"I came to declare that I am a friend to Arabs, at a time when it is not easy to be friend to Arabs, because nowadays those who have ambitions and interests would not befriend Arab"
About this Quote
Galloway frames friendship as a public act of defiance, not a private sentiment. The line is built to sound like moral courage: he "came to declare" it, as if stepping into hostile territory to say something basic and human. But the phrasing also gives away the real political choreography. "At a time when it is not easy" casts the speaker as embattled truth-teller, while "nowadays" turns a specific controversy into an era-defining climate of cowardice. He isnt just pro-Arab; he is braver than the people who wont be.
The subtext is a double indictment. First, of Western political culture that treats Arabs as reputational risk - a group you can speak about, negotiate with, even bomb, but not claim solidarity with without paying a price. Second, of opportunists who calibrate their ethics to their career prospects: "those who have ambitions and interests" becomes a sneer at rival politicians, commentators, and institutions. It is less a bridge to Arabs than a wedge against his own class.
Context matters because Galloway is a politician who thrives on theatrical opposition, especially around Iraq, Palestine, and the post-9/11 securitized public sphere. The quote courts an audience tired of sanitised centrism, offering a clean moral binary: friendship versus ambition. It works rhetorically because it turns a contested geopolitical stance into a character test, and invites listeners to prove their integrity by choosing a side.
The subtext is a double indictment. First, of Western political culture that treats Arabs as reputational risk - a group you can speak about, negotiate with, even bomb, but not claim solidarity with without paying a price. Second, of opportunists who calibrate their ethics to their career prospects: "those who have ambitions and interests" becomes a sneer at rival politicians, commentators, and institutions. It is less a bridge to Arabs than a wedge against his own class.
Context matters because Galloway is a politician who thrives on theatrical opposition, especially around Iraq, Palestine, and the post-9/11 securitized public sphere. The quote courts an audience tired of sanitised centrism, offering a clean moral binary: friendship versus ambition. It works rhetorically because it turns a contested geopolitical stance into a character test, and invites listeners to prove their integrity by choosing a side.
Quote Details
| Topic | Equality |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
More Quotes by George
Add to List







