Certainty Quote by Timothy Garton Ash
“One thing, however, I know with certainty: violence, or the direct threat of violence, of the kind we have seen in the past few days, is totally unjustified as a response to any published word or image.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Public Statement on Violence, 2023
Violence is never a justified answer to words or images, no matter the provocation.
In simple terms: Violence is unacceptable as a response to speech.
Key Takeaway
Reject violent retaliation against ideas.
Themes
freedom of expression
nonviolence
justice
Mood
serious
concerned
Type
political
ethical
When to use this quote
- political protest
- online harassment
- media criticism
- legal debates
Key Concepts
ethics
human rights
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies protect speech without inciting violence?
- What alternatives exist to violent protest?
A Different Perspective
Nonviolent responses may be perceived as weak or ineffective.
![“[I]f in other sciences we should arrive at certainty without doubt and truth without error, it behooves us to place the foundations of knowledge in mathematics, in so far as disposed through it we are able to reach certainty in other sciences and truth by the exclusion of error.” quote by Roger Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d13/roger-bacon-15067_able_i-f-in-other-sciences-we-should-arrive-a_24209.jpg)