Political Quotes

Lysander Spooner: “They acknowledge it to be our unquestioned right and duty to kill them, if we can; that they expect nothing else, than…”

On the record
They acknowledge it to be our unquestioned right and duty to kill them, if we can; that they expect nothing else, than that we will kill them, if we can; and that we are only fools and cowards, if we do not kill them, by any and every means in our power.
Said by
Lysander Spooner

Editor's note · Context

This quote reflects Spooner's radical stance on the right to resist oppressive government.

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More from Lysander Spooner

They do not tell us of the almshouses, hospitals, schools, churches, etc., which, out of the purest charity and benevolence, they maintain for our benefit, out of the money they take from us.

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In short, they acknowledge themselves hostes humani generis: enemies of the human race.

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They do not attempt to deceive us, or mislead us, or reconcile us to their doings, by any such pretences, impostures, or insults as these.

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When they have once taken our money, they have the decency to get out of our sight as soon as possible; they do not persist in following us, and robbing us, again and again, so long as we produce anything that they can take from us.

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