Wendell Phillips Quotes
There is nothing stronger than human prejudice. A crazy sentimentalism, like that of Peter the Hermit, hurled half of Europe upon Asia, and changed the destinies of kingdoms.
Phillips, Wendell. "Idols." Speeches, Lectures, and Letters. James Redpath, 1863, p. 243.
Few Islamic leaders have publicly made such unequivocal statements about the problem of extremism and fanaticism.
This quotation is often given by those who believe that nothing has really changed regarding the Arabs and non-Islamic Westerners in the last century. While the support of dictators, Israel and support for that democracy, the artificial Western imposed borders, 9-11, or the Iraq war is often cited as the cause of Arab hostility and murderous aggression, as this quotation demonstrates, the problems and attitudes and behaviors existed long before any of these occurred. The borders were not set until after WWI and all the other causes occurred almost 50 years later, Yet there was still the propensity for fanaticism and violence. Sikes actually was one of those who was to determine the Arab borders, making one of the first “suggested” maps of the area for the English.
Many would argue that the situation is the same today, over a hundred years later.
Wendell Phillips was an American abolitionist, advocate for Native Americans, orator, and attorney.
