--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If they won't stop when you ask them…" description: "\"If they won't stop when you ask them nicely, they don't stop when you demonstrate to them what they're doing is wrong, then they should be stopped usin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d9/jerry-vlasak-20536_asks_if-they-won-t-stop-when-you-ask-them-nic_3194826.jpg" --- # If they won't stop when you ask them nicely, they don't… ![“If they won't stop when you ask them nicely, they don't stop when you demonstrate to them what they're doing is wrong, then they should be stopped using whatever means are necessary.” quote by Jerry Vlasak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d9/jerry-vlasak-20536_asks_if-they-won-t-stop-when-you-ask-them-nic_3194826.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d9/jerry-vlasak-20536_asks_if-they-won-t-stop-when-you-ask-them-nic_3194826.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d9/jerry-vlasak-20536_asks_if-they-won-t-stop-when-you-ask-them-nic_3194826.jpg) > “If they won't stop when you ask them nicely, they don't stop when you demonstrate to them what they're doing is wrong, then they should be stopped using whatever means are necessary.” [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. If polite requests fail, forceful action may be justified to stop wrongdoing. **In simple terms:** Use necessary force when peaceful pleas don’t work. Key Takeaway Consider decisive intervention when needed. Themes activism ethics conflict Mood urgent defensive Type ethical strategic When to use this quote - protest planning - legal risk assessment - emergency response Key Concepts civil disobedience self‑defense Questions to Reflect On - When is force ethically permissible? - What non‑violent alternatives exist? A Different Perspective Violence can undermine moral authority and cause backlash. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [If (a particular researcher) won't stop when you ask nicely, when you picket in front of his house, or when you burn his car,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-vlasak/if-a-particular-researcher-won-t-stop-when-you-ask-nicely-when-you/) [Jerry Vlasak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-vlasak/) > [Service not included but if you ask nicely we might consider it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-dangoor/service-not-included-but-if-you-ask-nicely-we-might-consider-it/) [Robert D Dangoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-dangoor/) > [“Okay, we’ll take it step by step. Strip to your underwear.” A shiver went through me at his demand, but I found myself replying,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-young/okay-we-ll-take-it-step-by-step-strip-to-your-underwear-a-shiver-went/) [Samantha Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-young/) > [All right," he said. "Since you ask so nicely." "I wasn't asking." "I'm aware of that. The sharp point in my back did make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/all-right-he-said-since-you-ask-so-nicely-i-wasn-t-asking-i-m-aware/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [“He remembered lesson #76.5 from Man Decorum 101: Never tell a smart, pissed-off female what to do. Ask her. Nicely. Preferably with roses in hand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-rowe/he-remembered-lesson-76-5-from-man-decorum-101-never-tell-a-smart/) [Stephanie Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-rowe/) > [If your concern is that I may be overcome with manly ardor and ravish you in a moment of weakness… I may. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/if-your-concern-is-that-i-may-be-overcome-with-manly-ardor-and-ravish/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [“Gee, Mick, when you ask so nicely, how can a girl say no?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-rose-black/gee-mick-when-you-ask-so-nicely-how-can-a-girl-say-no/) [J. Rose Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-rose-black/) > [I don't do what I'm told, but I might do what you want if you ask me nicely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-don-t-do-what-i-m-told-but-i-might-do-what-you-want-if-you-ask-me/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [On the journey of life, its okay to stop and ask for directions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/on-the-journey-of-life-its-okay-to-stop-and-ask-for-directions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [On the journey of life it's okay to stop and ask for directions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kshitij-roshan/on-the-journey-of-life-it-s-okay-to-stop-and-ask-for-directions/) [Kshitij Roshan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kshitij-roshan/) > [“When my father would stop and ask for directions,'you can't miss it' were the only words he heard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-alexander/when-my-father-would-stop-and-ask-for-directions-you-can-t-miss-it/) [Lauren Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-alexander/) > [“you know what doesn’t work when people are tasering you? It’s shouting ‘Stop tasering me.’ If they’re tasering you already, they won’t stop because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-rex/you-know-what-doesn-t-work-when-people-are-tasering-you-it-s-shouting/) [Adam Rex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-rex/) > [“When you’re in the middle of being in love with someone, you just don’t stop to ask.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ockler/when-you-re-in-the-middle-of-being-in-love-with-someone-you-just-don/) [Sarah Ockler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ockler/) > [If you ask yourself, Why? stop and ask yourself, Why not?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-ask-yourself-why-stop-and-ask-yourself-why-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“You've got to stop and ask yourself once in a while...why some asinine politicians would quicker cut out social security than the space program...Go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-pina/you-ve-got-to-stop-and-ask-yourself-once-in-a-while-why-some-asinine/) [Timothy Pina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-pina/) ## 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/) > [I think that violence and nonviolence are not moral principles, they’re tactics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-vlasak/i-think-that-violence-and-nonviolence-are-not-moral-principles-they/) [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/) [Explore all 30 Jerry Vlasak quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-vlasak/) ## More Asks quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. So if somebody asks me what time it is, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-wear-a-watch-because-i-want-my-arms-to-weigh-the-same-so-if/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [I am a practicing Catholic, but my lineage is Jewish, so if someone asks me if I'm Jewish, I say yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neve-campbell/i-am-a-practicing-catholic-but-my-lineage-is-jewish-so-if-someone/) [Neve Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neve-campbell/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [Why did Erich von Stronheim leave Germany? Why did Hitchcock leave England? If you were a director you'd like to work in Hollywood too.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-polanski/why-did-erich-von-stronheim-leave-germany-why-did-hitchcock-leave/) [Roman Polanski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-polanski/) > [There is nothing more I ask of this life than this moment, exactly so. And suddenly forever seems like too short a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-andreas/there-is-nothing-more-i-ask-of-this-life-than-this-moment-exactly-so/) [Brian Andreas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-andreas/) > [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [The most fundamental question we can ever ask ourselves is whether or not the universe we live in is friendly or hostile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-most-fundamental-question-we-can-ever-ask-ourselves-is-whether-or/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) > [For someone to ask 'Who did you play for' and to be able to answer a single name 'Liverpool' that would be brilliant...I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/for-someone-to-ask-who-did-you-play-for-and-to-be-able-to-answer-a/) [Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/) > [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/) > [Ask God for temp'rance. That's th' appliance only Which your disease requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ask-god-for-temp-rance-that-s-th-appliance-only-which-your-disease/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I don't know how to say it exactly. Only...I want to die as myself. Does that make any sense?' he asks. I shake my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-don-t-know-how-to-say-it-exactly-only-i-want-to-die-as-myself-does/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Physicist Isador Isaac Rabi, who won a Nobel Prize for inventing a technique that permitted scientists to probe the structure of atoms and molecules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/physicist-isador-isaac-rabi-who-won-a-nobel-prize-for-inventing-a/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) Browse all 7,138 Asks quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If they won't stop when you ask them nicely, they don't stop when you demonstrate to them what they're doing is wrong, then they should be stopped using whatever means are necessary.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jerry Vlasak" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-vlasak/if-they-won-t-stop-when-you-ask-them-nicely-they-don-t-stop-when-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Asks" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-vlasak/if-they-won-t-stop-when-you-ask-them-nicely-they-don-t-stop-when-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d9/jerry-vlasak-20536_asks_if-they-won-t-stop-when-you-ask-them-nic_3194826.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d9/jerry-vlasak-20536_asks_if-they-won-t-stop-when-you-ask-them-nic_3194826.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d9/jerry-vlasak-20536_asks_if-they-won-t-stop-when-you-ask-them-nic_3194826.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If they won't stop when you ask them nicely, they don't stop when you demonstrate to them what they're doing…” — 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": "If they won't stop when you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-vlasak/if-they-won-t-stop-when-you-ask-them-nicely-they-don-t-stop-when-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-vlasak/if-they-won-t-stop-when-you-ask-them-nicely-they-don-t-stop-when-you/#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 } } ] } ```