نوجوان خامنه‌ای

The United States introduces certain principles as “American principles” and claims that these apply to the entire world. The principles they introduce are human freedom, freedom of thought, human rights and the like. Are these “American” principles? Are these the qualities of the American society today? Was it not your government that massacred the natives of America and destroyed the natives? Was it not the same government and its influential agents who enslaved millions of Africans - abducting young girls and boys from their homes- treating them atrociously for years?

Today, one of the most tragic pieces of art is a novel called Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stow. The novel narrates the story of slavery in the United States; this work is still alive, after two hundred years, since first written. These are the realities of the United States; this is the government of the United States; this is what distinguishes and characterizes the American establishment and showcases it to the world; not freedom, nor equality of humans! What equality? You do not consider white and black equal yet. To this day, a person having Native blood is considered “inferior “when it comes to recruiting individuals for various occupations. And you talk about equality of human beings and freedom of thought?

Equality among human beings?! Freedom of thought!? Would you even broadcast our president’s speech in your media in the United States? If there is freedom of thought and freedom of expression, broadcast this half-hour speech by Mr. Khatami. What freedom of thought?! There are various media, but they are all controlled by the capitalist system and the moguls in the United States, most of which are run by the Zionists! Is this the meaning of free media in the United States?! Why do you lie to the people of the world? Are these American principles?! They claim that American principles are universal. Who are you to entitle yourself the right to delineate ‘universal principles for mankind? Before you, these were the communist who had ‘universal principles’; Stalin had universal values, too! He believed the world had to obey him and these principles! World’s fascist also claimed they had ‘universal principles’. What rationale is it to say that, “these are our principles, and they are universal. Whoever in the world who refuses to submit to them, we should drop atomic bombs on them!” Is this the rationale of a free nation?! Is this the rationale of a government that truly believes in honoring mankind?! Why do you lie to mankind?

This mister [George W. Bush] said in one of his speeches that ‘you’re either with us or against us!’ This sentence has been repeated several times. This is the evilest manifestation of the arrogant spirit of a power or a government. Who said you have the right to lead the fight against terrorism? If the prerequisite is the number of the victims of terrorism, then look at how many people [outside the U.S.] have been killed by terrorism? Even today the people of Palestine are being palpably and openly terrorized and murdered in their own homes on a daily basis and at the hands of the usurpers of their homes. Was your attack on Vietnam not terrorism? Was your attack on Hiroshima and Nagasaki terrorism? Were the victims of these attacks not killed deliberately, calculatedly and indiscriminately in the fire of your hatred? What right do you have to lead the fight on terrorism? And what right do you have to define terrorism? What arrogance do you have! This is why when these words are broadcast across the world and the people of the world hear them, they realize why, since day one, the Islamic Revolution has considered “arrogance” and “the arrogant” as negative notions in its terminology and elaborates on them. The people of the world have an understanding of these terms in the terminology of the Islamic Republic.

Statements at a meeting with government officials; March 18, 2002