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
The people who did this act on America, and who may be planning further acts, are evil people. They don't represent an ideology, they don't represent a legitimate political group of people. They're flat evil. That's all they can think about, is evil. And as a nation of good folks, we're going to hunt them down, and we're going to find them, and we will bring them to justice.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote expresses the determination to combat evil actions affecting the nation and emphasizes the commitment to justice.
George W. Bush emphasizes the notion that the perpetrators of violent acts do not represent any valid ideology or legitimate political agenda, but are simply motivated by an intrinsic evil. The quote reassures the citizens that as a united nation of good people, action will be taken to seek justice and eliminate such evil forces. It conveys a sense of resolve and moral clarity in the face of threats.
Themes
EvilJusticeGoodnessNationResolve
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a speech to rally support against terrorism.
More from George W. Bush
All quotes →Thousands 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.
George W. BushRead
Freedom itself was attacked this morning by a faceless coward, and freedom will be defended.
George W. BushRead
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
Similar quotes
Simply having the courage to say senseless things made me euphoric. I was free, with no need to seek or to give explanations for what I was doing. This freedom lifted me to the heavens - where greater love, one that forgives everything and never allows you to feel abandoned, once again enveloped me.
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The McCarthy period came along...and many of the other scientists who had been working on these same lines gave up. Probably saying "Why should I sacrifice myself? I am a scientist, I am supposed to be working on scientific things, so I don't need to put myself at risk by talking about these possibilities." And I have said that perhaps I'm just stubborn... I have said "I don't like anybody to tell me what to do or to think, except Mrs. Pauling."
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I am dying not just to attempt to end the barbarity of H-blocks or to gain the rightful recognition of political prisoners, but primarily because what is lost here is lost for the Republic.
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When you discriminate against anyone, you discriminate against everyone. It's a display of terrible intolerance.
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Theirs is not to make reply: Theirs is not to reason why: Theirs is but to do and die.
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I would rather do what I did than crawl in front of a ritualistic Left and lie the way those other comrades did betray my own soul.
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