"There has long been a tension between those who describe themselves as realists or idealists — a tension that suggests a stark choice between the narrow pursuit of interests or an endless campaign to impose our values around the world. I reject these choices. I believe that peace is unstable where citizens are denied the right to speak freely or worship as they please; choose their own leaders or assemble without fear. Pent-up grievances fester, and the suppression of tribal and religious identity can lead to violence. We also know that the opposite is true. Only when Europe became free did it finally find peace. America has never fought a war against a democracy, and our closest friends are governments that protect the rights of their citizens. No matter how callously defined, neither America's interests — nor the world's — are served by the denial of human aspirations."
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Democratic Party (United States) politiciansColumbia University alumniAutobiographers from the United StatesAfrican AmericansHarvard University alumni
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
Imported from EN Wikiquote
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Barack_Obama
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
Barack Obama
politician, lawyer, political writer
1961 · United States
1215 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by Barack Obama →
Related Quotes
"Velike ribe male proždiru."
"Ein Heute ist besser als zehn Morgen."
"I don't know where his vendetta comes from but we're not going to let him make his bones by lambasting Las Vegas, tha…"
"America understands that there is one party in this country that is favor of health care reform and one party that is…"
"Barack Obama loves to get attached from the Left on being too moderate on the War on Terrorism. And there have been o…"
"With health reform and the so-called “public option” reportedly on life support (although some activists strongly dis…"
"The antiwar movement aspired to create a transgressive politics that challenged the institutions that generate war an…"
"The irony is that Barack Obama would not even be president if it were not for the courage of persecuted dissidents su…"
"Surveying the fall in support for the governments of Barack Obama, New York City's progressive Mayor Bill de Blasio, …"
"If Barack Obama was a state he'd be California. I mean, think about it: diverse, open, smart, independent, oppose tra…"