--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As a Jewish refugee from the Soviet…" description: "\"As a Jewish refugee from the Soviet Union, I felt it was ridiculous to expect me to atone for the sins of slavery and segregation, to say nothing of th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3b/max-boot-4274_discrimination_as-a-jewish-refugee-from-the-soviet-unio_871289.jpg" --- # As a Jewish refugee from the Soviet Union, I felt it was… ![“As a Jewish refugee from the Soviet Union, I felt it was ridiculous to expect me to atone for the sins of slavery and segregation, to say nothing of the household drudgery and workplace discrimination suffered by women.” quote by Max Boot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3b/max-boot-4274_discrimination_as-a-jewish-refugee-from-the-soviet-unio_871289.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3b/max-boot-4274_discrimination_as-a-jewish-refugee-from-the-soviet-unio_871289.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3b/max-boot-4274_discrimination_as-a-jewish-refugee-from-the-soviet-unio_871289.jpg) > “As a Jewish refugee from the Soviet Union, I felt it was ridiculous to expect me to atone for the sins of slavery and segregation, to say nothing of the household drudgery and workplace discrimination suffered by women.” [Max Boot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-boot/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Expecting refugees to atone for historical injustices is unreasonable and overlooks current struggles. **In simple terms:** Refugees shouldn't bear guilt for past sins. Key Takeaway Focus on present rights and equality. Themes refugee rights historical guilt social justice Mood thoughtful empathetic Type analytical advocacy When to use this quote - legal advocacy - community building - policy reform Key Concepts ethics political theory intersectionality Questions to Reflect On - How can societies address past injustices without blaming individuals? - What support do refugees truly need? A Different Perspective Complex histories can complicate solidarity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Discrimination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discrimination/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Judaism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judaism/) [Nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothing/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Soviet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soviet/) [Soviet union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soviet-union/) [Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women/) ## Related quotes > [We have suffered discrimination. We have suffered isolation and undermining. But we stand up for America, oftentimes when others who think they are more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxine-waters/we-have-suffered-discrimination-we-have-suffered-isolation-and/) [Maxine Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxine-waters/) > [We must develop a truly global roadmap to eradicate all forms of discrimination still suffered by women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro-sanchez/we-must-develop-a-truly-global-roadmap-to-eradicate-all-forms-of/) [Pedro Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro-sanchez/) > [Having emigrated to the United States as a small boy from the Soviet Union, I am instinctively suspicious of socialism and inveterately opposed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-boot/having-emigrated-to-the-united-states-as-a-small-boy-from-the-soviet/) [Max Boot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-boot/) > [I am certain that my family - my grandmother, mother and myself - had a credit score of zero when we arrived in 1976.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-boot/i-am-certain-that-my-family-my-grandmother-mother-and-myself-had-a/) [Max Boot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-boot/) > [Vladimir Putin is a smart guy. 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Graff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-m-graff/) > [The Soviet Union is like the Cross without Christ, while American culture is like Christ without the Cross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-soviet-union-is-like-the-cross-without-christ-while-american/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“the President was deciding, for the U.S., the Soviet Union, Turkey, NATO, and really for all mankind….”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-f-kennedy/the-president-was-deciding-for-the-u-s-the-soviet-union-turkey-nato/) [Robert F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-f-kennedy/) > [The ultimate goal of the whole policy of peaceful co-existence was to make progress on the basic goal laid down by Lenin of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-nitze/the-ultimate-goal-of-the-whole-policy-of-peaceful-co-existence-was-to/) [Paul Nitze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-nitze/) > [ I think his \[Reagan's\] policy toward the Soviet Union was more risky than most people realize, and it was risky because of the paranoia… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-hoffman/i-think-his-reagan-s-policy-toward-the-soviet-union-was-more-risky/) [David E. Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-hoffman/) > [While we like to think queueing is unique to British culture, the truth is that we are mere amateurs. The old Soviet Union turned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-hartley-brewer/while-we-like-to-think-queueing-is-unique-to-british-culture-the/) [Julia Hartley-Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-hartley-brewer/) ## More by Max Boot > [The history of the modern Republican Party is the story of moderates being driven out and conservatives taking over - and then of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-boot/the-history-of-the-modern-republican-party-is-the-story-of-moderates/) [Max Boot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-boot/) > [“There were few more unlikely candidates in 1611 for Great Power status than Sweden. Even with its satrapy of Finland, the total population numbered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-boot/there-were-few-more-unlikely-candidates-in-1611-for-great-power/) [Max Boot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-boot/) > [The John F. Kennedy presidency, with its glittering court of Camelot, cemented the impression that it was the Democrats who represented the thinking men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-boot/the-john-f-kennedy-presidency-with-its-glittering-court-of-camelot/) [Max Boot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-boot/) > [There are two kinds of people: Those who like active vacations and those who like sedentary vacations. I'm one of the weird hybrids who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-boot/there-are-two-kinds-of-people-those-who-like-active-vacations-and/) [Max Boot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-boot/) > [Silence is complicity. 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With many of those who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-boot/neoconservatism-once-had-a-real-meaning-back-in-the-1970s-but-the/) [Max Boot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-boot/) > [To win in 2020, a Democratic nominee will need to win back voters in key Midwestern states who supported Trump in 2016.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-boot/to-win-in-2020-a-democratic-nominee-will-need-to-win-back-voters-in/) [Max Boot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-boot/) > [Olga E. Kagan was the strongest woman I knew - and probably the reason I've spent my life with other strong women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-boot/olga-e-kagan-was-the-strongest-woman-i-knew-and-probably-the-reason-i/) [Max Boot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-boot/) > [“But in the military sphere, just as in science, economics, art, or culture, change is not evenly distributed across space and time. Sometimes innovations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-boot/but-in-the-military-sphere-just-as-in-science-economics-art-or/) [Max Boot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-boot/) > [Thirty years on, I am no longer as certain about anything as I was at age 20. I now regret my support for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-boot/thirty-years-on-i-am-no-longer-as-certain-about-anything-as-i-was-at/) [Max Boot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-boot/) > [The 60th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945, has not so far provoked the kind of anguished debate that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-boot/the-60th-anniversary-of-the-atomic-bombing-of-hiroshima-on-aug-6-1945/) [Max Boot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-boot/) > [“The dominance of the man on horseback was challenged during the fourteenth century in what some historians call the infantry revolution. English longbowmen and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-boot/the-dominance-of-the-man-on-horseback-was-challenged-during-the/) [Max Boot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-boot/) > [“a crucial element of English success was their commanders’ ability to learn on the fly, make adjustments, and attempt new tactics. The Spanish paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-boot/a-crucial-element-of-english-success-was-their-commanders-ability-to/) [Max Boot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-boot/) [Explore all 113 Max Boot quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-boot/) ## More Discrimination quotes > [There could be no more powerful argument against mixing religion and government than the success of independent African American churches in placing racial segregation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/there-could-be-no-more-powerful-argument-against-mixing-religion-and/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [Jesus never said a word about homosexuality. In all of his teachings about multiple things - he never said that gay people should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/jesus-never-said-a-word-about-homosexuality-in-all-of-his-teachings/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [In a general way, the literature of the twentieth century is essentially psychological; and psychology consists of describing states of the soul by displaying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/in-a-general-way-the-literature-of-the-twentieth-century-is/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [“Mental illness is not something you misunderstand in this era. 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/) > [I believe that those who promote discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or any other grounds are gravely mistaken about the values that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-clinton/i-believe-that-those-who-promote-discrimination-on-the-basis-of/) [Bill Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-clinton/) > [Each Act of Parliament intended to address harassment and discrimination has faced objections on the basis of 'you'll never be able to prove...' and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-field/each-act-of-parliament-intended-to-address-harassment-and/) [Tim Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-field/) > [Nothing better protects a human being against the stupidity of prejudice, racism, religious or political sectarianism, and exclusivist nationalism than this truth that invariably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-vargas-llosa/nothing-better-protects-a-human-being-against-the-stupidity-of/) [Mario Vargas Llosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-vargas-llosa/) > [It is obvious that discrimination exists. Women do not have the opportunities that men do. And women that do not conform to the system,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-chisholm/it-is-obvious-that-discrimination-exists-women-do-not-have-the/) [Shirley Chisholm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-chisholm/) > [The fact is that in too many parts of our country, we still have discrimination. And affirmative action is not just something that applies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/the-fact-is-that-in-too-many-parts-of-our-country-we-still-have/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [Judging someone by the color of their skin is ignorant. 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