Buried Quote by Howard Zinn
“I came to the conclusion that war was an unacceptable way of solving whatever problems there were in the world--that there would be problems of tyranny, of injustice, of nations crossing frontiers and that injustice and tyranny should not be tolerated and should be fought and resisted, but the one thing that must not be used to solve that problem is war. Because war is inevitably the indiscriminate killing of large numbers of people. And that fact overwhelms whatever moral cause is somewhere buried in the history of that war.”
About This Quote
Source Book: A People’s History of the United States, 1980
War is an immoral, indiscriminate solution that overshadows any just cause.
In simple terms: War kills many and masks true moral issues.
Key Takeaway
Seek non‑violent alternatives.
Themes
peace
morality
conflict resolution
Mood
reflective
serious
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- policy debates
- grassroots movements
- educational curricula
Key Concepts
ethical philosophy
political activism
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies resolve deep conflicts without war?
- What are the limits of pacifism?
A Different Perspective
Non‑violent methods may be less immediate or effective in some crises.
![“Perhaps [the critics are right and] the drama is played out now and Jesus is safely dead and buried. Perhaps. It is ironical and entertaining to consider that at least once in the world's history those words might have been said with complete conviction, and that was on the eve of the Resurrection.” quote by Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/467/dorothy-l-sayers-738_buried_perhaps-the-critics-are-right-and-the-dr_43252.jpg)
