--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I know of no civilization that tolerates…" description: "\"I know of no civilization that tolerates or justifies violence, terrorism, or injustice. There is no civilization that justifies the killing of innocen..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c8/shirin-ebadi-7328_civilization_i-know-of-no-civilization-that-tolerates_2781838.jpg" --- # I know of no civilization that tolerates or justifies… ![“I know of no civilization that tolerates or justifies violence, terrorism, or injustice. There is no civilization that justifies the killing of innocent people. Those who are invoking cultural relativism are really using that as an excuse for violating human rights and to put a cultural mask on…” quote by Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c8/shirin-ebadi-7328_civilization_i-know-of-no-civilization-that-tolerates_2781838.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c8/shirin-ebadi-7328_civilization_i-know-of-no-civilization-that-tolerates_2781838.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c8/shirin-ebadi-7328_civilization_i-know-of-no-civilization-that-tolerates_2781838.jpg) > “I know of no civilization that tolerates or justifies violence, terrorism, or injustice. There is no civilization that justifies the killing of innocent people. Those who are invoking cultural relativism are really using that as an excuse for violating human rights and to put a cultural mask on the face of what they're doing.” [Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She asserts no civilization justifies violence or terrorism, and cultural relativism is misused to excuse rights violations. **In simple terms:** No culture truly accepts violence; relativism can hide abuses. Key Takeaway Reject cultural relativism as a shield for injustice. Themes human rights violence culture Mood determined urgent Type advocational ethical When to use this quote - policy making - education - advocacy - media reporting Key Concepts ethical relativism justice Questions to Reflect On - How can we expose hidden abuses? - What alternatives to relativism exist? A Different Perspective Some societies claim cultural justification for harmful practices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Civilization Justifies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization-justifies-2045092/) [Civilization Tolerates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization-tolerates-3315730/) [Cultural relativism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cultural-relativism/) [Excuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excuse/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Human rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-rights/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Injustice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/injustice/) [Injustice Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/injustice-civilization-3315731/) [Innocent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innocent/) [Innocent people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innocent-people/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Justifies Killing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justifies-killing-1961798/) [Justifies Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justifies-violence-1536463/) [Justify](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justify/) [Killing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killing/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Mask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mask/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Relativism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relativism/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Terrorism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorism/) [Tolerate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tolerate/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) ## Related quotes > [“What am I driving at? At this idea: that no one colonizes innocently, that no one colonizes with impunity either; that a nation which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aime-cesaire/what-am-i-driving-at-at-this-idea-that-no-one-colonizes-innocently/) [Aimé Césaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aime-cesaire/) > [There is an international disease which feeds on the notion that if you have a cause to defend, you can use any means to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/there-is-an-international-disease-which-feeds-on-the-notion-that-if/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [In these surreal days, there is one truth. Nothing justified the killing of innocent people in America last week and nothing justifies the killing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pilger/in-these-surreal-days-there-is-one-truth-nothing-justified-the/) [John Pilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pilger/) > [The idea of cultural relativism is nothing but an excuse to violate human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-ebadi/the-idea-of-cultural-relativism-is-nothing-but-an-excuse-to-violate-2/) [Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/) > [The idea of cultural relativism is nothing but an excuse to violate human rights. Human rights is the fruit of various civilizations. I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-ebadi/the-idea-of-cultural-relativism-is-nothing-but-an-excuse-to-violate/) [Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/) > [Whenever women protest and ask for their rights, they are silenced with the argument that the laws are justified under Islam. It is an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-ebadi/whenever-women-protest-and-ask-for-their-rights-they-are-silenced/) [Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/) > [“Where I grew up, women’s liberation was when you let a chick out of her cage for 15 minutes so she could stretch her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rachel/where-i-grew-up-women-s-liberation-was-when-you-let-a-chick-out-of-2/) [John Rachel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rachel/) > [Cultural relativism has made it so people don't know who they are anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geert-wilders/cultural-relativism-has-made-it-so-people-don-t-know-who-they-are/) [Geert Wilders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geert-wilders/) > [“The more we claim to discriminate between cultures and customs as good and bad, the more completely do we identify ourselves with those we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-levi-strauss/the-more-we-claim-to-discriminate-between-cultures-and-customs-as/) [Claude Lévi-Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-levi-strauss/) > [Protestant Christianity, whether in its liberal or conservative garb, finds itself waking up each morning in bed with a deteriorating modern culture, between sheets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/protestant-christianity-whether-in-its-liberal-or-conservative-garb/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Where I grew up, women’s liberation was when you let a chick out of her cage so she could stretch her legs for 15…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rachel/where-i-grew-up-women-s-liberation-was-when-you-let-a-chick-out-of/) [John Rachel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rachel/) > [If anyone, no matter who, were given the opportunity of choosing from amongst all the nations in the world the set of beliefs which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herodotus/if-anyone-no-matter-who-were-given-the-opportunity-of-choosing-from/) [Herodotus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herodotus/) > [Historicism and cultural relativism actually are a means to avoid testing our own prejudices and asking, for example, whether men are really equal or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-bloom/historicism-and-cultural-relativism-actually-are-a-means-to-avoid/) [Allan Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allan-bloom/) > [ \[Cultural relativism\] licenses the envy of the untalented, giving rise to what has been called the revenge of failure: Those who cannot paint destroy… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/cultural-relativism-licenses-the-envy-of-the-untalented-giving-rise/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [“Many of us persons of the tinted persuasion care about human rights and artistic freedom too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/many-of-us-persons-of-the-tinted-persuasion-care-about-human-rights/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) ## More by Shirin Ebadi > [When we criticize in Iran the actions of the government, the fundamentalists say that we and the Bush Administration are in the same camp.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-ebadi/when-we-criticize-in-iran-the-actions-of-the-government-the/) [Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/) > [Contrary to what certain governments say, human rights are universal. Arbitrary detention, torture and discrimination hurt the human dignity of anybody, whatever his or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-ebadi/contrary-to-what-certain-governments-say-human-rights-are-universal/) [Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/) > [Iran, the Iranian government, has mentioned several times that it wouldn't attack Israel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-ebadi/iran-the-iranian-government-has-mentioned-several-times-that-it/) [Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/) > [The condition of women in Islamic societies as a whole is also far from desirable. However, we should acknowledge that there are differences. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-ebadi/the-condition-of-women-in-islamic-societies-as-a-whole-is-also-far/) [Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/) > [Akbar Ganji is a human rights activist in Iran and he works on freedom of expression and he does his job very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-ebadi/akbar-ganji-is-a-human-rights-activist-in-iran-and-he-works-on/) [Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/) > [I hope the example of Saddam Hussein will give a lesson to leaders of other countries where human rights are not respected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-ebadi/i-hope-the-example-of-saddam-hussein-will-give-a-lesson-to-leaders-of/) [Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/) > [Sixty-three percent of our university students are female. But you still see violations of women's rights in Iran. A Muslim man can have up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-ebadi/sixty-three-percent-of-our-university-students-are-female-but-you/) [Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/) > [It's perfectly OK that there are certain people who do not accept Islam at all. Therefore, to announce that I am a Muslim can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-ebadi/it-s-perfectly-ok-that-there-are-certain-people-who-do-not-accept/) [Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/) > [When you vote, vote for those who are not warmongers, and vote for those who respect human rights. When you see a president who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-ebadi/when-you-vote-vote-for-those-who-are-not-warmongers-and-vote-for/) [Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/) > [Whenever Muslim women protest and ask for their rights, they are silenced with the argument that the laws are justified under Islam. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-ebadi/whenever-muslim-women-protest-and-ask-for-their-rights-they-are/) [Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/) > [I am the voice of the people in Iran whose voices are silent and whose demands cannot be heard by the rest of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-ebadi/i-am-the-voice-of-the-people-in-iran-whose-voices-are-silent-and/) [Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/) > [Israel is a country and should exist. And a country by the name of Palestine should be made. Two different governments of Palestine and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-ebadi/israel-is-a-country-and-should-exist-and-a-country-by-the-name-of/) [Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/) > [Usually, in any revolution people are focused on who wants to have the most power. But the most important thing is the laws that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-ebadi/usually-in-any-revolution-people-are-focused-on-who-wants-to-have-the/) [Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/) > [In my memoir, I wanted to introduce American women to Iranian women and our lives. I'm not from the highest echelons of society, nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-ebadi/in-my-memoir-i-wanted-to-introduce-american-women-to-iranian-women/) [Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/) > [The people are fed up with corruption and embezzlement. They object to censorship. The first thing that the people of Iran want is free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-ebadi/the-people-are-fed-up-with-corruption-and-embezzlement-they-object-to/) [Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/) [Explore all 92 Shirin Ebadi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/) ## More Civilization quotes > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Sentiment is the mightiest force in civilization; not sentimentality, but sentiment. Women will bring this into politics. 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Each civilization dies from indifference toward the unique values which created it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-gomez-davila/violence-is-not-necessary-to-destroy-a-civilization-each-civilization/) [Nicolas Gomez Davila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-gomez-davila/) > [“The voice in the head that never stops speaking becomes a civilization that is obsessed with form and therefore knows nothing of the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/the-voice-in-the-head-that-never-stops-speaking-becomes-a/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [We released 400,000 classified documents, the most extraordinary history of a war to ever have been released in our civilization. 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