--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: His captors asked why he, a…" description: "\"“His captors asked why he, a nonslaveholder, was fighting to uphold slavery. He replied: “I’m fighting because you’re down here.”7”\" — James M. McPherson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01a/james-m-mcpherson-46986_slavery_his-captors-asked-why-he-a-nonslaveholde_366921.jpg" --- # His captors asked why he, a nonslaveholder, was fighting… ![“His captors asked why he, a nonslaveholder, was fighting to uphold slavery. He replied: “I’m fighting because you’re down here.”7” quote by James M. McPherson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01a/james-m-mcpherson-46986_slavery_his-captors-asked-why-he-a-nonslaveholde_366921.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01a/james-m-mcpherson-46986_slavery_his-captors-asked-why-he-a-nonslaveholde_366921.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01a/james-m-mcpherson-46986_slavery_his-captors-asked-why-he-a-nonslaveholde_366921.jpg) > ““His captors asked why he, a nonslaveholder, was fighting to uphold slavery. He replied: “I’m fighting because you’re down here.”7”” [James M. McPherson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-mcpherson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Highlights the paradox of fighting for oppression while being oppressed oneself. **In simple terms:** Oppressed may defend their oppressors. Key Takeaway Question motives behind seemingly contradictory actions. Themes paradox justice identity conflict Mood thought‑provoking critical Type historical philosophical When to use this quote - civil rights activism - military service - political advocacy Key Concepts Moral philosophy social psychology historical irony Questions to Reflect On - Why do individuals support oppressive systems? - How does personal benefit shape moral choices? A Different Perspective Complex personal histories can obscure true intentions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery/) ## Related quotes > [Obviously, I'll keep fighting to uphold the Constitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-newdow/obviously-i-ll-keep-fighting-to-uphold-the-constitution/) [Michael Newdow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-newdow/) > [“Your pony, he said as he stomped toward me. "I'm the farrier who is here to fix your pony." "I thought you were a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-gantos/your-pony-he-said-as-he-stomped-toward-me-i-m-the-farrier-who-is-here/) [Jack Gantos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-gantos/) > [They don't really focus on that history here in America. I remember growing up as a kid, history class was very washed-over. They didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldis-hodge/they-don-t-really-focus-on-that-history-here-in-america-i-remember/) [Aldis Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldis-hodge/) > [Man preys on man; and you mourn for the idle tapestry that decorated a gothic pillar, and the dronish bell that summoned the fat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft/man-preys-on-man-and-you-mourn-for-the-idle-tapestry-that-decorated-a/) [Mary Wollstonecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft/) > [Think about it: we went into slavery pagans; we came out Christians. We went into slavery pieces of property; we came out American citizens.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t-washington/think-about-it-we-went-into-slavery-pagans-we-came-out-christians-we/) [Booker T. Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t-washington/) > [“Being a slave is to have nothing but still having something left to lose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lalita-tedemy/being-a-slave-is-to-have-nothing-but-still-having-something-left-to/) Lalita Tedemy > [“Work is a vehicle with which man chases some fleeting destination called a full tummy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/work-is-a-vehicle-with-which-man-chases-some-fleeting-destination/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [We know, Southern men declare that their slaves are better off than hired laborers amongst us. How little they know, whereof they speak! There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/we-know-southern-men-declare-that-their-slaves-are-better-off-than/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [If he's - the inference is that somehow he thinks slavery is a - is a noble institution I would - I would strongly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/if-he-s-the-inference-is-that-somehow-he-thinks-slavery-is-a-is-a/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Slavery, if it can be legalized at all, can be legalized only by positive legislation. Natural law gives it no aid. Custom imparts to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/slavery-if-it-can-be-legalized-at-all-can-be-legalized-only-by/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [My favorite Founding Fathers, Christians like John Adams, were absolutely appalled by slavery, and did not own slaves. I think we're going to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/my-favorite-founding-fathers-christians-like-john-adams-were/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [Can you look forward to the future of our country and imagine any state of things in which, with slavery still existing, we should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dale-owen/can-you-look-forward-to-the-future-of-our-country-and-imagine-any/) [Robert Dale Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dale-owen/) > [Single acts of tyranny may be ascribed to the accidental opinion of a day; but a series of oppressions, begun at a distinguished period…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/single-acts-of-tyranny-may-be-ascribed-to-the-accidental-opinion-of-a/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Animal rights without veganism is like human rights with slavery. It makes no sense. None whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-l-francione/animal-rights-without-veganism-is-like-human-rights-with-slavery-it/) [Gary L. Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) ## More by James M. McPherson > [“Although per capita income doubled during the half-century, not all sectors of society shared equally in this abundance. While both rich and poor enjoyed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-mcpherson/although-per-capita-income-doubled-during-the-half-century-not-all/) [James M. McPherson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-mcpherson/) > [“The truth is, when bullets are whacking against tree-trunks and solid shot are cracking skulls like egg-shells, the consuming passion in the breast of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-mcpherson/the-truth-is-when-bullets-are-whacking-against-tree-trunks-and-solid/) [James M. McPherson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-mcpherson/) > [“The casualties at Antietam numbered four times the total suffered by American soldiers at the Normandy beaches on June 6, 1944. More than twice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-mcpherson/the-casualties-at-antietam-numbered-four-times-the-total-suffered-by/) [James M. McPherson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-mcpherson/) > [“The Civil War was pre-eminently a political war, a war of peoples rather than of professional armies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-mcpherson/the-civil-war-was-pre-eminently-a-political-war-a-war-of-peoples/) [James M. McPherson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-mcpherson/) > [“Governor Beriah Magoffin”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-mcpherson/governor-beriah-magoffin/) [James M. McPherson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-mcpherson/) > [“In cities and factories, the vices of our nature are more fully displayed,” declared James Hammond of South Carolina in 1829, while rural life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-mcpherson/in-cities-and-factories-the-vices-of-our-nature-are-more-fully/) [James M. McPherson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-mcpherson/) > [“Not surprisingly, South Carolina acted first. “There is nothing in all the dark caves of human passion so cruel and deadly as the hatred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-mcpherson/not-surprisingly-south-carolina-acted-first-there-is-nothing-in-all/) [James M. McPherson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-mcpherson/) [Explore all 8 James M. McPherson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-mcpherson/) ## More Slavery quotes > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [Animal rights without veganism is like human rights with slavery. It makes no sense. None whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-l-francione/animal-rights-without-veganism-is-like-human-rights-with-slavery-it/) [Gary L. Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) > [Single acts of tyranny may be ascribed to the accidental opinion of a day; but a series of oppressions, begun at a distinguished period…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/single-acts-of-tyranny-may-be-ascribed-to-the-accidental-opinion-of-a/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Can you look forward to the future of our country and imagine any state of things in which, with slavery still existing, we should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dale-owen/can-you-look-forward-to-the-future-of-our-country-and-imagine-any/) [Robert Dale Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dale-owen/) > [My favorite Founding Fathers, Christians like John Adams, were absolutely appalled by slavery, and did not own slaves. I think we're going to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/my-favorite-founding-fathers-christians-like-john-adams-were/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [Slavery, if it can be legalized at all, can be legalized only by positive legislation. Natural law gives it no aid. Custom imparts to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/slavery-if-it-can-be-legalized-at-all-can-be-legalized-only-by/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [If he's - the inference is that somehow he thinks slavery is a - is a noble institution I would - I would strongly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/if-he-s-the-inference-is-that-somehow-he-thinks-slavery-is-a-is-a/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [We know, Southern men declare that their slaves are better off than hired laborers amongst us. How little they know, whereof they speak! There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/we-know-southern-men-declare-that-their-slaves-are-better-off-than/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [“Work is a vehicle with which man chases some fleeting destination called a full tummy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/work-is-a-vehicle-with-which-man-chases-some-fleeting-destination/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“Being a slave is to have nothing but still having something left to lose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lalita-tedemy/being-a-slave-is-to-have-nothing-but-still-having-something-left-to/) Lalita Tedemy > [Think about it: we went into slavery pagans; we came out Christians. We went into slavery pieces of property; we came out American citizens.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t-washington/think-about-it-we-went-into-slavery-pagans-we-came-out-christians-we/) [Booker T. Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t-washington/) > [Man preys on man; and you mourn for the idle tapestry that decorated a gothic pillar, and the dronish bell that summoned the fat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft/man-preys-on-man-and-you-mourn-for-the-idle-tapestry-that-decorated-a/) [Mary Wollstonecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft/) > [They don't really focus on that history here in America. I remember growing up as a kid, history class was very washed-over. They didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldis-hodge/they-don-t-really-focus-on-that-history-here-in-america-i-remember/) [Aldis Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldis-hodge/) > [We're living based on laws and ideas that we, as a society, embraced back in the days of slavery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-duvernay/we-re-living-based-on-laws-and-ideas-that-we-as-a-society-embraced/) [Ava DuVernay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/) > [“To say to the slave who has not been emancipated 'Do not behave as a slave' is to mock his enslavement. But to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-murray/to-say-to-the-slave-who-has-not-been-emancipated-do-not-behave-as-a/) [John Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-murray/) [Browse all 2,997 Slavery quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“His captors asked why he, a nonslaveholder, was fighting to uphold slavery. He replied: “I’m fighting because you’re down here.”7”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James M. McPherson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-mcpherson/his-captors-asked-why-he-a-nonslaveholder-was-fighting-to-uphold/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Slavery" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-mcpherson/his-captors-asked-why-he-a-nonslaveholder-was-fighting-to-uphold/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01a/james-m-mcpherson-46986_slavery_his-captors-asked-why-he-a-nonslaveholde_366921.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01a/james-m-mcpherson-46986_slavery_his-captors-asked-why-he-a-nonslaveholde_366921.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01a/james-m-mcpherson-46986_slavery_his-captors-asked-why-he-a-nonslaveholde_366921.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“His captors asked why he, a nonslaveholder, was fighting to uphold slavery. He replied: “I’m fighting…” — James M. McPherson", "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": "James M. McPherson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-mcpherson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“His captors asked why he, a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-mcpherson/his-captors-asked-why-he-a-nonslaveholder-was-fighting-to-uphold/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-mcpherson/his-captors-asked-why-he-a-nonslaveholder-was-fighting-to-uphold/#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 } } ] } ```