--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: By not dealing with past human rights…" description: "\"“By not dealing with past human rights violations, we are not simply protecting the perpetrators' trivial old age ; we are thereby ripping the foundati..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/421/antjie-krog-78718_human-rights_by-not-dealing-with-past-human-rights-vi_1916413.png" --- # By not dealing with past human rights violations, we are… ![“By not dealing with past human rights violations, we are not simply protecting the perpetrators' trivial old age ; we are thereby ripping the foundations of justice from beneath new generations.” quote by Antjie Krog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/421/antjie-krog-78718_human-rights_by-not-dealing-with-past-human-rights-vi_1916413.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/421/antjie-krog-78718_human-rights_by-not-dealing-with-past-human-rights-vi_1916413.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/421/antjie-krog-78718_human-rights_by-not-dealing-with-past-human-rights-vi_1916413.png) > ““By not dealing with past human rights violations, we are not simply protecting the perpetrators' trivial old age ; we are thereby ripping the foundations of justice from beneath new generations.”” Antjie Krog ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ignoring past human rights abuses protects perpetrators but erodes justice for future generations. **In simple terms:** Neglecting past crimes harms future justice. Key Takeaway Address history to protect future rights. Themes human rights justice historical memory Mood serious reflective Type political philosophical When to use this quote - legal reform - education curricula - public memorials - activism Key Concepts Transitional justice intergenerational equity accountability Questions to Reflect On - What responsibilities do we have to remember past violations? - How can societies balance justice and reconciliation? A Different Perspective Confronting past atrocities can reopen societal wounds. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Human rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-rights/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Old age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-age/) ## Related quotes > [The foundations of justice are that on one shall suffer wrong; then, that the public good be promoted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/the-foundations-of-justice-are-that-on-one-shall-suffer-wrong-then/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [We have a human rights interest. Then there is the immigration problem. The human-rights violations have caused people to take to boats and flood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-christopher/we-have-a-human-rights-interest-then-there-is-the-immigration-problem/) [Warren Christopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-christopher/) > [I don't think I can change the fact that the court can cancel a law, but I think the court should only get involved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayelet-shaked/i-don-t-think-i-can-change-the-fact-that-the-court-can-cancel-a-law/) [Ayelet Shaked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayelet-shaked/) > [Saddam Hussein wrote the book on human rights violations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curt-weldon/saddam-hussein-wrote-the-book-on-human-rights-violations/) [Curt Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curt-weldon/) > [I think this president has so badly abused his power, breached his trust in remarkable ways with our Congress, with the American people, has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rocky-anderson/i-think-this-president-has-so-badly-abused-his-power-breached-his/) [Rocky Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rocky-anderson/) > [The N.B.A. provides a big platform to shed light on the human rights violations in Turkey and gives a voice to the thousands of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enes-kanter/the-n-b-a-provides-a-big-platform-to-shed-light-on-the-human-rights/) [Enes Kanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enes-kanter/) > [“There have been extensive human rights violations by American psychiatrists over the last 70 years. These doctors were pad by the American taxpayer through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-a-ross/there-have-been-extensive-human-rights-violations-by-american/) [Colin A. Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-a-ross/) > [ The establishment can't admit \[that\] it is human rights violations that make ... countries attractive to business - so history has to be fudged,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-s-herman/the-establishment-can-t-admit-that-it-is-human-rights-violations-that/) [Edward S. Herman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-s-herman/) > [Few people are aware of the severe human rights violations committed daily by family court judges across the country. 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You don’t notice it after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-k-sorrells/not-dealing-with-the-past-she-said-is-like-having-a-skunk-in-the/) [Amy K. Sorrells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-k-sorrells/) > [“The day you finally start dealing with your past is the day you stop dragging it into the present. I’m still dealing. I’m still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-guerrero/the-day-you-finally-start-dealing-with-your-past-is-the-day-you-stop/) [Diane Guerrero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-guerrero/) > [“But in doing so—moving forward, in Greta’s mind—he’s still dealing with the past. It’s always strung out behind us, innit, attached to our arses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hearne/but-in-doing-so-moving-forward-in-greta-s-mind-he-s-still-dealing/) [Kevin Hearne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hearne/) > [“We’re told that dealing with our past will free our futures. But I call bullshit. It’s never as easy as it’s sold to us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-l-scott/we-re-told-that-dealing-with-our-past-will-free-our-futures-but-i/) [S.L. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-l-scott/) ## More by Antjie Krog > [“It's hard for me to speak, whether in English or Afrikaans. The reason I write is because I cannot speak. I feel blunt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antjie-krog/it-s-hard-for-me-to-speak-whether-in-english-or-afrikaans-the-reason/) Antjie Krog > [I'm a poet. I distrust anything that starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop because people don't think in full,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antjie-krog/i-m-a-poet-i-distrust-anything-that-starts-with-a-capital-letter-and/) Antjie Krog Explore all 3 Antjie Krog quotes ## More Human rights quotes > [I found out about Sister Song through Poppy Liu, who's on the show 'Hacks.' Reproductive rights are human rights, and I wanted to shine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayo-edebiri/i-found-out-about-sister-song-through-poppy-liu-who-s-on-the-show/) [Ayo Edebiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayo-edebiri/) > [Animal rights without veganism is like human rights with slavery. It makes no sense. None whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-l-francione/animal-rights-without-veganism-is-like-human-rights-with-slavery-it/) [Gary L. Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) > [I want a society free of human trafficking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anuradha-koirala/i-want-a-society-free-of-human-trafficking/) Anuradha Koirala > [“. The understanding that what is good supports basic human rights and anything that threatens it is bad. 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Get educated because bias is no different than racism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/mental-illness-is-not-something-you-misunderstand-in-this-era-get/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [Currently, the United States provides 22 percent of the U.N. annual budgets, over $900 million in fiscal year 2007, and some of that funding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mccaul/currently-the-united-states-provides-22-percent-of-the-u-n-annual/) [Michael McCaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mccaul/) > [All governments should be pressured to correct their abuses of human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/all-governments-should-be-pressured-to-correct-their-abuses-of-human/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [America should be leading the world in green and clean solutions, and human rights. 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