--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They believed that Britain was in Ireland…" description: "\"They believed that Britain was in Ireland defending their own interests, therefore the Irish had the right to use violence to put them out. My argument..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/513/john-hume-17639_argument_they-believed-that-britain-was-in-irelan_1197810.png" --- # They believed that Britain was in Ireland defending their… ![“They believed that Britain was in Ireland defending their own interests, therefore the Irish had the right to use violence to put them out. My argument was that that type of thinking was out of date” quote by John Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/513/john-hume-17639_argument_they-believed-that-britain-was-in-irelan_1197810.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/513/john-hume-17639_argument_they-believed-that-britain-was-in-irelan_1197810.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/513/john-hume-17639_argument_they-believed-that-britain-was-in-irelan_1197810.png) > “They believed that Britain was in Ireland defending their own interests, therefore the Irish had the right to use violence to put them out. My argument was that that type of thinking was out of date” [John Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hume/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues that using outdated justifications for violence is unacceptable, urging modern, peaceful solutions. **In simple terms:** Old excuses for violence are no longer valid. Key Takeaway Reject outdated reasoning, seek peaceful paths. Themes conflict justice political change Mood reflective hopeful Type analysis argumentative When to use this quote - peace negotiations - community activism - policy making Key Concepts ethics historical context Questions to Reflect On - What contemporary alternatives exist to resolve such disputes? - How can societies move beyond past grievances? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex historical grievances. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) [Britain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/britain/) [Ireland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ireland/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) ## Related quotes > [I campaigned for Brexit because I have always believed that Britain would be stronger, more prosperous and secure outside of the E.U.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priti-patel/i-campaigned-for-brexit-because-i-have-always-believed-that-britain/) [Priti Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priti-patel/) > [We Irish had the right word on the tip of our tongue, but the imperialist got at that. What should trip off it we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-brophy/we-irish-had-the-right-word-on-the-tip-of-our-tongue-but-the/) [Brigid Brophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-brophy/) > [In the 19th century, we didn't much like the loud annexationist voices south of the border or American support for Sinn Fein adventurers who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-macmillan/in-the-19th-century-we-didn-t-much-like-the-loud-annexationist-voices/) [Margaret MacMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-macmillan/) > [When my family moved from Ireland in the 70s, Britain was such a difficult place to be Irish. It was a decade of real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-o-farrell/when-my-family-moved-from-ireland-in-the-70s-britain-was-such-a/) [Maggie O'Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-o-farrell/) > [Since the Protestant majority in Northern Ireland wants to remain a part of Great Britain, and since Ireland itself has shown little interest in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/since-the-protestant-majority-in-northern-ireland-wants-to-remain-a/) [James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) > [In coming to that agreement, my party had a clear philosophy throughout. In Northern Ireland, we should have institutions that respected the differences of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hume/in-coming-to-that-agreement-my-party-had-a-clear-philosophy/) [John Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hume/) > [Ireland's always going to be my home, but so much is filmed in L.A., so you have to spend time out here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-bolger/ireland-s-always-going-to-be-my-home-but-so-much-is-filmed-in-l-a-so/) [Sarah Bolger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-bolger/) > [The Chinese describe themselves as political refugees. Many base that claim on China's strict population laws, which allow them to have only one child.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/the-chinese-describe-themselves-as-political-refugees-many-base-that/) [Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) > [I love playing in Ireland and I've had great support here, like I get everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/i-love-playing-in-ireland-and-i-ve-had-great-support-here-like-i-get/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [The cause of Labour is the cause of Ireland, and the cause of Ireland is the cause of Labour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-connolly/the-cause-of-labour-is-the-cause-of-ireland-and-the-cause-of-ireland/) [James Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-connolly/) > [“Do you know what Ireland is?' asked Stephen with cold violence. 'Ireland is the old sow that eats her farrow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/do-you-know-what-ireland-is-asked-stephen-with-cold-violence-ireland/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [Ireland starts for me with the end of 'The Dead,' which my father read to me from his desk in his basement office in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jeremiah-sullivan/ireland-starts-for-me-with-the-end-of-the-dead-which-my-father-read/) [John Jeremiah Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jeremiah-sullivan/) > [“Ireland is probably named the “Emerald Isle” because there are lots of precious stones found there, such as sapphires and rubies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/ireland-is-probably-named-the-emerald-isle-because-there-are-lots-of/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [I nominate the Reverend Ian Paisley for the position of First Minister of northern Ireland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-adams/i-nominate-the-reverend-ian-paisley-for-the-position-of-first/) [Gerry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-adams/) > [I have lived in countries that were coming out of conflict: Ireland, South Africa, the Czech republic. People there are overflowing with energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/i-have-lived-in-countries-that-were-coming-out-of-conflict-ireland/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) ## More by John Hume > [In coming to that agreement, my party had a clear philosophy throughout. In Northern Ireland, we should have institutions that respected the differences of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hume/in-coming-to-that-agreement-my-party-had-a-clear-philosophy/) [John Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hume/) > [I never thought in terms of being a leader. I thought very simply in terms of helping people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hume/i-never-thought-in-terms-of-being-a-leader-i-thought-very-simply-in/) [John Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hume/) > [In working class districts, you had several families living together in the one house, and it was very difficult to get a house, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hume/in-working-class-districts-you-had-several-families-living-together/) [John Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hume/) > [All conflict is about difference; whether the difference is race religion, or nationality...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hume/all-conflict-is-about-difference-whether-the-difference-is-race/) [John Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hume/) > [“You are the generation that will be leading in the new century and the new millennium, so the challenge is to make sure that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hume/you-are-the-generation-that-will-be-leading-in-the-new-century-and/) [John Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hume/) > [Every child growing up will look to their parents, my mother and my father. My grandmother lived with us. I picked up quite a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hume/every-child-growing-up-will-look-to-their-parents-my-mother-and-my/) [John Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hume/) > [The basis of peace and stability, in any society, has to be the fullest respect for the human rights of all its people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hume/the-basis-of-peace-and-stability-in-any-society-has-to-be-the-fullest/) [John Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hume/) > [In my opinion, what changed the situation eventually - and, of course, it took a lot of time to change it, things like that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hume/in-my-opinion-what-changed-the-situation-eventually-and-of-course-it/) [John Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hume/) > [“Difference is the essence of humanity. Difference is an accident of birth, and it should therefore never be the source of hatred or conflict.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hume/difference-is-the-essence-of-humanity-difference-is-an-accident-of/) [John Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hume/) > [I think that's not a question that one can answer accurately. I read a whole range of books, quite a lot of history at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hume/i-think-that-s-not-a-question-that-one-can-answer-accurately-i-read-a/) [John Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hume/) > [That's the strategy that myself and my party have pursued and are pursuing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hume/that-s-the-strategy-that-myself-and-my-party-have-pursued-and-are/) [John Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hume/) > [The violence had broken out in both sides, but our philosophy as a party was very, very clear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hume/the-violence-had-broken-out-in-both-sides-but-our-philosophy-as-a/) [John Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hume/) > [“We're much closer together in the world today than we were in the past. Given that it is a much smaller world, we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hume/we-re-much-closer-together-in-the-world-today-than-we-were-in-the/) [John Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hume/) > [My father was a civil servant, fairly sort of middle ranking, low to middle ranking. He worked almost entirely in what was then called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hume/my-father-was-a-civil-servant-fairly-sort-of-middle-ranking-low-to/) [John Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hume/) > [The only thing I shall talk about is my sporting achievements at school. My primary sporting achievement at school was that I dodged games…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hume/the-only-thing-i-shall-talk-about-is-my-sporting-achievements-at/) [John Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hume/) [Explore all 36 John Hume quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hume/) ## More Argument quotes > [A flourishing, morally credible media is a vital component in the maintenance of genuinely public talk, argument about common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/a-flourishing-morally-credible-media-is-a-vital-component-in-the/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. 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The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/one-argument-goes-that-recessions-are-good-for-female-artists-because/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) > [All of the barriers to innovation in the energy sector are arguments for a big commitment to public investment. Only the public sector can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nordhaus/all-of-the-barriers-to-innovation-in-the-energy-sector-are-arguments/) [Ted Nordhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nordhaus/) > [“Arguments led by subjectivity are a waste of time. And, if they take place online, add to that, a waste of one’s keyboard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/arguments-led-by-subjectivity-are-a-waste-of-time-and-if-they-take/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [If in the middle of an argument I suddenly fall silent it does not mean you have won... 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