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David Lange Quotes

Former Prime Minister of New Zealand

David Lange, a former Prime Minister of New Zealand, was born on August 4, 1942, and passed away on August 13, 2005. He served as the Prime Minister from 1984 to 1989, known for his anti-nuclear policy.

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All Nuclear Weapons Deterrence Disarmament Ifs Might New Zealand Nuclear Deterrence Nuclear Weapons One Day

Famous David Lange Quotes

“The only thing worse than being incinerated by your enemies is being incinerated by your friends!”

Nuclear Disarmament

Author:David Lange

“Death is very, very terminal.”

Terminal

Author:David Lange

“They couldn't, in the National Party, run a bath and if either the deputy leader or the leader tried to, Sir Robert would run away with the plug.”

Ifs Running Party Leader Running Away Baths Plugs Deputies

Author:David Lange

“An itinerant masseur, massaging the politically erogenous zones.”

Zone

Author:David Lange

“After that, whenever I drove past Mangakahia, I would empty my ashtray - and I was a heavy smoker in those days - on the road outside the hall.”

Past Empty Heavy Halls Smokers Ashtrays

Author:David Lange

“Greens are not expected to be anything but nice.”

Nice Expected

Author:David Lange

“My back is so scar-tissued that you couldn't find a place to slip a knife.”

Knives Scar Slips

Author:David Lange

“Bassett was a member of parliament and a cousin on my father's side of the family. My father delivered him and it became plain in later days that he must have dropped him.”

Father Sides Members Cousin Parliament Members Of Parliament

Book:My life

Source: My life

“Will the United States pull the rug on New Zealand? The answer is no. They might polish the lino a bit harder and hope that I execute a rather unseemly glide across it.”

States Might Bits Answers United United States Harder Polish New Zealand

Author:David Lange

“Lange was hosting a reception at Vogel House for the Chinese politician Hu Yao Bang when the lights went out. Lange immediately asked all the guests to raise their hands because "many hands make light work." The audience complied, and to their amazement the lights immediately came back on. Lange was invited to visit China.”

Hands Light House Audience Politician Raises China Chinese Guests Invited Bangs Amazement Reception Many Hands

Author:David Lange

“On a trip to Germany, Lange and his entourage were climbing the tower of an ancient castle when they stopped to catch their breath. "How old is this ruin?" someone asked a guide. "Forty-two years," said Lange.”

Years Said Two Breaths Ancient Guides Ruins Germany Forty Two Years Climbing Towers Castles Entourage

Author:David Lange

“Today's Schools are not Tomorrows Schools. That's a fundamental misconception.”

Today School Tomorrow Fundamentals Misconception

Author:David Lange

“We cannot by ourselves reduce the number of nuclear weapons in the world, but we are doing what has to be done all over the world if those weapons are one day to be eliminated. We will not contemplate any circumstance in which their possession or threatened use is justified. We reject the secrecy and hypocrisy which surrounds the continuing refinement of the technology.”

“I've got two shirts still missing from the Bahamas. I'm sure they are part of a youth camping programme somewhere in Tanzania by now.”

Stills Two Missing Youth Shirts Programmes Camping Tanzania Bahamas

Author:David Lange

“I think more than anything, that's when I decided politics was on.”

Thinking Decided

Author:David Lange

“Our nuclear free status is a statement of our belief that we and our fellow human beings can build the institutions which will one day allow us all to renounce the weapons of mass destruction. We are a small country and what we can do is limited. But in this as in every other great issue, we have to start somewhere.”

“New Zealand’s nuclear free movement is a broad-based and popular movement. Our nuclear free status is a challenge to much that is accepted as orthodox in international relations. It was formally adopted in the cold war era as a form of resistance to the dismal doctrines of nuclear deterrence. It is still a rebuke to the unprincipled exercise of economic power and military might.”

“Our nuclear free status means that we decline to acquiesce in the strategies of nuclear deterrence. We will not turn a blind eye to them, and pretend that the weapons are no longer a threat. We will not in any way tolerate the testing of nuclear weapons, or their manufacture, or their deployment.”

Way Mean Eye Turns Weapons Blind Strategy Threat Nuclear Decline Nuclear Weapons Tolerate Testing Deployment Blind Eyes Deterrence Nuclear Deterrence

Author:David Lange

About the Author

Born: August 4, 1942
Died: August 13, 2005
Known for: Former Prime Minister of New Zealand
Quotes: 18

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My lifeRelated source material

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