--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you had to hurt somebody or intimidate…" description: "\"If you had to hurt somebody or intimidate them or kill them, it would be morally justifiable.\" — Jerry Vlasak" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/618/jerry-vlasak-20536_animal-rights_if-you-had-to-hurt-somebody-or-intimidat_3181951.jpg" --- # If you had to hurt somebody or intimidate them or kill… ![“If you had to hurt somebody or intimidate them or kill them, it would be morally justifiable.” quote by Jerry Vlasak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/618/jerry-vlasak-20536_animal-rights_if-you-had-to-hurt-somebody-or-intimidat_3181951.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/618/jerry-vlasak-20536_animal-rights_if-you-had-to-hurt-somebody-or-intimidat_3181951.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/618/jerry-vlasak-20536_animal-rights_if-you-had-to-hurt-somebody-or-intimidat_3181951.jpg) > “If you had to hurt somebody or intimidate them or kill them, it would be morally justifiable.” [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. In extreme conflict, violent actions may be seen as morally permissible to protect others. **In simple terms:** Violence can be justified in extreme cases. Key Takeaway Consider ethics before acting. Themes ethics conflict justification Mood serious controversial Type ethical political When to use this quote - military decisions - activism - law enforcement - personal safety Key Concepts moral philosophy self‑defense Questions to Reflect On - When is force truly necessary? - What alternatives exist? A Different Perspective Violence often escalates harm and may be misused. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animal - rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal-rights/) [Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hurt/) [Hurt Somebody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hurt-somebody-615604/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Intimidating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intimidating/) [Justifiable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justifiable-293722/) [Kill Morally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kill-morally-5833702/) [Morally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morally/) [Morally Justifiable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morally-justifiable-293720/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) ## Related quotes > [“Exactly. Since it is morally justifiable, I have only to consider the question of personal risk. Surely a gentleman should not lay much stress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/exactly-since-it-is-morally-justifiable-i-have-only-to-consider-the/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [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 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/) > [Proving that profit is economically and morally justifiable, rather than the result of exploitation, has been a central preoccupation of neoclassical economists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-stanford/proving-that-profit-is-economically-and-morally-justifiable-rather/) [Jim Stanford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-stanford/) > [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/) > [Therefore coercion of the non-invasive, when justifiable at all, is to be justified on the ground that it secures, not a minimum of '…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/therefore-coercion-of-the-non-invasive-when-justifiable-at-all-is-to/) [Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) > [What's great about well-written material is, if you can shock with justifiable actions, that's the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-cranston/what-s-great-about-well-written-material-is-if-you-can-shock-with/) [Bryan Cranston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-cranston/) > [“How his hatred seethed in search of a justifiable excuse.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-mailer/how-his-hatred-seethed-in-search-of-a-justifiable-excuse/) [Norman Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-mailer/) > [“The end did not justify the means, but justifiable means that brought about a fair and necessary conclusion were not to be dismissed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ludlum/the-end-did-not-justify-the-means-but-justifiable-means-that-brought/) [Robert Ludlum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ludlum/) > [Some of the justifiable critiques has been by - been so successful in telling this story, you know, there's a danger of saying, oh,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-devlin/some-of-the-justifiable-critiques-has-been-by-been-so-successful-in/) [Keith Devlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-devlin/) > [The Liberty of the press consists in the right to publish with impunity truth with good motives for justifiable ends, though reflecting on government,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/the-liberty-of-the-press-consists-in-the-right-to-publish-with/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [“You do know I’m the one person who can shoot you and make it look like justifiable homicide?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-laurenston/you-do-know-i-m-the-one-person-who-can-shoot-you-and-make-it-look/) [Shelly Laurenston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelly-laurenston/) > [The crux of the matter is whether total war in its present form is justifiable, even when it serves a just purpose. Does it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hersey/the-crux-of-the-matter-is-whether-total-war-in-its-present-form-is/) [John Hersey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hersey/) > [While there are cases where even the law recognizes an abortion as justifiable if recommended by a physician, I assert that the hundreds of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-sanger/while-there-are-cases-where-even-the-law-recognizes-an-abortion-as/) [Margaret Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-sanger/) > [No code of ethics and no effort are justifiable a priori in the face of the cruel mathematics that command our condition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/no-code-of-ethics-and-no-effort-are-justifiable-a-priori-in-the-face/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) ## 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 Animal - rights quotes > [“it is a federal system of sadistic torture, vivisection, and animal genocide, which has been carried on for decades under the fraudulent guise of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tobias/it-is-a-federal-system-of-sadistic-torture-vivisection-and-animal/) [Michael Tobias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tobias/) > [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 hold flesh-food to be unsuited to our species. We err in copying the lower animal world if we are superior to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-hold-flesh-food-to-be-unsuited-to-our-species-we-err-in-copying-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/the-love-for-all-living-creatures-is-the-most-noble-attribute-of-man/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [When I was in my teens I had a series of intensely religious experiences. They deepened my sense of God as the creator of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-linzey/when-i-was-in-my-teens-i-had-a-series-of-intensely-religious/) [Andrew Linzey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-linzey/) > [I think I could always live with animals. The more you're around people, the more you love animals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/i-think-i-could-always-live-with-animals-the-more-you-re-around/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [“Poor animals, how jealously they guard their bodies, for to us is merely an evening’s meal, but to them is life itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-casey-brennan/poor-animals-how-jealously-they-guard-their-bodies-for-to-us-is/) [T. Casey Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-casey-brennan/) > [My life is a tsunami of inspirations. Number one is that I really do just love my BBQ. I mean it's the sustenance of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/my-life-is-a-tsunami-of-inspirations-number-one-is-that-i-really-do/) [Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/) > [Humans — who enslave, castrate, experiment on, and fillet other animals — have had an understandable penchant for pretending animals do not feel pain.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/humans-who-enslave-castrate-experiment-on-and-fillet-other-animals/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“The time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of animals as they now look on the murder of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimitri-merejkowski/the-time-will-come-when-men-such-as-i-will-look-upon-the-murder-of/) [Dimitri Merejkowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimitri-merejkowski/) > [It won't ruin our movement if someone gets killed in an animal rights action. It's going to happen sooner or later. 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