"Your security is not in the hands of Kerry, Bush or al-Qaida. Your security is in your own hands"
- Osama bin Laden
About this Quote
The quote by Osama bin Laden, "Your security is not in the hands of Kerry, Bush or al-Qaida. Your security remains in your own hands," is a powerful declaration that reflects numerous layers of suggesting related to security, agency, and obligation. It was provided in a videotaped message in 2004 ahead of the U.S. presidential election in between George W. Bush and John Kerry, however its implications extend beyond that particular political context.
To start with, the quote recommends that people must not entirely depend on political leaders or external entities for their safety and security. Bin Laden dismisses the idea that figures like the U.S. presidential prospects at the time, or terrorist organizations like al-Qaida, are the supreme arbiters of an individual's security. Rather, he highlights individual responsibility and specific agency, suggesting that people need to take proactive steps in ensuring their own safety. This can be translated as a call for self-reliance, encouraging people to critically evaluate their scenarios and take actions independent of governmental or organizational pledges.
Second of all, the quote brings a philosophical angle about the nature of security itself. It challenges the standard perception that security is a commodity supplied by governments or organizations. Instead, bin Laden suggests that security is a specific state of being that can be cultivated from within, through vigilance, awareness, and personal strength.
From a rhetorical standpoint, this message subtly undermines confidence in politicians like Bush and Kerry, framing them as insufficient in supplying real security. By relating their effectiveness with that of a terrorist company, bin Laden intends to sow doubt about the reliability of these figures and organizations.
Lastly, the declaration can be seen as a review of reliance on state mechanisms for defense, suggesting that true security derives from private autonomy and empowerment instead of reliance on others. Hence, the quote functions as a provocative tip of the importance of self-determination in matters of personal and cumulative security.
"We cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we've set. We've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded"
"The fact is that people are good, Give people affection and security, and they will give affection and be secure in their feelings and their behavior"
