--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The fundamental truth is that the guys…" description: "\"The fundamental truth is that the guys with the guns matter more than most.\" — Ilan Berman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/242/ilan-berman-62856_gun_the-fundamental-truth-is-that-the-guys-w_1568117.jpg" --- # The fundamental truth is that the guys with the guns… ![“The fundamental truth is that the guys with the guns matter more than most.” quote by Ilan Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/242/ilan-berman-62856_gun_the-fundamental-truth-is-that-the-guys-w_1568117.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/242/ilan-berman-62856_gun_the-fundamental-truth-is-that-the-guys-w_1568117.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/242/ilan-berman-62856_gun_the-fundamental-truth-is-that-the-guys-w_1568117.jpg) > “The fundamental truth is that the guys with the guns matter more than most.” [Ilan Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilan-berman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Power and influence often reside with those who control force, shaping outcomes more than ordinary participants. **In simple terms:** Those with weapons hold more sway. Key Takeaway Recognize the impact of force in power dynamics. Themes power influence conflict Mood cautious critical Type political analytical When to use this quote - military strategy - political negotiations - law enforcement - activism - social movements Key Concepts political science security studies Questions to Reflect On - How does reliance on force affect long‑term stability? - When does power become abusive? A Different Perspective Force alone cannot guarantee legitimacy or moral authority. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gun/) [Guns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guns/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [I don't get into the gun stuff. Some guys have guns who go hunting. Where do we stop (the gun control) at? I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/i-don-t-get-into-the-gun-stuff-some-guys-have-guns-who-go-hunting/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [“The advantage of being in command of all the guns was that no matter how nicely you asked for something, it was still an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/the-advantage-of-being-in-command-of-all-the-guns-was-that-no-matter/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“GUYS WITH GUNS! THERE ARE GUYS WITH GUNS IN THE WOODS!" "Like, police?" "I DID NOT THINK TO ASK WHO THEY WERE AFTER I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-whitley/guys-with-guns-there-are-guys-with-guns-in-the-woods-like-police-i/) [Jeremy Whitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-whitley/) > [That's what Donald Trump said when he starts talking about, "The Second Amendment people might have..." "You're not taking my guns. No matter who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/that-s-what-donald-trump-said-when-he-starts-talking-about-the-second/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Cripes Miss Wilcox, they're not guns,' I said. No, they're not Mattie, they're books. And a hundred times more dangerous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-donnelly/cripes-miss-wilcox-they-re-not-guns-i-said-no-they-re-not-mattie-they/) [Jennifer Donnelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-donnelly/) > [I don't believe in carrying a weapon. If somebody wants to shoot me, he'll have to bring his own gun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kinky-friedman/i-don-t-believe-in-carrying-a-weapon-if-somebody-wants-to-shoot-me-he/) [Kinky Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kinky-friedman/) > [Counterterrorism isn't really about the nunchakus, the guns and gadgets. It's about psychology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-danes/counterterrorism-isn-t-really-about-the-nunchakus-the-guns-and/) [Claire Danes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-danes/) > [My idols have always stuck to their guns and said what they want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-patrick/my-idols-have-always-stuck-to-their-guns-and-said-what-they-want-to-do/) [Richard Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-patrick/) > [Our main agenda is to have all guns banned of course. We must use whatever means possible. It doesn't matter if you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-brady/our-main-agenda-is-to-have-all-guns-banned-of-course-we-must-use/) [Sarah Brady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-brady/) > [I'm a registered, vetted gun owner, but that's because I live way out in the country, like way out in the middle of nowhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-judd/i-m-a-registered-vetted-gun-owner-but-that-s-because-i-live-way-out/) [Naomi Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-judd/) > [I have a lot of guns on my ranch. I don't use them for hunting. I'm not a hunter. It's for protection. The Second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-norris/i-have-a-lot-of-guns-on-my-ranch-i-don-t-use-them-for-hunting-i-m-not/) [Chuck Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-norris/) > [I don't know anybody that doesn't own a gun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-manchin/i-don-t-know-anybody-that-doesn-t-own-a-gun/) [Joe Manchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-manchin/) > [Guns cause crime like flies cause garbage!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/guns-cause-crime-like-flies-cause-garbage/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [If you reduce the guns and the ammo, you'll reduce the murders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/if-you-reduce-the-guns-and-the-ammo-you-ll-reduce-the-murders/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [I'm OK with guns in schools, if it's a security, trained security personnel. But every teacher having a gun, I don't know if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-tantaros/i-m-ok-with-guns-in-schools-if-it-s-a-security-trained-security/) [Andrea Tantaros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-tantaros/) ## More by Ilan Berman > [Demographics don't lie, economies don't lie. When the median age of your population is twenty-four-years-old and a quarter of the working population's unemployed -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilan-berman/demographics-don-t-lie-economies-don-t-lie-when-the-median-age-of/) [Ilan Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilan-berman/) > [If history's any judge, you might have democratic leanings in a revolution but that doesn't necessarily mean that the revolution is going to end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilan-berman/if-history-s-any-judge-you-might-have-democratic-leanings-in-a/) [Ilan Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilan-berman/) > [One of the things that makes me the most nervous is that the Middle East has historically had a sense of predictability. You may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilan-berman/one-of-the-things-that-makes-me-the-most-nervous-is-that-the-middle/) [Ilan Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilan-berman/) > [Social media is important, but it does not bring down governments. Governments can shut down the Internet. Governments can control media access. If they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilan-berman/social-media-is-important-but-it-does-not-bring-down-governments/) [Ilan Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilan-berman/) [Explore all 5 Ilan Berman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilan-berman/) ## More Gun quotes > [When you reach that competing point, when you reach that time when the gun is about to go off, everyone's level is pretty much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apolo-ohno/when-you-reach-that-competing-point-when-you-reach-that-time-when-the/) [Apolo Ohno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apolo-ohno/) > [Guns have little or nothing to do with juvenile violence. 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/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [I'm OK with guns in schools, if it's a security, trained security personnel. But every teacher having a gun, I don't know if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-tantaros/i-m-ok-with-guns-in-schools-if-it-s-a-security-trained-security/) [Andrea Tantaros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-tantaros/) > [I saw this anti-drug commercial that showed a kid smoking pot in his dad's room with his friend. This kid finds a gun, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-saw-this-anti-drug-commercial-that-showed-a-kid-smoking-pot-in-his/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [For Christmas one year I bought my son a BB gun. He bought me a t-shirt with a bulls eye on the back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-dangerfield/for-christmas-one-year-i-bought-my-son-a-bb-gun-he-bought-me-a-t/) [Rodney Dangerfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-dangerfield/) > [In France they spend six months training policemen, then they give them a gun and put them on the streets, and I don't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mathieu-kassovitz/in-france-they-spend-six-months-training-policemen-then-they-give/) [Mathieu Kassovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mathieu-kassovitz/) > [In Bosnia, little children shot in the head by a guy who thinks it's okay to aim his gun at a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiane-amanpour/in-bosnia-little-children-shot-in-the-head-by-a-guy-who-thinks-it-s/) [Christiane Amanpour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiane-amanpour/) > [If you reduce the guns and the ammo, you'll reduce the murders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/if-you-reduce-the-guns-and-the-ammo-you-ll-reduce-the-murders/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [Gun control laws don't work. What is worse, they act perversely. While legitimate users of firearms encounter intense regulation, scrutiny and bureaucratic control, illicit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-d-polsby/gun-control-laws-don-t-work-what-is-worse-they-act-perversely-while/) Daniel D. Polsby > [Can you understand why the Congress, most states and most cities refuse to pass legislation requiring the registration and licensing of any and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/can-you-understand-why-the-congress-most-states-and-most-cities/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Only a coward will use a gun to protect and get respect for themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-jal/only-a-coward-will-use-a-gun-to-protect-and-get-respect-for-themselves/) [Emmanuel Jal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-jal/) > [The proliferation of right-to-carry laws throughout the states has drawn plaintive complaints from the criminal element. They feel that it makes their profession too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/the-proliferation-of-right-to-carry-laws-throughout-the-states-has/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [We have no butter... but I ask you, would you rather have butter or guns? Preparedness makes us powerful. Butter merely makes us fat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-goring/we-have-no-butter-but-i-ask-you-would-you-rather-have-butter-or-guns/) [Hermann Goring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-goring/) > [When personal freedom's being abused, you have to move to limit it. That's what we did in the announcement I made last weekend on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/when-personal-freedom-s-being-abused-you-have-to-move-to-limit-it/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) [Browse all 3,584 Gun quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gun/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The fundamental truth is that the guys with the guns matter more than most.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ilan Berman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilan-berman/the-fundamental-truth-is-that-the-guys-with-the-guns-matter-more-than/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Gun" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilan-berman/the-fundamental-truth-is-that-the-guys-with-the-guns-matter-more-than/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/242/ilan-berman-62856_gun_the-fundamental-truth-is-that-the-guys-w_1568117.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/242/ilan-berman-62856_gun_the-fundamental-truth-is-that-the-guys-w_1568117.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/242/ilan-berman-62856_gun_the-fundamental-truth-is-that-the-guys-w_1568117.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The fundamental truth is that the guys with the guns matter more than most.” — Ilan Berman", "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": "Ilan Berman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilan-berman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The fundamental truth is that the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilan-berman/the-fundamental-truth-is-that-the-guys-with-the-guns-matter-more-than/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilan-berman/the-fundamental-truth-is-that-the-guys-with-the-guns-matter-more-than/#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 } } ] } ```