---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was no assassin. I got out during the…"
description: "\"I was no assassin. I got out during the amnesty because I had not committed any violent crimes.\" — Jose Mujica"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c9/jose-mujica-9597_amnesty_i-was-no-assassin-i-got-out-during-the-a_548324.png"
---

#  I was no assassin. I got out during the amnesty because I…

![“I was no assassin. I got out during the amnesty because I had not committed any violent crimes.” quote by Jose Mujica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c9/jose-mujica-9597_amnesty_i-was-no-assassin-i-got-out-during-the-a_548324.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c9/jose-mujica-9597_amnesty_i-was-no-assassin-i-got-out-during-the-a_548324.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c9/jose-mujica-9597_amnesty_i-was-no-assassin-i-got-out-during-the-a_548324.png)

> “I was no assassin. I got out during the amnesty because I had not committed any violent crimes.”

[Jose Mujica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-mujica/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He was not a violent criminal; his release was due to amnesty, highlighting the importance of context in judging actions.

**In simple terms:** He was released because of amnesty, not because he was innocent.

Key Takeaway

Consider context before judging.

Themes

justice amnesty politics morality

Mood

thoughtful critical

Type

political philosophical

When to use this quote

- legal reform debates
- human rights workshops
- public policy analysis
- media interviews

Key Concepts

law political science

Questions to Reflect On

- How does amnesty affect perceptions of justice?
- What safeguards ensure fair use of amnesty?

A Different Perspective

Amnesty can be controversial and unevenly applied.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Amnesty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amnesty/) [Assassin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assassin/) [Assassins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assassins/) [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Violent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violent/) [Violent crimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violent-crimes/)

## Related quotes

> [Too often, we see violent criminals return to the streets they have previously terrorized, only to commit more violent crimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-szeliga/too-often-we-see-violent-criminals-return-to-the-streets-they-have/)

[Kathy Szeliga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-szeliga/)

> [In the U.S., blacks are 12% of the population but commit 50% of violent crimes; can anyone honestly think this is unconnected to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/in-the-u-s-blacks-are-12-of-the-population-but-commit-50-of-violent/)

[Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/)

> [When it comes to crime, the violent crime rate in America has been lowered during my presidency and any time in the last three,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/when-it-comes-to-crime-the-violent-crime-rate-in-america-has-been/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [“if you are a carrier of a particular set of genes, your probability of committing a violent crime goes up by eight hundred and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-eagleman/if-you-are-a-carrier-of-a-particular-set-of-genes-your-probability-of/)

[David Eagleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-eagleman/)

> [In the last 10 years, in narcotics task forces, in a number of violent crime task forces, we've worked very closely together with state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/in-the-last-10-years-in-narcotics-task-forces-in-a-number-of-violent/)

[Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/)

> [There is a significant moral difference between a person who commits a violent crime and a person who tries to cross a border illegally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/there-is-a-significant-moral-difference-between-a-person-who-commits/)

[Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/)

> [We need to send a clear message to gang members that violent crime will not be tolerated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-bishop/we-need-to-send-a-clear-message-to-gang-members-that-violent-crime/)

[Tim Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-bishop/)

> [It doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out that if you stop or curtail stop-and-frisk, or if cops are reluctant to do it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-kelly/it-doesn-t-take-a-brain-surgeon-to-figure-out-that-if-you-stop-or/)

[Raymond Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-kelly/)

> [Violent crime is a solved problem - all they have to do is repeal the laws that keep those intelligent, capable, and responsible men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/violent-crime-is-a-solved-problem-all-they-have-to-do-is-repeal-the/)

[L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/)

> [In 1962 and 1963, there were two abominable decisions out of the Supreme Court, and that was taking prayer out of school, and taking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-cruz/in-1962-and-1963-there-were-two-abominable-decisions-out-of-the/)

[Rafael Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-cruz/)

> [Defenders of the status quo will often try to mislead the public by saying, "Just look at our state prisons: nearly half of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-alexander/defenders-of-the-status-quo-will-often-try-to-mislead-the-public-by/)

[Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-alexander/)

> [In the 1990s, we introduced Boston's community policing strategy. We reversed the tide of violent crime that threatened our city, and we established a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-menino/in-the-1990s-we-introduced-boston-s-community-policing-strategy-we/)

[Thomas Menino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-menino/)

> [If violent crime is to be curbed, it is only the intended victim who can do it. The felon does not fear the police,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/if-violent-crime-is-to-be-curbed-it-is-only-the-intended-victim-who/)

[Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/)

> [After more than two decades of trying to destroy the firearms rights of more than 80 million law-abiding American gun owners - and statistically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-gottlieb/after-more-than-two-decades-of-trying-to-destroy-the-firearms-rights/)

Alan Gottlieb

> [There is a fascination about crime, which is understandable, but hardly anyone talks about the families of victims of violent crime and the devastation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/there-is-a-fascination-about-crime-which-is-understandable-but-hardly/)

[Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/)

## More by Jose Mujica

> [“I'm called 'the poorest president', but I don't feel poor. Poor people are those who only work to try to keep an expensive lifestyle,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-mujica/i-m-called-the-poorest-president-but-i-don-t-feel-poor-poor-people/)

[Jose Mujica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-mujica/)

> [No country can solve climate change alone, we have to take global measures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-mujica/no-country-can-solve-climate-change-alone-we-have-to-take-global/)

[Jose Mujica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-mujica/)

> [I think the ideal way of living is to live like the vast majority of people whom we attempt to serve and represent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-mujica/i-think-the-ideal-way-of-living-is-to-live-like-the-vast-majority-of/)

[Jose Mujica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-mujica/)

> [What's sad is that an 80-year-old grandpa has to be the open-minded one. Old people aren't old because of their age, but because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-mujica/what-s-sad-is-that-an-80-year-old-grandpa-has-to-be-the-open-minded/)

[Jose Mujica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-mujica/)

> [I know prisons from the inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-mujica/i-know-prisons-from-the-inside/)

[Jose Mujica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-mujica/)

> [My years in jail were a bit like a workshop for my - that actually forged my way of thinking and my values.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-mujica/my-years-in-jail-were-a-bit-like-a-workshop-for-my-that-actually/)

[Jose Mujica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-mujica/)

> [If I asked people to live as I live, they would kill me,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-mujica/if-i-asked-people-to-live-as-i-live-they-would-kill-me/)

[Jose Mujica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-mujica/)

> [I'm not the poorest president. The poorest is the one who needs a lot to live. My lifestyle is a consequence of my wounds.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-mujica/i-m-not-the-poorest-president-the-poorest-is-the-one-who-needs-a-lot/)

[Jose Mujica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-mujica/)

> [We applied a very simple principle: Recognize the facts. Abortion is old as the world. Gay marriage, please - it's older than the world.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-mujica/we-applied-a-very-simple-principle-recognize-the-facts-abortion-is/)

[Jose Mujica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-mujica/)

> [If we lived within our means - by being prudent - the 7 billion people in the world could have everything they needed. Global…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-mujica/if-we-lived-within-our-means-by-being-prudent-the-7-billion-people-in/)

[Jose Mujica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-mujica/)

> [I am an austere president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-mujica/i-am-an-austere-president/)

[Jose Mujica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-mujica/)

> [We have sacrificed the old immaterial gods, and now we are occupying the temple of the Market-God. He organizes our economy, our politics, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-mujica/we-have-sacrificed-the-old-immaterial-gods-and-now-we-are-occupying/)

[Jose Mujica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-mujica/)

> [Help does not mean to intervene. I will not meddle if I am not invited to do so. But if I can serve as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-mujica/help-does-not-mean-to-intervene-i-will-not-meddle-if-i-am-not-invited/)

[Jose Mujica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-mujica/)

> [A president is a high-level official who is elected to carry out a function. He is not a king, not a god. He is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-mujica/a-president-is-a-high-level-official-who-is-elected-to-carry-out-a/)

[Jose Mujica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-mujica/)

> [The kids of today have to be better than us. We must strive to create tools adequate for human beings that come with other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-mujica/the-kids-of-today-have-to-be-better-than-us-we-must-strive-to-create/)

[Jose Mujica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-mujica/)

[Explore all 71 Jose Mujica quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-mujica/)

## More Amnesty quotes

> [I am strongly opposed to any form of amnesty, including, especially, executive amnesty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-scalise/i-am-strongly-opposed-to-any-form-of-amnesty-including-especially/)

[Steve Scalise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-scalise/)

> [How arrogant - how very far from humility - would be the self-satisfied, smug assurance that God, a tidy-up-after-us God will come and clean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/how-arrogant-how-very-far-from-humility-would-be-the-self-satisfied/)

[Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/)

> [Hillary Clinton has pledged to keep both of these illegal amnesty programs, including the 2014 amnesty which has been blocked by the United States…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/hillary-clinton-has-pledged-to-keep-both-of-these-illegal-amnesty/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [3 "amnesty" didn't mean rewarding illegal behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/3-amnesty-didn-t-mean-rewarding-illegal-behavior/)

[John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/)

> [Why don't Republicans spend all their airtime attacking the media for lying about what Obama's amnesty does and what the Democrats are doing? It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/why-don-t-republicans-spend-all-their-airtime-attacking-the-media-for/)

[Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/)

> [...we will not grant amnesty to illegal aliens in this Congress or, hopefully ever again. We did that once. Everybody said it was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-gramm/we-will-not-grant-amnesty-to-illegal-aliens-in-this-congress-or/)

[Phil Gramm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-gramm/)

> [ I take the Constitution very seriously. The biggest problems that we're facing right now have to do with \[the president\] trying to bring more… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-take-the-constitution-very-seriously-the-biggest-problems-that-we/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [I worked 30 years to try to restore respect for the rule of law because of Ronald Reagan's amnesty in 1986. And I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-king/i-worked-30-years-to-try-to-restore-respect-for-the-rule-of-law/)

[Steve King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-king/)

> [You are going to hear many things from Mr. Trump today in his speech on immigration. One, no amnesty. He is absolutely going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellyanne-conway/you-are-going-to-hear-many-things-from-mr-trump-today-in-his-speech/)

[Kellyanne Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellyanne-conway/)

> [I supported this bill. I believe in the idea of amnesty for those who have put down roots and who have lived here even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-supported-this-bill-i-believe-in-the-idea-of-amnesty-for-those-who/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [Amnesty is a disaster, we need strong borders. We have no country if we have no border. In New Hampshire, the biggest complaint is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/amnesty-is-a-disaster-we-need-strong-borders-we-have-no-country-if-we/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [no study has brought out any solid evidence that the death penalty deters crime. In fact, Amnesty reports that 'the murder rate in states…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoinette-bosco/no-study-has-brought-out-any-solid-evidence-that-the-death-penalty/)

[Antoinette Bosco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoinette-bosco/)

> [We try it practically every time it comes up, be it amnesty, be it any other issue they want. We try and it gets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-try-it-practically-every-time-it-comes-up-be-it-amnesty-be-it-any/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [ This bill \[Immigration Reform and Control act of 1986\] is a gamble, a riverboat gamble. There is no guarantee that employer sanctions will work… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-schumer/this-bill-immigration-reform-and-control-act-of-1986-is-a-gamble-a/)

[Charles Schumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-schumer/)

> [ No one believed \[the 1986 amnesty for illegal aliens\] was tough enough on illegal immigration, and it didn't give enough flexibility on future legal immigration. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-schumer/no-one-believed-the-1986-amnesty-for-illegal-aliens-was-tough-enough/)

[Charles Schumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-schumer/)

[Browse all 195 Amnesty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amnesty/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I was no assassin. I got out during the amnesty because I had not committed any violent crimes.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jose Mujica"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-mujica/i-was-no-assassin-i-got-out-during-the-amnesty-because-i-had-not/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Amnesty"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-mujica/i-was-no-assassin-i-got-out-during-the-amnesty-because-i-had-not/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c9/jose-mujica-9597_amnesty_i-was-no-assassin-i-got-out-during-the-a_548324.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c9/jose-mujica-9597_amnesty_i-was-no-assassin-i-got-out-during-the-a_548324.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c9/jose-mujica-9597_amnesty_i-was-no-assassin-i-got-out-during-the-a_548324.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I was no assassin. I got out during the amnesty because I had not committed any violent crimes.” — Jose Mujica",
                "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": "Jose Mujica",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-mujica/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I was no assassin. I got...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-mujica/i-was-no-assassin-i-got-out-during-the-amnesty-because-i-had-not/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-mujica/i-was-no-assassin-i-got-out-during-the-amnesty-because-i-had-not/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
