--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There was a really monstrous and almost…" description: "\"There was a really monstrous and almost literal genocide in the Mayan area, specifically under Ríos Montt. By now it has been recognized somewhat by Gu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a5/noam-chomsky-42_areas_there-was-a-really-monstrous-and-almost_205716.jpg" --- # There was a really monstrous and almost literal genocide… ![“There was a really monstrous and almost literal genocide in the Mayan area, specifically under Ríos Montt. By now it has been recognized somewhat by Guatemalan society. In fact, Montt was under trial for some crimes. But the U.S. prohibits people from fleeing here.” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a5/noam-chomsky-42_areas_there-was-a-really-monstrous-and-almost_205716.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a5/noam-chomsky-42_areas_there-was-a-really-monstrous-and-almost_205716.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a5/noam-chomsky-42_areas_there-was-a-really-monstrous-and-almost_205716.jpg) > “There was a really monstrous and almost literal genocide in the Mayan area, specifically under Ríos Montt. By now it has been recognized somewhat by Guatemalan society. In fact, Montt was under trial for some crimes. But the U.S. prohibits people from fleeing here.” [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The US blocks refugees fleeing genocide, highlighting political hypocrisy and moral failure. **In simple terms:** US blocks refugees from genocide. Key Takeaway Advocate for humane refugee policies. Themes human rights politics genocide Mood critical urgent Type political activist When to use this quote - asylum policy - humanitarian aid - activism Key Concepts international law ethical responsibility Questions to Reflect On - Why does the US restrict refugee entry? - What can citizens do to pressure policy reform? A Different Perspective Complex geopolitics can limit policy change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Areas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/areas/) [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Fleeing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fleeing/) [Genocide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genocide/) [Genocide Mayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genocide-mayan-2135737/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Literal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literal/) [Literal Genocide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literal-genocide-2135739/) [Mayan Area](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mayan-area-2135740/) [Monstrous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monstrous/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Somewhat Guatemalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/somewhat-guatemalan-2135738/) [Trials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trials/) ## Related quotes > [“You can find things in the traditional religions which are very benign and decent and wonderful and so on, but I mean, the Bible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/you-can-find-things-in-the-traditional-religions-which-are-very/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [South Africa, with US support, after the fall of the Portuguese empire, invaded Angola and Mozambique to establish their own puppet regime there. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/south-africa-with-us-support-after-the-fall-of-the-portuguese-empire/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Honduras has become a murder capital of the world; there's horrible atrocities, infanticide, murder of women is way up, and people are fleeing in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/honduras-has-become-a-murder-capital-of-the-world-there-s-horrible/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The most dramatic case is that of the Central Americans. Why are people fleeing Central America? It's because of the atrocities the U.S. committed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-most-dramatic-case-is-that-of-the-central-americans-why-are/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [That was the reason why very few people fleeing the rise of fascism in Europe, especially in Germany, could get to the United States.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/that-was-the-reason-why-very-few-people-fleeing-the-rise-of-fascism/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [In the literal sense, there has been no relevant evolution since the trek from Africa. But there has been substantial progress towards higher standards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/in-the-literal-sense-there-has-been-no-relevant-evolution-since-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The impact of climate change, extreme weather events, the reason people are fleeing their homes is quite significant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-mayorkas/the-impact-of-climate-change-extreme-weather-events-the-reason-people/) [Alejandro Mayorkas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-mayorkas/) > [Refugees are threatening, not just to Americans, but also in many countries the world over. And it's partially because, unlike immigrants, refugees do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nguyen-viet-thang/refugees-are-threatening-not-just-to-americans-but-also-in-many/) [Nguyen Viet Thang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nguyen-viet-thang/) > [A man may be accused of cowardice for fleeing away from all manner of physical dangers but when things supernatural, insubstantial and inexplicable threaten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-hill/a-man-may-be-accused-of-cowardice-for-fleeing-away-from-all-manner-of/) [Susan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-hill/) > [“continued through January, sending visitors fleeing back to the mainland like snorkelers”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joann-bassett/continued-through-january-sending-visitors-fleeing-back-to-the/) [JoAnn Bassett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joann-bassett/) > [I have been a long-time advocate for a just Arab-Israeli peace and for Palestinian refugees. Today, as you are aware, Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/queen-noor-of-jordan/i-have-been-a-long-time-advocate-for-a-just-arab-israeli-peace-and/) [Queen Noor of Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/queen-noor-of-jordan/) > [“Darkness is the absence of light. Therefore, darkness is always fleeing from where light is and scurrying off to where it is not. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/darkness-is-the-absence-of-light-therefore-darkness-is-always-fleeing/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [By disgracing and degrading the presidency of the United States, by fleeing the White House like a diseased cur, Richard Nixon broke the heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/by-disgracing-and-degrading-the-presidency-of-the-united-states-by/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [It has been hard to muster the resources to support fledgling democracies and to intervene on behalf of the most desperate. The AIDS orphans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/it-has-been-hard-to-muster-the-resources-to-support-fledgling/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [When you shoot someone who is fleeing, it's not self-defense. It's an execution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-shoot-someone-who-is-fleeing-it-s-not-self-defense-it-s-an/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Noam Chomsky > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [It’s a shameful moment for U.S. media when it insists on being subservient to the grotesque propaganda agencies of a violent, aggressive state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-s-a-shameful-moment-for-u-s-media-when-it-insists-on-being/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There are questions as to whether it should even exist. 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Just because I say it doesn't make it true. So check it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-first-thing-you-ought-to-do-is-verify-what-i-present-just-because/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [ I wrote an article about the marine landing \[in Haiti\] right away, but barely mentioned the oil, because my article would come out two… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-wrote-an-article-about-the-marine-landing-in-haiti-right-away-but/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [American society is now remarkably atomized. Political organizations have collapsed. In fact, it seems like even bowling leagues are collapsing. The left has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/american-society-is-now-remarkably-atomized-political-organizations/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Discovery is the ability to be puzzled by simple things. 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