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Let Mr. Bush read history correctly. Let him realise that both personally and in his representative capacity as the current President of the United States, he stands for this 'civilisation' which occupied, which colonised, which incarcerated, which killed. He has much to atone for and very little to lecture us on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. His hands drip with innocent blood of many nationalities. [3]

Robert Mugabe#17

ColonialismHistoryHuman rights

About this quote

What does it mean?
Western powers are criticized for historical oppression and current hypocrisy.
In plain terms
Past actions of colonization mean they can't lecture on rights.
What can you take from it?
History of oppression disqualifies current moral lecturing.

Where it applies

  • international relations
  • historical debate
  • diplomacy

Putting it to work

  • advocacy
  • education

Questions to consider

  • How does history affect current rights?
  • Who can claim moral high ground?

Another view

Past wrongs do not excuse present misconduct.

More from Robert Mugabe

  1. Mr Bush, Mr. Blair and now Mr Brown's sense of human rights precludes our people's right to their God-given resources, which in their view must be controlled b…

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  2. He imprisons and tortures at Guantanamo. He imprisoned and tortured at Abu Ghraib. He has secret torture chambers in Europe. Yes, he imprisons even here in the…

    Permalink to quote #18
  3. When they criticise the government when it tries to prevent violence and punish perpetrators of that violence we take the position that they can go hang.

    Permalink to quote #15

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