Howard Zinn Quotes about Past

All Howard Zinn Quotes Challenges Children Compassion Country Culture Democracy Energy Evil Feelings Future Giving History House Imperialism Independence Inspirational Justice Liberty Lying Meditation Memories Military Obedience Past quotes Patriotism Peace Racism Reality Responsibility Running Sacrifice School Terrorism Tyranny Violence Voting Winning Writing

If we have learned anything in the past ten years, it is that these lovely things about America were never lovely. We have been expansionist and aggressive and mean to other people from the beginning. And we've been

If we have learned anything in the past ten years, it is that these lovely things about America were never lovely. We have been expansionist and aggressive and mean to other people from the beginning. And we've been aggressive and mean to people in this country, and we've allocated the wealth of this country in a very unjust way. We've never had justice in our courts for the poor people, for black people, for radicals. Now how can we boast that America is a very special place? It's not that special. It really isn't.

Howard Zinn

Country, Mean, Past

"The Problem is Civil Obedience". www.thirdworldtraveler.com. 1970.

George Orwell said, "Whoever controls the past controls the future," by which he meant that history is incredibly important in shaping the world view of the next generation of people.

Howard Zinn

Past, Views, People

History can come in handy. If you were born yesterday, with no knowledge of the past, you might easily accept whatever the government tells you. But knowing a bit of history--while it would not absolutely prove the government was lying in a given instance--might make you skeptical, lead you to ask questions, make it more likely that you would find out the truth.

Howard Zinn

Lying, Past, Government

The fact that war belongs to the past, does not mean it has to be part of the future.

Howard Zinn

War, Mean, Past

Howard Zinn (2005). “Just War”

To ward off alienation and gloom, it is only necessary to remember the unremembered heroes of the past, and to look around us for the unnoticed heroes of the present.

Howard Zinn

Hero, Past, Looks

Howard Zinn, Dean Birkenkamp, Wanda Rhudy (2016). “Uncommon Sense: From the Writings of Howard Zinn”, p.13, Routledge

Human beings, whatever their backgrounds, are more open than we think, that their behavior cannot be confidently predicted from their past, that we are all creatures vulnerable to new thoughts, new attitudes. And while such vulnerability creates all sorts of possibilities, both good and bad, its very existence is exciting. It means that no human being should be written off, no change in thinking deemed impossible.

Howard Zinn

Attitude, Mean, Past

Howard Zinn (2011). “The Zinn Reader: Writings on Disobedience and Democracy”, p.157, Seven Stories Press

I am supposing, or perhaps only hoping, that our future may be found in the past's fugitive moments of compassion rather than in its solid centuries of warfare.

Howard Zinn

Past, Compassion, Supposing That

Howard Zinn (2013). “A Power Governments Cannot Suppress”, p.12, City Lights Books

If history is to be creative, to anticipate a possible future without denying the past, it should, I believe, emphasize new possibilities by disclosing those hidden episodes of the past when, even if in brief flashes, people showed their ability to resist, to join together, occasionally to win. I am supposing, or perhaps only hoping, that our future may be found in the past's fugitive movements of compassion rather than in its solid centuries of warfare.

Howard Zinn

Believe, Winning, Past

Howard Zinn Quotes about Past

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