Nothing good ever comes of violence.
—Martin Luther (1483–1546) German Protestant Theologian
Perhaps violence, like pornography, is some kind of an evolutionary standby system, a last-resort device for throwing a wild joker into the game?
—J. G. Ballard (1930–2009) English Novelist, Short Story Writer
The question is no longer between violence and non-violence; it is between non-violence and non-existence.
—Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–68) American Civil Rights Leader, Clergyman
Nonviolence is the supreme law of life.
—Indian Proverb
One must do violence to the object of one’s desire; when it surrenders, the pleasure is greater.
—Marquis de Sade (1740–1814) French Political leader, Revolutionary, Novelist, Poet, Critic
They are not following dharma who resort to violence to achieve their purpose. But those who lead others through nonviolent means, knowing right and wrong, may be called guardians of the dharma.
—Buddhist Teaching
Violence of the tongue is very real-sharper than any knife.
—Mother Teresa (1910–97) Roman Catholic Missionary, Nun
Violent fires soon burn out themselves, small showers last long, but sudden storms are short; he tires betimes that spurs too fast.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. Instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it. Through violence you may murder the liar, but you cannot murder the lie, nor establish the truth. Through violence you murder the hater, but you do not murder hate. In fact, violence merely increases hate… Returning violence for violence multiples violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
—Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–68) American Civil Rights Leader, Clergyman
Greatness is not achieved with violence.
—African Proverb
Love is stronger than violence.
—Hermann Hesse (1877–1962) German-born Swiss Novelist, Poet
There are situations in life to which the only satisfactory response is a physically violent one. If you don’t make that response, you continually relive the unresolved situation over and over in your life.
—Russell Hoban (1925–2011) American Novelist, Children’s Writer
The more dubious and uncertain an instrument violence has become in international relations, the more it has gained in reputation and appeal in domestic affairs, specifically in the matter of revolution.
—Hannah Arendt (1906–75) German-American Philosopher, Political Theorist
Writing saved me from the sin and inconvenience of violence.
—Alice Walker (b.1944) American Novelist, Activist
The cause of violence is not ignorance. It is self-interest. Only reverance can restrain violence – reverance for human life and the environment.
—William Sloane Coffin (1924–2006) American Presbyterian Clergyman, Peace Activist
Violence ever defeats its own ends. Where you cannot drive you can always persuade. A gentle word, a kind look, a god-natured smile can work wonders and accomplish miracles. There is a secret pride in every human heart than revolts at tyranny. You may order and drive an individual, but you cannot make him respect you.
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English Essayist
Violence is unnecessary and costly. Peace is the only way.
—Julius Nyerere (1922–99) Tanzanian Statesman
There is a violence that liberates, and a violence that enslaves; there is a violence that is moral and a violence that is immoral.
—Benito Mussolini (1883–1945) Italian Head of State, Politician
Nonviolence is fine as long as it works.
—Malcolm X (1925–65) American Civil Rights Leader
Nonviolence is a flop. The only bigger flop is violence.
—Joan Baez (b.1941) American Singer, Songwriter, Musician
Power and violence are opposites; where the one rules absolutely, the other is absent. Violence appears where power is in jeopardy, but left to its own course it ends in power’s disappearance.
—Hannah Arendt (1906–75) German-American Philosopher, Political Theorist
You forget that the kingdom of heaven suffers violence: and the kingdom of heaven is like a woman.
—James Joyce (1882–1941) Irish Novelist, Poet
Violence commands both literature and life, and violence is always crude and distorted.
—Ellen Glasgow (1873–1945) American Novelist
Freedom is poetry, taking liberties with words, breaking the rules of normal speech, violating common sense. Freedom is violence.
—Norman O. Brown (1913–2002) American Philosopher
No violent extreme endures.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist
Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.
—John F. Kennedy (1917–63) American Head of State, Journalist
Can you understand why the Congress, most states and most cities refuse to pass legislation requiring the registration and licensing of any and all guns? For the life of me, I can’t. We must register our cars and be licensed to drive. In many places we must get licenses for dogs and even bicycles. Being required to register firearms and show the competence and capacity to handle them hardly seems unreasonable, hardly seems an infringement of freedom. What is it that blocks such legislation? Why do they block it? How are they able to block it?
—Malcolm S. Forbes (1919–1990) American Publisher, Businessperson
Only a philosophy of eternity, in the world today, could justify non-violence.
—Albert Camus (1913–60) Algerian-born French Philosopher, Dramatist, Essayist, Novelist, Author
At the center of non-violence stands the principle of love.
—Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–68) American Civil Rights Leader, Clergyman
Perseverance is more prevailing than violence; and many things which cannot be overcome when they are together, yield themselves up when taken little by little.
—Plutarch (c.46–c.120 CE) Greek Biographer, Philosopher
Violence does even justice unjustly.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist
Under all conditions, well-organized violence seems to him the shortest distance between two points.
—Leon Trotsky (1879–1940) Russian Marxist Revolutionary
Violence is not merely killing another. It is violence when we use a sharp word, when we make a gesture to brush away a person, when we obey because there is fear. So violence isn’t merely organized butchery in the name of God, in the name of society or country. Violence is much more subtle, much deeper, and we are inquiring into the very depths of violence.
—Jiddu Krishnamurti (1895–1986) Indian Philosopher
I first learned the concepts of non-violence in my marriage.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
I do believe that, where there is only a choice between cowardice and violence, I would advise violence….I would rather have India resort to arms in order to defend her honour than that she should, in a cowardly manner, become or remain a helpless witness to her own dishonour.But I believe that nonviolence is infinitely superior to violence, forgiveness is more manly than punishment. Forgiveness adorns a soldier…But abstinence is forgiveness only when there is the power to punish; it is meaningless when it pretends to proceed from a helpless creature….But I do not believe India to be helpless….I do not believe myself to be a helpless creature….Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
If you injure your neighbor, better not do it by halves.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
It is better to be violent, if there is violence in our hearts, than to put on the cloak of non-violence to coyer impotence.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
Violence among young people is an aspect of their desire to create. They don’t know how to use their energy creatively so they do the opposite and destroy.
—Anthony Burgess (1917–93) English Novelist, Critic, Composer
Poverty is the worst form of violence.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
Peace cannot be achieved through violence, it can only be attained through understanding.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Non violence is the answer to the crucial political and moral questions of our time; the need for mankind to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to oppression and violence.
—Unknown
If you strike a child, take care that you strike it in anger, even at the risk of maiming it for life. A blow in cold blood neither can nor should be forgiven.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
In America all too few blows are struck into flesh. We kill the spirit here, we are experts at that. We use psychic bullets and kill each other cell by cell.
—Norman Mailer (1923–2007) American Novelist Essayist
When violence comes into the house, law and justice leave through the chimney.
—Turkish Proverb
Birth is violent, whether it be the birth of a child or the birth of an idea.
—Marianne Williamson (b.1952) American Activist, Author, Lecturer
It is not right, my fellow-countrymen, you who know very well all the crimes committed in our name, it
—Jean-Paul Sartre (1905–80) French Philosopher, Playwright, Novelist, Screenwriter, Political Activist
Rambo isn’t violent. I see Rambo as a philanthropist.
—Sylvester Stallone (b.1946) American Actor, Film Director, Screenwriter
Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.
—Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–68) American Civil Rights Leader, Clergyman
If violence is wrong in America, violence is wrong abroad. If it is wrong to be violent defending black women and black children and black babies and black men, then it is wrong for America to draft us, and make us violent abroad in defense of her. And if it is right for America to draft us, and teach us how to be violent in defense of her, then it is right for you and me to do whatever is necessary to defend our own people right here in this country.
—Malcolm X (1925–65) American Civil Rights Leader
I maintain that nothing useful and lasting can emerge from violence.
—Shirin Ebadi (b.1947) Iranian Human Rights Activist