Age Quote by Ariel Dorfman
“Can't the United States see that when we allow someone to be tortured by our agents, it is not only the victim and the perpetrator who are corrupted, not only the "intelligence" that is contaminated, but also everyone who looked away and said they did not know, everyone who consented tacitly to that outrage so they could sleep a little safer at night, all the citizens who did not march in the streets by the millions to demand the resignation of whoever suggested, even whispered, that torture is inevitable in our day and age, that we must embrace its darkness?”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Human Rights and Torture, 2005
Complicity spreads corruption; allowing torture harms victims, perpetrators, and the silent observers.
In simple terms: Tolerating torture corrupts everyone.
Key Takeaway
Reject indifference and demand accountability.
Themes
ethics
politics
human rights
Mood
somber
urgent
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- government policy
- journalism
- activism
- legal reform
Key Concepts
moral responsibility
societal decay
justice
Questions to Reflect On
- What responsibilities do citizens have to confront abuse?
- How can societies prevent moral disengagement?
A Different Perspective
Denial can be as damaging as the act itself.
