Quotes from John Pilger

Orwell is almost our litmus test. Some of his satirical writing looks like reality these days.

S]ince 1945 Tory and Labour governments have had almost identical foreign policies, none of which have upheld human rights. On the contrary, in serving what are known as 'British interests', they have played a significant part in some of the century's worst abuses of human rights. What is more, it has been Labour, not Tory, governments which have been the most zealous in pursuing these 'interests'.

Rapacious great power is ruthless and vindictive; many of us can't imagine because we're not like that in our lives. John Pilger

Never believe governments,' she wrote, 'not any of them, not a word they say; keep an untrusting eye on all they do.

The problem for non-governmental organisations is that they are already drawn too close to government through funding and their tax-exempt charitable status and they serve increasingly to neutralise and de-radicalise movements for real change, often remaining silent on the true complicity of their Western donors in the denial of human rights.

People must seek many things to make their lives significant.

I love long regarded my country as a secret, as a land half-won, its story half-told. It was as if the past was another country, mysterious and unexplained. 'Australian history' either was not taught or was not required for 'higher learning'. Contemporary history was unheard of. Black history was ridiculed. Historians and politicians, more concerned with imperial propriety than truth, covered up and distorted.