I should like to see any power of the world destroy this…
““I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose history is ended, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, whose literature is unread, whose music is unheard, whose prayers are no longer uttered. Go ahead, destroy this race. Let us say that it is again 1915. There is war in the world. Destroy Armenia. See if you can do it. Send them from their homes into the desert. Let them have neither bread nor water. Burn their houses and their churches. See if they will not live again. See if they will not laugh again. See if the race will not live again when two of them meet in a beer parlor, twenty years after, and laugh, and speak in their tongue. Go ahead, see if you can do anything about it. See if you can stop them from mocking the big ideas of the world, you sons of bitches, a couple of Armenians talking in the world, go ahead and try to destroy them.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The speaker condemns the annihilation of a people, urging remembrance of their suffering and cultural loss.
In simple terms: They protest genocide and demand memory.
Key Takeaway
Never forget past atrocities.
Themes
genocide
memory
justice
human rights
Mood
somber
urgent
Type
political
historical
When to use this quote
- human rights advocacy
- education
- memorial events
Key Concepts
historical trauma
cultural erasure
political oppression
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies prevent such horrors?
- What role does remembrance play in healing?
A Different Perspective
Complex emotions may arise when confronting trauma.