--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think that violence and nonviolence are…" description: "\"I think that violence and nonviolence are not moral principles, they’re tactics.\" — Jerry Vlasak" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/650/jerry-vlasak-20536_moral_i-think-that-violence-and-nonviolence-ar_1662660.jpg" --- # I think that violence and nonviolence are not moral… ![“I think that violence and nonviolence are not moral principles, they’re tactics.” quote by Jerry Vlasak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/650/jerry-vlasak-20536_moral_i-think-that-violence-and-nonviolence-ar_1662660.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/650/jerry-vlasak-20536_moral_i-think-that-violence-and-nonviolence-ar_1662660.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/650/jerry-vlasak-20536_moral_i-think-that-violence-and-nonviolence-ar_1662660.jpg) > “I think that violence and nonviolence are not moral principles, they’re tactics.” [Jerry Vlasak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-vlasak/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Violence and nonviolence are strategic choices, not moral absolutes. **In simple terms:** Tactics, not morals. Key Takeaway Choose tactics wisely. Themes ethics strategy politics Mood thoughtful critical Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - activism - conflict resolution - protest planning Key Concepts moral relativism political theory Questions to Reflect On - How do tactics shape outcomes? - When is force justified? A Different Perspective May ignore deeper moral implications. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Moral principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral-principles/) [Nonviolence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nonviolence/) [Nonviolence Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nonviolence-moral-774610/) [Peacebuilding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peacebuilding/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Tactics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tactics/) [Think Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-violence-388414/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) [Violence Nonviolence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence-nonviolence-774609/) ## Related quotes > [For me, nonviolence was not a moral principle but a strategy; there is no moral goodness in using an ineffective weapon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/for-me-nonviolence-was-not-a-moral-principle-but-a-strategy-there-is/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“Nonviolent passive resistance is effective as long as your opposition adheres to the same rules as you do. But if peaceful protest is met…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/nonviolent-passive-resistance-is-effective-as-long-as-your-opposition/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [ Black Power If the motive is good, and there are no other possibilities, then seen most deeply it \[violence\] is nonviolence, because its aim… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/black-power-if-the-motive-is-good-and-there-are-no-other/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [It is no longer a choice between violence and nonviolence in this world; it's nonviolence or nonexistence. That is where we are today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/it-is-no-longer-a-choice-between-violence-and-nonviolence-in-this/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [ I think violence is part of the struggle against oppression. If something bad happens to these people \[animal researchers\], it will discourage others. It… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-vlasak/i-think-violence-is-part-of-the-struggle-against-oppression-if/) [Jerry Vlasak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-vlasak/) > [Violence and nonviolence are, after all, two different forms of theater. They both depend and thrive on the response of an audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-bacha/violence-and-nonviolence-are-after-all-two-different-forms-of-theater/) [Julia Bacha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-bacha/) > [The relationship between violence and nonviolence in this country is interesting. The fact of the matter is, you know, people do respond to riots.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ta-nehisi-coates/the-relationship-between-violence-and-nonviolence-in-this-country-is/) [Ta-Nehisi Coates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ta-nehisi-coates/) > [An unjust law is itself a species of violence. Arrest for its breach is more so. Now the law of nonviolence says that violence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/an-unjust-law-is-itself-a-species-of-violence-arrest-for-its-breach-2/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [The choice is not between violence and nonviolence but between nonviolence and nonexistence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-choice-is-not-between-violence-and-nonviolence-but-between/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The essence of nonviolence is love. Out of love and the willingness to act selflessly, strategies, tactics, and techniques for a nonviolent struggle arise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/the-essence-of-nonviolence-is-love-out-of-love-and-the-willingness-to/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) > [Part of the reason I embrace nonviolence is that it's the most effective thing we can do. It's a more advanced tactic than violence.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-dechristopher/part-of-the-reason-i-embrace-nonviolence-is-that-it-s-the-most/) [Tim DeChristopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-dechristopher/) > [The University of California has been selected as the poster child of animal abuse at laboratories. It's been shown that the tactics are more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-vlasak/the-university-of-california-has-been-selected-as-the-poster-child-of/) [Jerry Vlasak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-vlasak/) > [I am personally not advocating violence. I am simply saying that it is a morally acceptable tactic and it may be useful in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-vlasak/i-am-personally-not-advocating-violence-i-am-simply-saying-that-it-is/) [Jerry Vlasak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-vlasak/) > [I think violence in movies, for it to work, you have to use it smartly. People get numb very fast. If you have too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fede-alvarez/i-think-violence-in-movies-for-it-to-work-you-have-to-use-it-smartly/) [Fede Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fede-alvarez/) > [Women are rising. And I think that's all the violence and war - it could be the last gasp of the patriarchy, actually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-fonda/women-are-rising-and-i-think-that-s-all-the-violence-and-war-it-could/) [Jane Fonda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-fonda/) ## More by Jerry Vlasak > [It won't ruin our movement if someone gets killed in an animal rights action. It's going to happen sooner or later. The Animal Liberation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-vlasak/it-won-t-ruin-our-movement-if-someone-gets-killed-in-an-animal-rights/) [Jerry Vlasak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-vlasak/) > [Whatever it takes to stop someone from abusing animals is certainly morally acceptable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-vlasak/whatever-it-takes-to-stop-someone-from-abusing-animals-is-certainly/) [Jerry Vlasak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-vlasak/) > [If someone is killing, on a regular basis, thousands of animals, and if that person can only be stopped in one way by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-vlasak/if-someone-is-killing-on-a-regular-basis-thousands-of-animals-and-if/) [Jerry Vlasak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-vlasak/) > [Fear is an effective factor in altering behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-vlasak/fear-is-an-effective-factor-in-altering-behavior/) [Jerry Vlasak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-vlasak/) > [I am personally not advocating violence. I am simply saying that it is a morally acceptable tactic and it may be useful in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-vlasak/i-am-personally-not-advocating-violence-i-am-simply-saying-that-it-is/) [Jerry Vlasak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-vlasak/) > [I think Dario Ringach is a poster boy for the concept that the use of force or the threat of force is an effective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-vlasak/i-think-dario-ringach-is-a-poster-boy-for-the-concept-that-the-use-of/) [Jerry Vlasak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-vlasak/) > [And I don't think you'd have to kill -- assassinate -- too many vivisectors before you would see a marked decrease in the amount…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-vlasak/and-i-don-t-think-you-d-have-to-kill-assassinate-too-many-vivisectors/) [Jerry Vlasak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-vlasak/) > [Nothing is more violent and radical than what's being done to non-human animals in our society. If a researcher won't stop abusing animals and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-vlasak/nothing-is-more-violent-and-radical-than-what-s-being-done-to-non/) [Jerry Vlasak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-vlasak/) > [I think for five lives, 10 lives, 15 human lives, we could save a million, two million, 10 million non-human lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-vlasak/i-think-for-five-lives-10-lives-15-human-lives-we-could-save-a/) [Jerry Vlasak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-vlasak/) > [If that means going onto their farms, releasing their animals and burning the place to the ground, that's morally justifiable, in our opinion...There were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-vlasak/if-that-means-going-onto-their-farms-releasing-their-animals-and/) [Jerry Vlasak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-vlasak/) > [If animal abusers aren't going to stop perpetrating these types of atrocities, they ought to be stopped using whatever means necessary. What we're starting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-vlasak/if-animal-abusers-aren-t-going-to-stop-perpetrating-these-types-of/) [Jerry Vlasak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-vlasak/) > [You can justify, from a political standpoint, any type of violence you want to use.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-vlasak/you-can-justify-from-a-political-standpoint-any-type-of-violence-you/) [Jerry Vlasak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-vlasak/) > [Violence has been a necessary component of every serious liberation struggle...Violence is not the only path to liberation, but likely an indispensable one...the Press…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-vlasak/violence-has-been-a-necessary-component-of-every-serious-liberation/) [Jerry Vlasak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-vlasak/) > [The big difference between animal liberation activists and other so-called 'terrorists' is the targets; no innocent victims are ever targeted in animal lib campaigns.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-vlasak/the-big-difference-between-animal-liberation-activists-and-other-so/) [Jerry Vlasak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-vlasak/) > [As far as the underground liberation movement, it won't have any impact at all because they don't really care about those laws. Their activities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-vlasak/as-far-as-the-underground-liberation-movement-it-won-t-have-any/) [Jerry Vlasak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-vlasak/) [Explore all 30 Jerry Vlasak quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-vlasak/) ## More Moral quotes > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [I raised another shot. "That sound you hear is the heads of moral conservatives spontaneously exploding in the distance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-thurman/i-raised-another-shot-that-sound-you-hear-is-the-heads-of-moral/) [Rob Thurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-thurman/) > [Humans are, as Sartre put it, 'condemned to be free'. To insist that science, or God, objectively defines moral values is to abandon our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenan-malik/humans-are-as-sartre-put-it-condemned-to-be-free-to-insist-that/) [Kenan Malik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenan-malik/) > [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/) > [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/) > [I am convinced that we will never build a democratic state based on rule of law if we do not at the same time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/i-am-convinced-that-we-will-never-build-a-democratic-state-based-on/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [I never knew a man who deserved to be thought well of for his morals who had a slight opinion of our Sex in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/i-never-knew-a-man-who-deserved-to-be-thought-well-of-for-his-morals/) [Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/) > [Your idea of fidelity is not having more than one man in bed at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-raphael/your-idea-of-fidelity-is-not-having-more-than-one-man-in-bed-at-the/) [Frederic Raphael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-raphael/) > [I do conscientiously and sincerely believe that the Order of Freemasonry, if not the greatest, is one of the greatest moral and political evils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/i-do-conscientiously-and-sincerely-believe-that-the-order-of/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [Unfortunately, moral beauty in art - like physical beauty in a person - is extremely perishable. It is nowhere so durable as artistic or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/unfortunately-moral-beauty-in-art-like-physical-beauty-in-a-person-is/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [One of the most basic principles for making and keeping peace within and between nations. . . is that in political, military, moral, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/one-of-the-most-basic-principles-for-making-and-keeping-peace-within/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [Although religion might be useful in developing a solid moral framework - and enforcing it - we can quite easily develop moral intuitions without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-winston/although-religion-might-be-useful-in-developing-a-solid-moral/) [Robert Winston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-winston/) > [I don't believe in moral victories. I don't think in pro ball they exist, and they shouldn't exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-witten/i-don-t-believe-in-moral-victories-i-don-t-think-in-pro-ball-they/) [Jason Witten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-witten/) > [To preserve an unclouded capacity for the enjoyment of life is an unusual moral and psychological achievement. Contrary to popular belief, it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/to-preserve-an-unclouded-capacity-for-the-enjoyment-of-life-is-an/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) > [It is a tragedy that we live in a world where physical courage is so common, and moral courage is so rare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-monet/it-is-a-tragedy-that-we-live-in-a-world-where-physical-courage-is-so/) [Claude Monet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-monet/) [Browse all 7,241 Moral quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think that violence and nonviolence are not moral principles, they’re tactics.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jerry Vlasak" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-vlasak/i-think-that-violence-and-nonviolence-are-not-moral-principles-they/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Moral" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-vlasak/i-think-that-violence-and-nonviolence-are-not-moral-principles-they/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/650/jerry-vlasak-20536_moral_i-think-that-violence-and-nonviolence-ar_1662660.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/650/jerry-vlasak-20536_moral_i-think-that-violence-and-nonviolence-ar_1662660.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/650/jerry-vlasak-20536_moral_i-think-that-violence-and-nonviolence-ar_1662660.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think that violence and nonviolence are not moral principles, they’re tactics.” — Jerry Vlasak", "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": "Jerry Vlasak", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-vlasak/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think that violence and nonviolence...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-vlasak/i-think-that-violence-and-nonviolence-are-not-moral-principles-they/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-vlasak/i-think-that-violence-and-nonviolence-are-not-moral-principles-they/#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 } } ] } ```