
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Adoption was such a positive alternative to abortion, a way to save one life and brighten two more: those of the adoptive parents.
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We are not deceived by their pretenses to piety. We have seen their kind before. They are the heirs of all the murderous ideologies of the 20th century. By sacrificing human life to serve their radical visions - by abandoning every value except the will to power - they follow in the path of fascism, and Nazism, and totalitarianism. And they will follow that path all the way, to where it ends: in history's unmarked grave of discarded lies.
George W. BushRead
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