--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Certainly, the murder of civilians for…" description: "\"Certainly, the murder of civilians for political statement did not just begin on September 11, 2001.\" — Cliff Stearns" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c1/cliff-stearns-22018_civilians_certainly-the-murder-of-civilians-for-po_1849163.png" --- # Certainly, the murder of civilians for political statement… ![“Certainly, the murder of civilians for political statement did not just begin on September 11, 2001.” quote by Cliff Stearns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c1/cliff-stearns-22018_civilians_certainly-the-murder-of-civilians-for-po_1849163.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c1/cliff-stearns-22018_civilians_certainly-the-murder-of-civilians-for-po_1849163.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c1/cliff-stearns-22018_civilians_certainly-the-murder-of-civilians-for-po_1849163.png) > “Certainly, the murder of civilians for political statement did not just begin on September 11, 2001.” [Cliff Stearns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cliff-stearns/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Violence against civilians predates 9/11; history shows recurring political terror. **In simple terms:** Civilians have long been targets in conflict. Key Takeaway Recognize and address long‑standing causes of civilian harm. Themes conflict terrorism history Mood somber urgent Type historical political When to use this quote - policy making - educational curricula - advocacy campaigns Key Concepts political violence human rights Questions to Reflect On - How can societies prevent civilian targeting? - What lessons from past conflicts apply today? A Different Perspective Complex motives and contexts vary; not all incidents are comparable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civilians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilians/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political statement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-statement/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [September](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/september/) ## Related quotes > [Any action taken will be against the terrorist network of Bin Laden… As for the Taleban, they can surrender the terrorists or face the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/any-action-taken-will-be-against-the-terrorist-network-of-bin-laden/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [Egypt firmly and strongly condemns such attacks on civilians and soldiers that led to the deaths of a large number of innocent victims.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosni-mubarak/egypt-firmly-and-strongly-condemns-such-attacks-on-civilians-and/) [Hosni Mubarak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosni-mubarak/) > [A few months ago, and again this week, bin Laden publicly vowed to publicly wage a terrorist war against America, saying, and I quote,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/a-few-months-ago-and-again-this-week-bin-laden-publicly-vowed-to/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, I watched helplessly as the Bush administration led America into a strategic blunder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricardo-sanchez/in-the-aftermath-of-the-terrorist-attacks-of-september-11-2001-i/) [Ricardo Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricardo-sanchez/) > [On September 11, the murders of World Trade Center employees and visitors took the lives of numerous nationalities, ethnic groups and religious followers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cliff-stearns/on-september-11-the-murders-of-world-trade-center-employees-and/) [Cliff Stearns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cliff-stearns/) > [You can't say 'I don't do politics,' because silence is a political statement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/you-can-t-say-i-don-t-do-politics-because-silence-is-a-political/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I suspect that many of the great cultural shifts that prepare the way for political change are largely aesthetic. 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Selene! Your Majesty!" 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