--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In short, WMDs are targeting us all. And…" description: "\"“In short, WMDs are targeting us all. And they’ll continue to multiply, sowing injustice, until we take steps to stop them.”\" — Cathy O'Neil" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb6/cathy-o-neil-11478_justice_in-short-wmds-are-targeting-us-all-and-t_2671989.jpg" --- # In short, WMDs are targeting us all. And they’ll continue… ![“In short, WMDs are targeting us all. And they’ll continue to multiply, sowing injustice, until we take steps to stop them.” quote by Cathy O'Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb6/cathy-o-neil-11478_justice_in-short-wmds-are-targeting-us-all-and-t_2671989.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb6/cathy-o-neil-11478_justice_in-short-wmds-are-targeting-us-all-and-t_2671989.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb6/cathy-o-neil-11478_justice_in-short-wmds-are-targeting-us-all-and-t_2671989.jpg) > ““In short, WMDs are targeting us all. And they’ll continue to multiply, sowing injustice, until we take steps to stop them.”” [Cathy O'Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-o-neil/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Weapons of mass destruction proliferate, causing injustice unless we act to stop them. **In simple terms:** WMDs spread injustice; we must intervene. Key Takeaway Advocate for policies that curb WMD proliferation. Themes justice security activism Mood concerned urgent Type political activist When to use this quote - government regulation - public awareness campaigns - international diplomacy - grassroots activism Key Concepts non‑proliferation policy ethics Questions to Reflect On - What actions can individuals take to influence WMD policies? - How can societies balance security and civil liberties? A Different Perspective Complex geopolitics may limit individual impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Short Wmds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short-wmds-2510784/) [Sowing Injustice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sowing-injustice-2510785/) [Targeting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/targeting/) [Wmds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wmds-1843560/) [Wmds Targeting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wmds-targeting-2510783/) ## Related quotes > [“We’ve seen time and again that mathematical models can sift through data to locate people who are likely to face great challenges, whether from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-o-neil/we-ve-seen-time-and-again-that-mathematical-models-can-sift-through/) [Cathy O'Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-o-neil/) > [“We worried for decades about WMDs – Weapons of Mass Destruction. Now it is time to worry about a new kind of WMDs –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mariotti/we-worried-for-decades-about-wmds-weapons-of-mass-destruction-now-it/) [John Mariotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mariotti/) > [In 2005, the Iraq war was entering its third year and no one believed that we were going to find WMDs any more. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-armstrong/in-2005-the-iraq-war-was-entering-its-third-year-and-no-one-believed/) [Jesse Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-armstrong/) > [Micro-targeting is the ability for a campaign to profile you, to know much more about you than you know about it, and then to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-o-neil/micro-targeting-is-the-ability-for-a-campaign-to-profile-you-to-know/) [Cathy O'Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-o-neil/) > [“Selling without targeting is like sailing without a compass. Think before you invest more time in pursuing the lead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timi-nadela/selling-without-targeting-is-like-sailing-without-a-compass-think/) [Timi Nadela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timi-nadela/) > [ISIS targeting the U.S. military is like a sheep targeting a lion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dakota-meyer/isis-targeting-the-u-s-military-is-like-a-sheep-targeting-a-lion/) [Dakota Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dakota-meyer/) > [Alinsky's 1971 book, 'Rules for Radicals,' is a favorite of the Obamas. Michele Obama quoted it at the Democratic Convention. One Alinsky tactic is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-rove/alinsky-s-1971-book-rules-for-radicals-is-a-favorite-of-the-obamas/) [Karl Rove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-rove/) > [In many cases, Obama's exercise of authoritarian power is criminal. 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I brought corruption cases in good faith involving powerful people, and the political and legal establishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-thomas/today-corruption-has-won-and-justice-has-lost-i-brought-corruption/) [Andrew Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-thomas/) > ['Targeting' is polite ads-speak for the data levers that Facebook exposes to advertisers, allowing that predatory lot to dissect the user base - that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-garcia-martinez/targeting-is-polite-ads-speak-for-the-data-levers-that-facebook/) [Antonio Garcia Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-garcia-martinez/) > [These same people who accuse Planned Parenthood of 'targeting' African-American children, they care about you only while you're in the womb. The minute you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwen-moore/these-same-people-who-accuse-planned-parenthood-of-targeting-african/) [Gwen Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwen-moore/) > [Counterterrorism analysts have known for years that al Qaeda prepares for attacks with elaborate 'targeting packages' of photographs and notes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/counterterrorism-analysts-have-known-for-years-that-al-qaeda-prepares/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [We have a rise of extremism because we need to give a sense that we are targeting some of the deeper problems in Greece,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/we-have-a-rise-of-extremism-because-we-need-to-give-a-sense-that-we/) [George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/) > [They were targeting those people I referred to as 'little Eichmanns.' These were legitimate targets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ward-churchill/they-were-targeting-those-people-i-referred-to-as-little-eichmanns/) [Ward Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ward-churchill/) ## More by Cathy O'Neil > [ With recidivism algorithms, for example, I worry about racist outcomes. With personality tests \[for hiring\], I worry about filtering out people with mental health… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-o-neil/with-recidivism-algorithms-for-example-i-worry-about-racist-outcomes/) [Cathy O'Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-o-neil/) > [“They draw statistical correlations between a person’s zip code or language patterns and her potential to pay back a loan or handle a job.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-o-neil/they-draw-statistical-correlations-between-a-person-s-zip-code-or/) [Cathy O'Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-o-neil/) > [I don't think anybody's ever notified that they were sentenced to an extra two years because their recidivism score had been high, or notified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-o-neil/i-don-t-think-anybody-s-ever-notified-that-they-were-sentenced-to-an/) [Cathy O'Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-o-neil/) > [The national conversation around white entitlement, around institutionalized racism, the Black Lives Matter movement, I think, came about in large part because of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-o-neil/the-national-conversation-around-white-entitlement-around/) [Cathy O'Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-o-neil/) > [“model’s blind spots reflect the judgments and priorities of its creators. 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Those who pay their bills promptly, the thinking goes, are more likely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-o-neil/employers-for-example-are-increasingly-using-credit-scores-to/) [Cathy O'Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-o-neil/) > [Google is so big you have no idea what a given person does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-o-neil/google-is-so-big-you-have-no-idea-what-a-given-person-does/) [Cathy O'Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-o-neil/) > [It's a standard thing you hear from startup people - that their product is somehow improving the world. And if you follow the reasoning,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-o-neil/it-s-a-standard-thing-you-hear-from-startup-people-that-their-product/) [Cathy O'Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-o-neil/) > [The NSA buys data from private companies, so the private companies are the source of all this stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-o-neil/the-nsa-buys-data-from-private-companies-so-the-private-companies-are/) [Cathy O'Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-o-neil/) > [“The algorithms would make sure that those deemed losers would remain that way. A lucky minority would gain ever more control over the data…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-o-neil/the-algorithms-would-make-sure-that-those-deemed-losers-would-remain/) [Cathy O'Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-o-neil/) > [“As we’ve seen, they (the companies) routinely reject applicants on the basis of credit scores and personality tests. Health scores represent a natural—and frightening—next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-o-neil/as-we-ve-seen-they-the-companies-routinely-reject-applicants-on-the/) [Cathy O'Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-o-neil/) > [We don't let a car company just throw out a car and start driving it around without checking that the wheels are fastened on.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-o-neil/we-don-t-let-a-car-company-just-throw-out-a-car-and-start-driving-it/) [Cathy O'Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-o-neil/) > [The public trusts big data way too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-o-neil/the-public-trusts-big-data-way-too-much/) [Cathy O'Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-o-neil/) [Explore all 59 Cathy O'Neil quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-o-neil/) ## More Justice quotes > [Never fight on the wrong side; you might win but the burden of guilt is more than a loss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilian-salan/never-fight-on-the-wrong-side-you-might-win-but-the-burden-of-guilt/) [Lilian Salan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilian-salan/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [“Crime and punishment can be summed up in two classifications: there are bad people and there are people who get into bad situations. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnnie-dent-jr/crime-and-punishment-can-be-summed-up-in-two-classifications-there/) [Johnnie Dent Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnnie-dent-jr/) > [In the battle for police reform, accountability and justice, Americans don't have to re-invent the wheel. We just have to revoke the thing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-johnson/in-the-battle-for-police-reform-accountability-and-justice-americans/) [Jason Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-johnson/) > [“Why do so many people do nothing? I think it’s because most of us look at the evils and injustice around us, and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/why-do-so-many-people-do-nothing-i-think-it-s-because-most-of-us-look/) [John C. 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Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-p-ryan/) > [This cold weather has set all the young Folks to providing Bedfellows. I have signed two or three Licences every Day \[as a Fairfax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mason/this-cold-weather-has-set-all-the-young-folks-to-providing-bedfellows/) [George Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mason/) > [May God bless each of us in our calls to serve. May our faith strengthen as we serve in righteousness, faithfully keeping the commandments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-tom-perry/may-god-bless-each-of-us-in-our-calls-to-serve-may-our-faith/) [L. 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