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We must choose between the violence of adults and the smiles of children. Between the ugliness of hate and the will to oppose it. Between inflicting suffering and humiliation on our fellow man and offering him the solidarity and hope he deserves.

Elie Wiesel

In the beginning there was faith – which is childish; trust – which is vain; and illusion – which is dangerous.
ELIE WIESEL

Beginning Children Dangerous Faith Illusion Trust
Most people think that shadows follow, precede or surround beings or objects. The truth is that they also surround words, ideas, desires, deeds, impulses and memories.
ELIE WIESEL

Desire Ideas Memories People Shadow Surround Thinking Truth
What hurts the victim most is not the cruelty of the oppressor, but the silence of the bystander.
ELIE WIESEL

Cruelty Discrimination Hurt Silence Stand Victim
The philosophers are wrong: it is not words that kill, it is silence.
ELIE WIESEL

Kill Philosophy Silence Word Wrong
Life is not a fist. Life is an open hand waiting for some other hand to enter it.
ELIE WIESEL

Hands Life Open
Every Jew, somewhere in his being, should set apart a zone of hate – healthy virile hate – for what the German personifies and for what persists in the German.
ELIE WIESEL

Hate Health Persistence Religious
Take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim.
ELIE WIESEL

Help Oppression Side Victim
Gratitude is a word that I cherish. Gratitude is what defines the happiness and humanity of the human being.
ELIE WIESEL

Cherish Definition Gratitude Happiness Humanity Myself
There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.
ELIE WIESEL

Failure Injustice Power Protest Time
In the word question, there is a beautiful word – quest. I love that word.
ELIE WIESEL

Beautiful Love Myself Question Word
I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation.
ELIE WIESEL

Endurance Human Humiliation Myself Silence
In order to fly, you have to give up the ground you are standing on.
ELIE WIESEL

Fly Give Up Ground Order Stand Yourself
The opposite of love is not hate, but indifference. Indifference creates evil. Hatred is evil itself. Indifference is what allows evil to be strong, what gives it power.
ELIE WIESEL

Allow Difference Hate Love Power
But where was I to start? The world is so vast, I shall start with the country I knew best, my own. But my country is so very large. I had better start with my town. But my town, too, is large. I had best start with my street. No, my home. No, my family. Never mind, I shall start with myself.
ELIE WIESEL

Better Country Inspirational Myself Start World
Ultimately, the only power to which man should aspire is that which he exercises over himself.
ELIE WIESEL

Exercise Himself Man Power Ultimate
Human suffering anywhere concerns men and women everywhere.
ELIE WIESEL

Human Man Suffering Woman

We must choose between the violence of adults and the smiles of children. Between the ugliness of hate and the will to oppose it. Between inflicting suffering and humiliation on our fellow man and offering him the solidarity and hope he deserves.

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We must choose between the violence of adults and the smiles of children. Between the ugliness of hate and the will to oppose it. Between inflicting suffering and humiliation on our fellow man and offering him the solidarity and hope he deserves.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Elie Wiesel Quotes