Skip to content
quotesby

About this quote

What does it mean?
The speaker states he does not condemn wrongdoing in any specific area.
In plain terms
He claims he never criticizes bad behavior anywhere.
What can you take from it?
A refusal to judge wrongdoing can imply broad tolerance or hesitation.

Where it applies

  • parliamentary debates
  • scandals
  • policy discussions

Putting it to work

  • assess ethical stance
  • evaluate accountability

Questions to consider

  • Why avoid condemning wrongdoing?
  • Is neutrality ever ethical?

Another view

Not condemning wrongdoing might be seen as failing to take a moral stand.

More from Bertie Ahern

  1. Time reported him as warning his country against 'upsetting the apple tart' of his country's economic success.[2]

    Permalink to quote #11
  2. 'I never condone wrongdoing in any area' (22 February 2006 in the Dail) (Ahern corrected his slip, above, during the same dialogue.[2])

    Permalink to quote #13
  3. 'Throwing white elephants and red herrings at each other.' (a warning he used in the Dail once).

    Permalink to quote #10

Related quotes

  1. I think opinions should be judged by their influences and effects; and if a man holds none that tend to make him less virtuous or more vicious, it may be concl…

    Benjamin FranklinBenjamin Franklin quote #3
  2. You cannot have humane Zionism, it is a contradiction in terms.

    Israel ShahakIsrael Shahak quote #1
  3. Violence is, of course, alien to our ideals.

    Vladimir LeninVladimir Lenin quote #1