--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: War is terrorism ... Terrorism is the…" description: "\"War is terrorism ... Terrorism is the willingness to kill large numbers of people for some presumably good cause. That's what terrorists are about.\" — ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed3/howard-zinn-576_causes_war-is-terrorism-terrorism-is-the-willin_1806372.jpg" --- # War is terrorism ... Terrorism is the willingness to kill… ![“War is terrorism ... Terrorism is the willingness to kill large numbers of people for some presumably good cause. That's what terrorists are about.” quote by Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed3/howard-zinn-576_causes_war-is-terrorism-terrorism-is-the-willin_1806372.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed3/howard-zinn-576_causes_war-is-terrorism-terrorism-is-the-willin_1806372.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed3/howard-zinn-576_causes_war-is-terrorism-terrorism-is-the-willin_1806372.jpg) > “War is terrorism ... Terrorism is the willingness to kill large numbers of people for some presumably good cause. That's what terrorists are about.” [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. War and terrorism both involve mass violence for perceived justice **In simple terms:** Violence justified by ideology harms humanity Key Takeaway Question the morality of violent means Themes war terrorism ethics Mood somber reflective Type historical ethical When to use this quote - conflict resolution - policy analysis - peace activism - education Key Concepts political theory human rights Questions to Reflect On - What defines a “good cause”? - Can non‑violent methods achieve similar goals? A Different Perspective Violence may be seen as necessary by some parties ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cause Terrorists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cause-terrorists-1404093/) [Causes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/causes/) [Good causes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-causes/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Large numbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/large-numbers/) [Numbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/numbers/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Terrorism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorism/) [Terrorism Terrorism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorism-terrorism-580937/) [Terrorism Willingness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorism-willingness-2076215/) [Terrorist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorist/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [War Terrorism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-terrorism/) [Willingness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/willingness/) ## Related quotes > [The war against terrorism is terrorism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/the-war-against-terrorism-is-terrorism/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [The war against terrorism is terrorism. The whole thing is just bullshit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/the-war-against-terrorism-is-terrorism-the-whole-thing-is-just/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [A war against terrorism is an impracticable conception if it means fighting terrorism with terrorism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mortimer/a-war-against-terrorism-is-an-impracticable-conception-if-it-means/) [John Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mortimer/) > [Beyond the futility of armed force, and ultimately more important, is the fact that war in our time inevitably results in the indiscriminate killing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/beyond-the-futility-of-armed-force-and-ultimately-more-important-is/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [I told you I'm not going to criticize my successor. I'll just tell you that there are people at Gitmo that will kill American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-told-you-i-m-not-going-to-criticize-my-successor-i-ll-just-tell-you/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Since war itself is the most extreme form of terrorism, a war on terrorism is profoundly self-contradictory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/since-war-itself-is-the-most-extreme-form-of-terrorism-a-war-on/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [War is terrorism, magnified a hundred times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/war-is-terrorism-magnified-a-hundred-times/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [How can you have a war on terrorism when war itself is terrorism?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/how-can-you-have-a-war-on-terrorism-when-war-itself-is-terrorism/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [It is what it is. It, meaning terrorism. Terrorism is what it is,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-carlson/it-is-what-it-is-it-meaning-terrorism-terrorism-is-what-it-is/) [Gretchen Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-carlson/) > [Whether it is committed by a group operating within or without the law, terrorism is still terrorism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilana-mercer/whether-it-is-committed-by-a-group-operating-within-or-without-the/) [Ilana Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilana-mercer/) > [There is no such things as "Islamic terrorism," because terrorism differs from Islam. There's just terrorism, not Islamic terrorism. But the term "Islamic terrorism"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/there-is-no-such-things-as-islamic-terrorism-because-terrorism/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [“The term terrorism is widely misused. It is utilized in its generic sense as a form of shorthand by governments and the media and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-livingstone/the-term-terrorism-is-widely-misused-it-is-utilized-in-its-generic/) [Neil Livingstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-livingstone/) > [There's a problem of terrorism in the world. There's always been terrorism. There will be terrorism. You have to deal with it surgically. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-scheer/there-s-a-problem-of-terrorism-in-the-world-there-s-always-been/) [Robert Scheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-scheer/) > [“Terrorism” is a word that has become a plague on our vocabulary, the excuse and reason and moral permit for state-sponsored violence— our violence—which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/terrorism-is-a-word-that-has-become-a-plague-on-our-vocabulary-the/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [It isn't poverty that breeds terrorism, but terrorism that breeds poverty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-gillerman/it-isn-t-poverty-that-breeds-terrorism-but-terrorism-that-breeds/) [Dan Gillerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-gillerman/) ## More by Howard Zinn > [“A black man, Benjamin Banneker, who taught himself mathematics and astronomy, predicted accurately a solar eclipse, and was appointed to plan the new city…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/a-black-man-benjamin-banneker-who-taught-himself-mathematics-and/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [There is no flag large enough to cover the shame of killing innocent people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/there-is-no-flag-large-enough-to-cover-the-shame-of-killing-innocent/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“a good education is a synthesis of book learning and involvement in social action, because each enrich the other. The accumulation of knowledge, while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/a-good-education-is-a-synthesis-of-book-learning-and-involvement-in/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [The mountain of history books under which we all stand leans so heavily in the other direction-so tremblingly respectful of states and statesmen and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/the-mountain-of-history-books-under-which-we-all-stand-leans-so/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [Let's face a historical truth: we have never had a "free market", we have always had government intervention in the economy, and indeed that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/let-s-face-a-historical-truth-we-have-never-had-a-free-market-we-have/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [I can UNDERSTAND pessimism, but I don't BELIEVE in it. It's not simply a matter of faith, but of historical EVIDENCE. 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You would be astounded--maybe you wouldn't, maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/now-i-have-been-studying-very-closely-what-happens-every-day-in-the/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [They were not mentioned in the Declaration of Independence, they were absent in the Constitution and they were invisible in the new political democracy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/they-were-not-mentioned-in-the-declaration-of-independence-they-were/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“Sexual purity was to be the special virtue of a woman. It was assumed that men, as a matter of biological nature, would sin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/sexual-purity-was-to-be-the-special-virtue-of-a-woman-it-was-assumed/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“Middle-class Americans might be invited to join a new elite by attacks against the corruption of the established rich. The New Yorker Cadwallader Colden,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/middle-class-americans-might-be-invited-to-join-a-new-elite-by/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [If those in charge of our society - politicians, corporate executives, and owners of press and television - can dominate our ideas, they will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/if-those-in-charge-of-our-society-politicians-corporate-executives/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [We were not born critical of existing society. There was a moment in our lives (or a month, or a year) when certain facts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/we-were-not-born-critical-of-existing-society-there-was-a-moment-in/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [Behind the deceptive words designed to entice people into supporting violence -- words like democracy, freedom, self-defense, national security -- there is the reality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/behind-the-deceptive-words-designed-to-entice-people-into-supporting/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“George Washington had turned down the requests of blacks, seeking freedom, to fight in the Revolutionary army. So when the British military commander in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/george-washington-had-turned-down-the-requests-of-blacks-seeking/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) [Explore all 461 Howard Zinn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) ## More Causes quotes > [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [I pray that wherever we are and whatever duties we have in the priesthood of God, we will be united in the cause to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/i-pray-that-wherever-we-are-and-whatever-duties-we-have-in-the/) [Henry B. 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Well, roll my breakfast cause I'm a hungry man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-joe-turner/get-out-from-that-kitchen-and-rattle-those-pots-and-pans-well-roll-my/) [Big Joe Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-joe-turner/) > [This duo inside of me causes the perfect opportunity to live and learn twice as fast as those who choose to accept simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/this-duo-inside-of-me-causes-the-perfect-opportunity-to-live-and/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [Jobs and money are never the primary cause of stress. Thinking, negative thinking causes stress. 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The causes of youth violence are working parents who put their kids into daycare,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-delay/guns-have-little-or-nothing-to-do-with-juvenile-violence-the-causes/) [Tom DeLay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-delay/) > [I don't wear rubbers cause you can't catch it twice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-norton/i-don-t-wear-rubbers-cause-you-can-t-catch-it-twice/) [Jim Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-norton/) > [I have no hesitation in saying that although the American woman never leaves her domestic sphere and is in some respects very dependent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-have-no-hesitation-in-saying-that-although-the-american-woman-never/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [Well the first time I performed, my mom was like how she is now when sees me on stage – all red, smiling from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-brown/well-the-first-time-i-performed-my-mom-was-like-how-she-is-now-when/) [Chris Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-brown/) > [I love a lot of things, a whole lot of things / Like / My cousin comes to visit and you know he's from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eloise-greenfield/i-love-a-lot-of-things-a-whole-lot-of-things-like-my-cousin-comes-to/) [Eloise Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eloise-greenfield/) > [Many companies have long contended that stress in the home causes productivity loss in the market place.. and it does. 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