"Journeying to democracy" in The Boston Globe (18 October 2007) http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2007/10/18/journeying_to_democracy/ <br class="br">Context: I fully understand the men behind Al Qaeda. They have tried to assassinate me twice before. The Pakistan Peoples Party and I represent everything they fear the most — moderation, democracy, equality for women, information, and technology. We represent the future of a modern Pakistan, a future that has no place in it for ignorance, intolerance, and terrorism.<br>The forces of moderation and democracy must, and will, prevail against extremism and dictatorship. I will not be intimidated. I will step out on the tarmac in Karachi not to complete a journey, but to begin one. Despite threats of death, I will not acquiesce to tyranny, but rather lead the fight against it.
Nicola Sturgeon (1970) First Minister of Scotland and leader of the Scottish National Party
Brexit: MPs ask Scottish court to block Westminster shutdown https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-49496517 BBC News (28 August 2019) <br class="br">2019
“Balance, that's the secret. Moderate extremism.”
Edward Abbey book Desert Solitaire
"Bedrock and Paradox", p. 233
Desert Solitaire (1968)
Vladimir Lenin (1870–1924) Russian politician, led the October Revolution
As quoted in The Proletarian Revolution and the Renegade Kautsky (1972), p. 11.
Attributions
“But Cuba doesn’t have a dictatorship — it’s a revolutionary democracy.”
Hugo Chávez (1954–2013) 48th President of Venezuela
Hugo Chávez during his television/radio show ¡Aló Presidente! on August 21, 2005. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9032793/ <br class="br">2005
“In a democracy, thumping majorities prevail.”
Ilana Mercer South African writer
“Planet Facebook Owns It,” http://www.ilanamercer.com/phprunner/public_article_list_view.php?editid1=652 WorldNetDaily.com, May 25, 2012. <br class="br">2010s, 2012
“Social democracy is objectively the moderate wing of fascism”
Joseph Stalin (1879–1953) General secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
“Concerning the International Situation,” Works, Vol. 6, January-November, 1924, pp. 293-314.
Stalin's speeches, writings and authorised interviews
Context: Social democracy is objectively the moderate wing of fascism.... These organisations (ie Fascism and social democracy) are not antipodes, they are twins.
Neville Chamberlain (1869–1940) Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Broadcast from the Cabinet Rooms at 10 Downing Street (3 September 1939)
Prime Minister
Context: This morning the British Ambassador in Berlin handed the German Government a final note, stating that, unless we heard from them by 11 o'clock that they were prepared at once to withdraw their troops from Poland, a state of war would exist between us. I have to tell you now that no such undertaking has been received and that consequently this country is at war with Germany. … It is evil things that we will be fighting against— brute force, bad faith, injustice, oppression and persecution— and against them I am certain that the right will prevail.
“Moderation, we find, is an extremely difficult thing to get in this country.”
Flann O'Brien (1911–1966) Irish writer
Source: The Best of Myles (1968)
