--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Violence just hurts those who are already…" description: "\"Violence just hurts those who are already hurt...Instead of exposing the brutality of the oppressor, it justifies it.\" — Cesar Chavez" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31d/cesar-chavez-2137_brutality_violence-just-hurts-those-who-are-alread_2047058.png" --- # Violence just hurts those who are already hurt...Instead… ![“Violence just hurts those who are already hurt...Instead of exposing the brutality of the oppressor, it justifies it.” quote by Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31d/cesar-chavez-2137_brutality_violence-just-hurts-those-who-are-alread_2047058.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31d/cesar-chavez-2137_brutality_violence-just-hurts-those-who-are-alread_2047058.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31d/cesar-chavez-2137_brutality_violence-just-hurts-those-who-are-alread_2047058.png) > “Violence just hurts those who are already hurt...Instead of exposing the brutality of the oppressor, it justifies it.” [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Violence perpetuates harm to the already suffering and can unintentionally legitimize the oppressor’s cruelty. **In simple terms:** Violence hurts victims and can excuse oppressors. Key Takeaway Promote non‑violent resistance. Themes justice non‑violence oppression Mood determined hopeful Type ethical inspirational When to use this quote - protests - community organizing - civil rights movements - activist strategies Key Concepts ethical resistance social change Questions to Reflect On - How can you protect the vulnerable while confronting oppression? - What alternatives to violence are effective? A Different Perspective Non‑violent tactics may be slower to achieve change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brutality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brutality/) [Brutality Oppressor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brutality-oppressor-3838479/) [Death penalty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death-penalty/) [Exposing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exposing/) [Exposing Brutality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exposing-brutality-3838478/) [Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hurt/) [Just Hurts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-hurts-240775/) [Justify](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justify/) [Non violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/non-violence/) [Oppressor Justifies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppressor-justifies-3838477/) [Oppressors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppressors/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) [Violence Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence-just-618297/) ## Related quotes > [The non-violent technique does not depend for its success on the goodwill of the oppressor, but rather on the unfailing assistance of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/the-non-violent-technique-does-not-depend-for-its-success-on-the/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [I’ve met a lot of men who were motivated to commit violence just like me. And without exception, without question, every one of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-bundy/i-ve-met-a-lot-of-men-who-were-motivated-to-commit-violence-just-like/) [Ted Bundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-bundy/) > [There are many reasons for violence. This is just something that sometimes happens. We'd see it in treatment centers - the child who'd suffered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-dobyns/there-are-many-reasons-for-violence-this-is-just-something-that/) [Stephen Dobyns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-dobyns/) > [“Violence was just another function of the body, no less unusual than sweating or vomiting. It sat on the same shelf as sexual intercourse.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ottessa-moshfegh/violence-was-just-another-function-of-the-body-no-less-unusual-than/) [Ottessa Moshfegh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ottessa-moshfegh/) > [I was a pretty angry kid, and I got into military history largely as a way to vent my own anger. As I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caleb-carr/i-was-a-pretty-angry-kid-and-i-got-into-military-history-largely-as-a/) [Caleb Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caleb-carr/) > [The work that I've been trying to do with violence against women and children comes from seeing quite a bit of violence. I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-lebrock/the-work-that-i-ve-been-trying-to-do-with-violence-against-women-and/) [Kelly LeBrock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-lebrock/) > [Its typical of Mexico, of the whole human race perhaps — violence in favour of an ideal and then the ideal lost but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/its-typical-of-mexico-of-the-whole-human-race-perhaps-violence-in/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [Violence breeds violence and I just don't think the world is too complex to set a peaceful precedent, but it seems the business of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-mckenna/violence-breeds-violence-and-i-just-don-t-think-the-world-is-too/) [Declan McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-mckenna/) > [Violence was just as much about WHAT was happening as it was how it happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-dean-myers/violence-was-just-as-much-about-what-was-happening-as-it-was-how-it/) [Walter Dean Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-dean-myers/) > [“Violence is not just an emotion, it is a culture. Some suffer in it, some are born into it and others cannot live without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabella-poretsis/violence-is-not-just-an-emotion-it-is-a-culture-some-suffer-in-it/) [Isabella Poretsis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabella-poretsis/) > [Not all cultural borrowing is a form of social violence: some of it is just cringe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sarkar/not-all-cultural-borrowing-is-a-form-of-social-violence-some-of-it-is/) [Ash Sarkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-sarkar/) > [I always ask myself one question: what is human? What does it mean to be human? Maybe people will consider my new films brutal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-ki-duk/i-always-ask-myself-one-question-what-is-human-what-does-it-mean-to/) [Kim Ki-duk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-ki-duk/) > [I feel that non-violence is really the only way that we can follow because violence is just so self-defeating. A riot ends up creating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-feel-that-non-violence-is-really-the-only-way-that-we-can-follow/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [“Violence is not just an abstract noun…its a way of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-marc-akerele/violence-is-not-just-an-abstract-noun-its-a-way-of-life/) [Jean-Marc Akerele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-marc-akerele/) > [Once you do something violent in a film, you don't have to do too much. You do it once and the feeling of violence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-dominik/once-you-do-something-violent-in-a-film-you-don-t-have-to-do-too-much/) [Andrew Dominik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-dominik/) ## More by Cesar Chavez > [We need, in a special way, to work twice as hard to help people understand that animals are fellow creatures, that we must protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/we-need-in-a-special-way-to-work-twice-as-hard-to-help-people/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [If you win non-violently, then you have a double victory, you have not only won your fight, but you remain free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/if-you-win-non-violently-then-you-have-a-double-victory-you-have-not/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [When we are really honest with ourselves we must admit our lives are all that really belong to us. So it is how we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/when-we-are-really-honest-with-ourselves-we-must-admit-our-lives-are/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [We know we cannot be kind to animals until we stop exploiting them -- exploiting animals in the name of science, exploiting animals in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/we-know-we-cannot-be-kind-to-animals-until-we-stop-exploiting-them/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [Non-violence has suffered its biggest defeat in the hands of people who most want to talk about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/non-violence-has-suffered-its-biggest-defeat-in-the-hands-of-people/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [it is clearly evident that our path travels through a valley of teas well known to all farm workers, because in all valleys the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/it-is-clearly-evident-that-our-path-travels-through-a-valley-of-teas/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [The people who give you their food give you their heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/the-people-who-give-you-their-food-give-you-their-heart/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [The name of the game is to talk to people. If you don't talk to people, you can't get started...You knock on twenty doors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/the-name-of-the-game-is-to-talk-to-people-if-you-don-t-talk-to-people/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [...people think non-violence is really weak and non-militant. These are misconceptions that people have because they don't understand what non-violence means. Non-violence takes more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/people-think-non-violence-is-really-weak-and-non-militant-these-are/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [We shall strike. We shall organize boycotts. We shall demonstrate and have political campaigns. We shall pursue the revolution we have proposed. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/we-shall-strike-we-shall-organize-boycotts-we-shall-demonstrate-and/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [There are vivid memories from my childhood - what we had to go through because of low wages and the conditions, basically because there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/there-are-vivid-memories-from-my-childhood-what-we-had-to-go-through/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [Self dedication is a spiritual experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/self-dedication-is-a-spiritual-experience/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [I am convinced that the truest act of courage, the strongest act of manliness, is to sacrifice ourselves for others in a totally nonviolent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/i-am-convinced-that-the-truest-act-of-courage-the-strongest-act-of/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [You cannot oppress the people who are not afraid anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/you-cannot-oppress-the-people-who-are-not-afraid-anymore/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [When workers fall back on violence, they are lost. Oh, they might win some of their demands and might end a strike a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/when-workers-fall-back-on-violence-they-are-lost-oh-they-might-win/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) [Explore all 183 Cesar Chavez quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) ## More Brutality quotes > [All women love semi-rape. They love to be taken.It was his sweet brutality against my bruised body that made his act of love so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-fleming/all-women-love-semi-rape-they-love-to-be-taken-it-was-his-sweet/) [Ian Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-fleming/) > [“The hunger for power has made them cruel They shed humanity and shed every rule They bow to the devil, deny what is just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-zaki-ansari/the-hunger-for-power-has-made-them-cruel-they-shed-humanity-and-shed/) [Mohammed Zaki Ansari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-zaki-ansari/) > [Hitler recruited around him homosexuals to make up his Stormtroopers, they were his enforcers, they were his thugs. And Hitler discovered that he could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-fischer/hitler-recruited-around-him-homosexuals-to-make-up-his-stormtroopers/) [Bryan Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-fischer/) > [The greatest reward of this constant interrogation, confrontation with the brutality of my country, is that it has freed me from hosts and myths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ta-nehisi-coates/the-greatest-reward-of-this-constant-interrogation-confrontation-with/) [Ta-Nehisi Coates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ta-nehisi-coates/) > [The African tribesman, with his complete contempt for truth and his emphasis on brutality and savagery for others but not for himself, is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-ron-hubbard/the-african-tribesman-with-his-complete-contempt-for-truth-and-his/) [L. Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) > [Never mind a world that can't see past brutality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ric-ocasek/never-mind-a-world-that-can-t-see-past-brutality/) [Ric Ocasek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ric-ocasek/) > [I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-am-not-unmindful-that-some-of-you-have-come-here-out-of-great/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The horse-laugh indicates brutality of character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-kaspar-lavater/the-horse-laugh-indicates-brutality-of-character/) [Johann Kaspar Lavater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-kaspar-lavater/) > [The Negroes of America had taken the President, the press and the pulpit at their word when they spoke in broad terms of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-negroes-of-america-had-taken-the-president-the-press-and-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [We need tremendous energy to bring about a psychological change in ourselves as human beings, because we have lived far too long in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/we-need-tremendous-energy-to-bring-about-a-psychological-change-in/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [I see myself capable of arrogance and brutality... That's a fierce thing, to discover within yourself that which you despise the most in others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stevens/i-see-myself-capable-of-arrogance-and-brutality-that-s-a-fierce-thing/) [George Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stevens/) > [The very opposite of freedom is cliche, and nothing is less free, more inert with convention and hollow brutality, than a row of four-letter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-steiner/the-very-opposite-of-freedom-is-cliche-and-nothing-is-less-free-more/) [George Steiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-steiner/) > [I can tell you countless instances of this country's history of brutality, of inequity, of heartlessness. But if I do that without also talking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-moore/i-can-tell-you-countless-instances-of-this-country-s-history-of/) [Wes Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-moore/) > [What draws men and women together is stronger than the brutality and tyranny which drive them apart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-fawcett/what-draws-men-and-women-together-is-stronger-than-the-brutality-and/) [Millicent Fawcett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-fawcett/) > [Whether it comes from a despotic sovereign or an elected president, from a murderous general or a beloved leader, I see power as an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oriana-fallaci/whether-it-comes-from-a-despotic-sovereign-or-an-elected-president/) [Oriana Fallaci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oriana-fallaci/) [Browse all 427 Brutality quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brutality/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Violence just hurts those who are already hurt...Instead of exposing the brutality of the oppressor, it justifies it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Cesar Chavez" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/violence-just-hurts-those-who-are-already-hurt-instead-of-exposing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Brutality" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/violence-just-hurts-those-who-are-already-hurt-instead-of-exposing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31d/cesar-chavez-2137_brutality_violence-just-hurts-those-who-are-alread_2047058.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31d/cesar-chavez-2137_brutality_violence-just-hurts-those-who-are-alread_2047058.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31d/cesar-chavez-2137_brutality_violence-just-hurts-those-who-are-alread_2047058.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Violence just hurts those who are already hurt...Instead of exposing the brutality of the oppressor, it…” — Cesar Chavez", "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": "Cesar Chavez", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Violence just hurts those who are...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/violence-just-hurts-those-who-are-already-hurt-instead-of-exposing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/violence-just-hurts-those-who-are-already-hurt-instead-of-exposing/#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 } } ] } ```