Hilmi Ozkok Quotes

I know about technology, about research, scientific applications, culture, civilization, differences between nations of the world, the nature of history.

Today the Turkish nation is called on to defend its capacity for civilization, its right to life and independence – its entire future.

Indian nationalism is the nationalism of an idea, the idea of an ever-ever land, emerging from an ancient civilization, shaped by a shared history, sustained by pluralist democracy.

Teaching the history of the British Empire links in with that of the world: for better and for worse, the Empire made us what we are, forming our national identity. A country that does not understand its own history is unlikely to respect that of others.

George Bush doesn't represent any civilization!

In one aspect, my works record the history of the development of Chinese society. Concern about the situation of Chinese reality is one important theme of my works. I am trying to ask, 'How does our society develop? What are the problems in our society? Where is our direction leading?'

One motherland, one sanskriti (culture), common ancestry and heritage and unity in diversity. It is these three that constitute the national culture. The mode of worship can differ from person to person.

Deep down, the ordinary Frenchman doesn't believe that Turks, or Eastern Europeans for that matter, cherish the values he holds most dear. Nor do the French much trust that the Germans and the British have French interests at heart. Given European history -- and given what I see around me -- I can't say I blame them.

A great nation cannot throw off the responsibilities which its past history and its position in the world have imposed upon it.

… there's no axiom of history to substantiate the necessity of the people returning to country they left Nineteenth centuries before.

A nation is a work of art and a work of time.

India is merely a geographical expression. It is no more a single country than the Equator

I think that's what makes many Swedes jealous of immigrant groups. You have a culture, an identity, a history, something that brings you together. And what do we have? We have Midsummer's Eve and such silly things.

A country, after all, is not something you build as the pharaohs built the pyramids, and then leave standing there to defy eternity. A country is something that is built every day out of certain basic shared values.

Our country is a country where immigration is history and it is a country where immigration is destiny.

Each nation grows after its own genius, and has a civilization of its own.

All colors and blends of Americans have somewhat the same tendencies. It's a breed — selected out by accident. And so we're overbrave and overfearful — we're kind and cruel as children. We're overfriendly and at the same time frightened of strangers. We boast and are impressed. We're oversentimental and realistic. We are mundane and materialistic — and do you know of any other nation that acts for ideals?

America’s history is a continual process of trying to live up to our ideals, falling short, succeeding in some places and trying again others

Everything changes.... Social life changes, and with it the "national question" changes, too. At different periods different classes enter the arena, and each class has its own view of the "national question." Consequently, in different periods the "national question" serves different interests and assumes different shades, according to which class raises it, and when.

What images do we see from the rest of the world? We see natural disasters, war, terror. We see refugees, and we see horrible diseases. Right? We see beautiful beaches, cute animals, beautiful nature, cultural rites and stuff. And then we're supposed to make the connection in our head and create a worldview out of this. And how is that possible?

Barack Obama wants to change America. Barack Obama wants America to be more like the rest of the world. We don't want to be like the rest of the world. We want to be the United States of America.

A lot of people are surprised when I talk so much about the present, but politics is just a crucial part of archaeology.

In November [2016], Americans are gonna have to make a decision about what we care about and who we are. We get these spasms of politics around immigration and fearmongering and then our traditions and our history and our better impulses kick in. That's how we all ended up here. 'Cause I guarantee you at some point every one of us has somebody in our background who people didn't want coming here. And yet here we are.

Nations which don't find their national identities will be preyed upon by other nations.

We are in Europe, and we want a Europe that does few things and does them well, one that recognizes people's identities, languages, etc.