The West Wing (TV Series)

Night Five (2002)

Richard Schiff: Toby Ziegler

Quotes 

• Toby Ziegler : Well... How about when we, instead of blowing Iraq back to the seventh century for harbouring terrorists and trying to develop nuclear weapons, we just imposed economic sanctions and were reviled by the Arab world for not giving them a global charge card and a free trade treaty? How about when we pushed Israel to give up land for peace? How about when we sent American soldiers to protect Saudi Arabia, and the Arab world told us we were desecrating their holy land? We'll ignore the fact that we were invited. How about two weeks ago, in the State of the Union when the President praised the Islamic people as faithful and hardworking only to be denounced in the Arab press as knowing nothing about Islam? But none of that is the point.

  Andrea Wyatt : What is the point?

  Toby Ziegler : I don't remember having to explain to Italians that our problem wasn't with them, but with Mussolini! Why does the U.S. have to take every Arab country out for an ice cream cone? They'll like us when we win!

• Toby Ziegler : Thousands of madrasas teaching children nothing, nothing, *nothing,* but the Quran, and to hate America. Who do we see about that? Do I want to preach America? Judeo-Christianity? No. Their religion forbids them from playing the trumpet? So be it. But I want those kids to look at a globe. Be exposed to social sciences, history, some literature. They'll like us when we win.

• Andrea Wyatt : The U.S. Constitution defends religious pluralism. It doesn't reduce all of Islam to fanaticism.

  Toby Ziegler : Neither does the speech. It calls fanaticism fanaticism.

  Andrea Wyatt : Toby...

  Toby Ziegler : It's fanaticism whether we call it that or not, so were going to call it that. We respect all religions, all cultures.

  Andrea Wyatt : To a point.

  Toby Ziegler : Yes, to a point. Grotesque oppression isn't okay just because it's been institutionalized. If you ask me, we should have gotten into the game three, four decades ago, but they're coming for us now, so it's time to saddle up!