--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have strict rules—” “You’re murdering…" description: "\"“We have strict rules—” “You’re murdering innocent people,” she said, suddenly short of breath. “Our government is killing its own citizens.” “We’re fo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05b/arthur-t-bradley-103887_following-orders_we-have-strict-rules-you-re-murdering-in_2105264.jpg" --- # We have strict rules—” “You’re murdering innocent people,”… ![“We have strict rules—” “You’re murdering innocent people,” she said, suddenly short of breath. “Our government is killing its own citizens.” “We’re following orders,” he said flatly.” quote by Arthur T. Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05b/arthur-t-bradley-103887_following-orders_we-have-strict-rules-you-re-murdering-in_2105264.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05b/arthur-t-bradley-103887_following-orders_we-have-strict-rules-you-re-murdering-in_2105264.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05b/arthur-t-bradley-103887_following-orders_we-have-strict-rules-you-re-murdering-in_2105264.jpg) > ““We have strict rules—” “You’re murdering innocent people,” she said, suddenly short of breath. “Our government is killing its own citizens.” “We’re following orders,” he said flatly.”” [Arthur T. Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-t-bradley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A dialogue exposing the moral conflict between following orders and committing atrocities. **In simple terms:** Orders clash with conscience in violent acts. Key Takeaway Question authority and protect innocence. Themes morality authority violence obedience political ethics Mood angry critical Type dialogue political When to use this quote - military service - whistleblowing - human rights advocacy Key Concepts ethical dilemma civil disobedience state violence Questions to Reflect On - When should you refuse a harmful order? - What protects civilians from state violence? A Different Perspective Legal orders can mask immoral deeds. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Following orders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/following-orders/) [Government Killing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-killing-4224650/) [Innocent people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innocent-people/) [Killing Citizens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killing-citizens-4224649/) [Murdering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/murdering/) [Murdering Innocent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/murdering-innocent-2491979/) [Rules Murdering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rules-murdering-4224651/) ## Related quotes > [“I don’t know whom shall I ask this question! What is the rationality behind killing and murdering innocent people for the sake of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/i-don-t-know-whom-shall-i-ask-this-question-what-is-the-rationality/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [Murdering the innocent to advance an ideology is wrong every time everywhere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/murdering-the-innocent-to-advance-an-ideology-is-wrong-every-time/) [George W. 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The only way you can kill government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/america-is-the-place-where-you-cannot-kill-your-government-by-killing-2/) [Charles Stross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/) > [“The military is the government’s killing machine. The police are a close relative.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-military-is-the-government-s-killing-machine-the-police-are-a/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“I, Larry Vail, do hereby confess To murdering Merry in her little dress. To strangling and raping and making a mess. 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Being bad is murdering someone. That’s bad. Don’t do that”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-michelle-gellar/really-how-is-eating-a-piece-of-cake-bad-being-bad-is-murdering/) [Sarah Michelle Gellar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-michelle-gellar/) > [Take a look around, the city on fire. It's all taking place in the middle of my mind. I stand in the middle, cause…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyga/take-a-look-around-the-city-on-fire-it-s-all-taking-place-in-the/) [Tyga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyga/) > [A young woman is dead. I don’t care. You probably don’t care. The police don’t care. The papers don’t care. The punks for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-bangs/a-young-woman-is-dead-i-don-t-care-you-probably-don-t-care-the-police/) [Lester Bangs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-bangs/) > [People often say that humans have always eaten animals, as if this is a justification for continuing the practice. According to this logic, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/people-often-say-that-humans-have-always-eaten-animals-as-if-this-is/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) ## More by Arthur T. Bradley > [“General Carr put a hand on his shoulder.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-t-bradley/general-carr-put-a-hand-on-his-shoulder/) [Arthur T. Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-t-bradley/) [Explore all 2 Arthur T. 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For that reason, our lord had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/takayuki-yamaguchi/takamasa-saegusa-seigen-a-mere-member-of-the-toudouza-had-the/) [Takayuki Yamaguchi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/takayuki-yamaguchi/) [Browse all 50 Following orders quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/following-orders/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We have strict rules—” “You’re murdering innocent people,” she said, suddenly short of breath. “Our government is killing its own citizens.” “We’re following orders,” he said flatly.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Arthur T. 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