--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have declared war on the rich who…" description: "\"I have declared war on the rich who prosper on our poverty, the politicians who lie to us with smiling faces, and all the mindless, heartless, robots w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dd/assata-shakur-2554_faces_i-have-declared-war-on-the-rich-who-pros_727119.png" --- # I have declared war on the rich who prosper on our… ![“I have declared war on the rich who prosper on our poverty, the politicians who lie to us with smiling faces, and all the mindless, heartless, robots who protect them and their property.” quote by Assata Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dd/assata-shakur-2554_faces_i-have-declared-war-on-the-rich-who-pros_727119.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dd/assata-shakur-2554_faces_i-have-declared-war-on-the-rich-who-pros_727119.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dd/assata-shakur-2554_faces_i-have-declared-war-on-the-rich-who-pros_727119.png) > “I have declared war on the rich who prosper on our poverty, the politicians who lie to us with smiling faces, and all the mindless, heartless, robots who protect them and their property.” [Assata Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assata-shakur/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker denounces economic exploitation, deceptive politicians, and dehumanizing systems, urging resistance. **In simple terms:** Fight oppression and corrupt power structures. Key Takeaway Challenge systemic injustice actively. Themes justice politics activism economics Mood defiant urgent Type political revolutionary When to use this quote - protests - community organizing - policy advocacy - education campaigns Key Concepts class struggle political deception systemic oppression Questions to Reflect On - What non‑violent strategies can dismantle oppression? - How can solidarity be built across class lines? A Different Perspective Violent resistance can alienate potential allies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Declared War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/declared-war/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Heartless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heartless/) [Heartless Robots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heartless-robots-5370656/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Mindless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mindless/) [Politician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politician/) [Politicians Lie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politicians-lie-924784/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [Poverty Politicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty-politicians-3199167/) [Property](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/property/) [Protect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protect/) [Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rich/) [Robots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/robots/) [Smiling faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smiling-faces/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [War Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-rich-1287610/) ## Related quotes > [To really tackle poverty, politicians, activists, academics will all have to think outside their boxes, will have to start developing much more integrated approaches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sasha-abramsky/to-really-tackle-poverty-politicians-activists-academics-will-all/) [Sasha Abramsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sasha-abramsky/) > [“Edenists will disdain busy working people. They will portray them as heartless robots of a soulless capitalist system. They don’t understand that most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-g-buchholz/edenists-will-disdain-busy-working-people-they-will-portray-them-as/) [Todd G. Buchholz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-g-buchholz/) > [War is rich old men protecting their property by sending middle class and lower class young men off to die. It always has been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/war-is-rich-old-men-protecting-their-property-by-sending-middle-class/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [“There is a war between the rich and poor, a war between the man and the woman. There is a war between the ones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/there-is-a-war-between-the-rich-and-poor-a-war-between-the-man-and/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“in Delhi there was no war other than the usual one – the war of the rich against the poor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/in-delhi-there-was-no-war-other-than-the-usual-one-the-war-of-the/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Blood is the god of war's rich livery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-marlowe/blood-is-the-god-of-war-s-rich-livery/) [Christopher Marlowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-marlowe/) > [People who refuse to accept unpleasant truths have no right to complain about politicians who lie to them. What other kind of candidates would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/people-who-refuse-to-accept-unpleasant-truths-have-no-right-to/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Politicians often lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-weyrich/politicians-often-lie/) [Paul Weyrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-weyrich/) > [“Politicians lie and I am not fooled.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-dennen/politicians-lie-and-i-am-not-fooled/) [Brett Dennen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-dennen/) > [The people of Alabama are fed up. They are tired of politicians who lie to them, and they are sick of elected officials who've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luther-strange/the-people-of-alabama-are-fed-up-they-are-tired-of-politicians-who/) [Luther Strange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luther-strange/) > [I think all politicians lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-grace/i-think-all-politicians-lie/) [Nancy Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-grace/) > [You know there's no crooked politicians. There's never a lie because there is never any truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-bruce/you-know-there-s-no-crooked-politicians-there-s-never-a-lie-because/) [Lenny Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-bruce/) > [“The wind blows wild and i may move, politicians lie and i am not fooled you don't need a razor or a three piece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-dennen/the-wind-blows-wild-and-i-may-move-politicians-lie-and-i-am-not/) [Brett Dennen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-dennen/) > [Normally, politicians lie because they want to persuade us of the truth of what they are saying. A candidate for Congress will claim that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zephyr-teachout/normally-politicians-lie-because-they-want-to-persuade-us-of-the/) [Zephyr Teachout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zephyr-teachout/) > [People are so docile right now. It is almost as if good government means when the politicians lie to us for our own good,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bovard/people-are-so-docile-right-now-it-is-almost-as-if-good-government/) [James Bovard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bovard/) ## More by Assata Shakur > [There is a down side to everything if you don't understand what the consequences of what you are saying in your music you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assata-shakur/there-is-a-down-side-to-everything-if-you-don-t-understand-what-the/) [Assata Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assata-shakur/) > [My energy just couldn’t stop dancing. I was caught up in the music of struggle, and i wanted to dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assata-shakur/my-energy-just-couldn-t-stop-dancing-i-was-caught-up-in-the-music-of/) [Assata Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assata-shakur/) > [I am a Black revolutionary woman, and because of this i have been charged with and accused of every alleged crime in which a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assata-shakur/i-am-a-black-revolutionary-woman-and-because-of-this-i-have-been/) [Assata Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assata-shakur/) > [Imperialism is the underlying motor of racism. The underlying reason that racism keeps on being promoted in all of its various forms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assata-shakur/imperialism-is-the-underlying-motor-of-racism-the-underlying-reason/) [Assata Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assata-shakur/) > [In the long run, the people are our only appeal. The only ones who can free us are ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assata-shakur/in-the-long-run-the-people-are-our-only-appeal-the-only-ones-who-can/) [Assata Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assata-shakur/) > [I think anybody who is honestly struggling against racism must struggle against imperialism and vice versa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assata-shakur/i-think-anybody-who-is-honestly-struggling-against-racism-must/) [Assata Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assata-shakur/) > [Every person that steps up and commits to social change helps solidify the black movement cause. It is not easy for those who fill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assata-shakur/every-person-that-steps-up-and-commits-to-social-change-helps/) [Assata Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assata-shakur/) > [I think that people who want to change this planet have to seriously understand that as human beings we have to work to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assata-shakur/i-think-that-people-who-want-to-change-this-planet-have-to-seriously/) [Assata Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assata-shakur/) > [If the U.S. succeeds in destroying the revolution, my status will be like that of most Cubans: I'll be up a creek without a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assata-shakur/if-the-u-s-succeeds-in-destroying-the-revolution-my-status-will-be/) [Assata Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assata-shakur/) > [No one is going to give you the education you need to overthrow them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assata-shakur/no-one-is-going-to-give-you-the-education-you-need-to-overthrow-them/) [Assata Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assata-shakur/) > [There's something nice about being able to go to sleep at night saying "You know, tomorrow I'm gonna get up and I'm gonna do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assata-shakur/there-s-something-nice-about-being-able-to-go-to-sleep-at-night/) [Assata Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assata-shakur/) > [And if I know anything at all, it's that a wall is just a wall and nothing more at all. It can be broken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assata-shakur/and-if-i-know-anything-at-all-it-s-that-a-wall-is-just-a-wall-and/) [Assata Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assata-shakur/) > [Being in Cuba has allowed me to live in a society that is not at war with itself. There is a sense of community.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assata-shakur/being-in-cuba-has-allowed-me-to-live-in-a-society-that-is-not-at-war/) [Assata Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assata-shakur/) > [“Don’t you know that slavery was outlawed?” “No,” the guard said, “you’re wrong. Slavery was outlawed with the exception of prisons. Slavery is legal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assata-shakur/don-t-you-know-that-slavery-was-outlawed-no-the-guard-said-you-re/) [Assata Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assata-shakur/) > [People get used to anything. The less you think about your oppression, the more your tolerance for it grows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assata-shakur/people-get-used-to-anything-the-less-you-think-about-your-oppression/) [Assata Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assata-shakur/) [Explore all 161 Assata Shakur quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assata-shakur/) ## More Faces quotes > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [Because the truth is that gossip is as good as gospel in this town. You can save face but you won't ever save your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/because-the-truth-is-that-gossip-is-as-good-as-gospel-in-this-town/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [My friends, this body - perhaps more than any other gathering in human history - now faces that difficult task.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/my-friends-this-body-perhaps-more-than-any-other-gathering-in-human/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [His fingertips slid down from my face, lightly stroking the line of my neck, down toward my shoulder. Everywhere he touched, a trail of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/his-fingertips-slid-down-from-my-face-lightly-stroking-the-line-of-my/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [I've seen every one, from Motley Crue to John Denver, with tears running down my face. I had no idea everyone had such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stevie-nicks/i-ve-seen-every-one-from-motley-crue-to-john-denver-with-tears/) [Stevie Nicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stevie-nicks/) > [So," I said. "Seems you're going to be stuck with me for a while." He smiled. A real smile that lit up his whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/so-i-said-seems-you-re-going-to-be-stuck-with-me-for-a-while-he/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [We have a fear of facing ourselves. That is the obstacle. Experiencing the innermost core of our existence is very embarrassing to a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/we-have-a-fear-of-facing-ourselves-that-is-the-obstacle-experiencing/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [If I had a million dollars, I just wouldn't just completely set back. I'd have to get out there and show my face to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/if-i-had-a-million-dollars-i-just-wouldn-t-just-completely-set-back-i/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [It is proposed that a form of free dialogue may well be one of the most effective ways of investigating the crisis which faces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bohm/it-is-proposed-that-a-form-of-free-dialogue-may-well-be-one-of-the/) [David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bohm/) > [If enough money is involved and enough people believe that two plus two equals five the media will report the story with a straight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/if-enough-money-is-involved-and-enough-people-believe-that-two-plus/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [Here comes old Rosie she's looking mighty fine, here comes hot Nancy she's steppin' right on time. There go the street lights bringing on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-seger/here-comes-old-rosie-she-s-looking-mighty-fine-here-comes-hot-nancy/) [Bob Seger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-seger/) > [A face is too slight a foundation for happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wortley-montagu/a-face-is-too-slight-a-foundation-for-happiness/) [Mary Wortley Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wortley-montagu/) > [ That's probably why my face was looking so crazy when I was crying \[in "Hardball"\] because it was some real. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-b-jordan/that-s-probably-why-my-face-was-looking-so-crazy-when-i-was-crying-in/) [Michael B. Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-b-jordan/) > [Are we fighting?" I asked Morelli. "No. Were discussing." "Are you sure?" "Am I yelling?" Morelli asked. "Is my face purple? Are the cords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/are-we-fighting-i-asked-morelli-no-were-discussing-are-you-sure-am-i/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) [Browse all 13,128 Faces quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have declared war on the rich who prosper on our poverty, the politicians who lie to us with smiling faces, and all the mindless, heartless, robots who protect them and their property.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Assata Shakur" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assata-shakur/i-have-declared-war-on-the-rich-who-prosper-on-our-poverty-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Faces" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assata-shakur/i-have-declared-war-on-the-rich-who-prosper-on-our-poverty-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dd/assata-shakur-2554_faces_i-have-declared-war-on-the-rich-who-pros_727119.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dd/assata-shakur-2554_faces_i-have-declared-war-on-the-rich-who-pros_727119.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dd/assata-shakur-2554_faces_i-have-declared-war-on-the-rich-who-pros_727119.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have declared war on the rich who prosper on our poverty, the politicians who lie to us with smiling…” — Assata Shakur", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Assata Shakur", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assata-shakur/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I have declared war on the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assata-shakur/i-have-declared-war-on-the-rich-who-prosper-on-our-poverty-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assata-shakur/i-have-declared-war-on-the-rich-who-prosper-on-our-poverty-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```