Lech Walesa Quotes

Negative freedom is freedom from - freedom from oppression, whether it's a colonial power or addiction to alcohol oppressing you. You need to be freed from negative freedom. Positive freedom is freedom for, freedom to be. And that's what's routinely ignored today.

Democracy substitutes self-restraint for external restraint. It is more difficult to maintain than to achieve.

Our aim in waging the war in the [Middle] East was to ensure the complete and final emancipation of all those people so long oppressed by the Turks, to establish national governments and administrations which shall derive their authority from the initiative and free will of the peoples themselves

Democracy alone can supply the vitalizing force to stir the peoples of the world into triumphant action, not only against their human oppressors, but also against their ancient enemies-hunger, misery, and despair.

While it may take generations of nurturing, nations founded on and grounded in freedom will eventually overcome and prosper. Once free, folks rarely accept anything less, and that includes Iraqis.

The transfer is a monumental occasion as the Iraqi people take control of their government and their future and forge ahead with creating a society governed by the tenets of life, liberty and freedom.

Believe me, the drug of freedom is universally potent.

The State is the altar of political freedom and, like the religious altar, it is maintained for the purpose of human sacrifice.

There is no doubt that, with the exception of a very small number of people close to a vicious regime, the people of Iraq have been liberated and they understand that they've been liberated.

I contend that the strongest of all governments is that which is most free.

Is anarchism desirable? Well, who does not seek freedom? What man, unless willing to declare himself in bondage, would care to call any control agreeable? Think about it!

I don't have a saviour or a royal family.

I believe, if done correctly, eliminating Saddam and liberating Iraq could be the 'Normandy Invasion' or 'fall of the Berlin Wall' of our generation... the Iraqi people are eager to be rid of Saddam, and there is equally encouraging evidence that republican principles could thrive there.

One thing I want to make clear, as far as my own rebirth is concerned, the final authority is myself and no one else, and obviously not China's Communists.

The main thing I believe in is freedom.

I'm standing for real freedom.

Senegal needs to free itself, to rediscover its democracy.

Freedom is popular. Bring it on.

Empire and liberty.

There aren't traditions of freedom in a place like Iraq. They're going to have to come to grips with a concept that they hadn't been allowed to conceive before.

I sent American troops to Iraq to make its people free, not to make them American. Iraqis will write their own history and find their own way.

I am not convinced the truth can make men free, but I believe it a beginning.

You have freedom when you're easy in your harness.

The elections that have taken place in these countries are a reflection of the lure of Democracy, and the resilience of our men and women in uniform who helped bring freedom to many who never knew what the word truly meant.

This liberty will look easy by and by when nobody dies to get it.