Quote by Christopher Hitchens

Edward had a personal horror of violence and never endorsed or excused it, though in a documentary he made about the conflict he said that actions like the bombing of pilgrims at Tel Aviv airport 'did more harm than good,' which I remember thinking was (a) euphemistic and (b) a slipshod expression unworthy of a professor of English.

Edward had a personal horror of violence and never endorsed

Summary

This quote highlights Edward's strong aversion to violence and his refusal to support or justify it. While he acknowledged the negative consequences of certain actions, such as the bombing of pilgrims at Tel Aviv airport, the quote expresses the opinion that his comment was euphemistic and lacking linguistic precision which seems contradictory to his position as a professor of English. The remark suggests a disagreement with the way he communicated his stance on the matter, implying a discrepancy between his principles and his chosen words in that particular instance.

Topics

Violence Edward Said Euphemism Tel Aviv

By Christopher Hitchens

Liked the quote? Share it with your friends.

Random Quotations

Christmas is a time when kids tell Santa what they want and

Christmas is a time when kids tell Santa what they want and adults pay for it. Deficits are when adults tell the government what they want - and their kids pay for it.

Government

I had a birthday party with my family and friends at a house

I had a birthday party with my family and friends at a house, and Chipotle catered. It was beautiful.

We won't have a society if we destroy the environment.

We won't have a society if we destroy the environment.

Conservation

The forgotten man at the bottom of the economic pyramid.

The forgotten man at the bottom of the economic pyramid.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Poverty

Literature is a defense against the attacks of life. It says

Literature is a defense against the attacks of life. It says to life: You can't deceive me. I know your habits, foresee and enjoy watching all your reactions, and steal your secret by involving you in cunning obstructions that halt your normal flow.

Books

With friends, one is well; but at home, one is better.

With friends, one is well; but at home, one is better.

Home Friends

In the seventies we had to make it acceptable for people to

In the seventies we had to make it acceptable for people to accept girls and women as athletes. We had to make it okay for them to be active. Those were much scarier times for females in sports.

Billie Jean King

Sports

Do not seek the because - in love there is no because, no re

Do not seek the because - in love there is no because, no reason, no explanation, no solutions.

Love

By recollecting the pleasures I have had formerly, I renew t

By recollecting the pleasures I have had formerly, I renew them, I enjoy them a second time, while I laugh at the remembrance of troubles now past, and which I no longer feel.

Giacomo Casanova

Time

If you're treated a certain way you become a certain kind of

If you're treated a certain way you become a certain kind of person. If certain things are described to you as being real they're real for you whether they're real or not.

Society

In those days a concert was a personal experience. I wanted

In those days a concert was a personal experience. I wanted to be as close as possible to the audience, and of course big stadiums didn't enable you to do that. It wasn't my style.

Experience

The thing is, when I had my first success it did coincide wi

The thing is, when I had my first success it did coincide with the end of my first marriage, and because I went on to have a very, very unhappy two years, I don't think I equate career success with personal happiness.

Happiness