Was this humanity? Was this nobility? Was this the Christian glory that presumed to hold itself above the heathen Turk? To suffer innocents be sacrificed on an altar of corruption, merely that a lofty family be spared discomfiture? Oh, this was tenfold more abominable than the crime itself, that high authority should wink at it! Ray Russell
About This Quote

Thomas Paine wrote, "Was this humanity? Was this nobility? Was this the Christian glory that presumed to hold itself above the heathen Turk? To suffer innocents be sacrificed on an altar of corruption, merely that a lofty family be spared discomfiture?" The article was referring to the fact that the British government (and other European governments) had ordered the bombing of civilians during the Siege of Tyre in 1784. A massacre occurred when French troops were trapped into burning buildings after they surrendered. The article was written due to the war of words between the British and American governments. Throughout history, people have criticized others for doing bad things (called "criticism" by some).

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