Abolish Quote by Nhat Hanh
“The terrorists, they have the wrong perception. They believe that the other group is trying to destroy them as a religion, as a civilization. So they want to abolish us, to kill us before we can kill them. And the antiterrorist may think very much the same way - that these are terrorists and they are trying to eliminate us, so we have to eliminate them first. Both sides are motivated by fear, by anger, and by wrong perception.”
About This Quote
Source Talk: Mindfulness and Conflict, 2015
Both terrorists and counter‑terrorists act from fear and misperception, perpetuating violence.
In simple terms: Fear and misunderstanding fuel conflict.
Key Takeaway
Address fear and correct misperceptions.
Themes
peace
fear
misperception
Mood
somber
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- Community mediation
- educational program
- policy dialogue
Key Concepts
Conflict resolution
empathy
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies reduce fear‑driven narratives?
- What role does empathy play in de‑escalation?
A Different Perspective
Changing deep‑seated beliefs is difficult.
![“They [terrorists] are trying to evoke sympathy for themselves. They're not sympathetic people. They're violent, cold-blooded killers who are trying to stop the advance of freedom.” quote by George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/1a2/george-w-bush-64_cold_they-terrorists-are-trying-to-evoke-symp_813402.jpg)
