--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's just as evil to kill Vietnamese as…" description: "\"It's just as evil to kill Vietnamese as it is to kill Americans.\" — Martin Luther King, Jr" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7d/martin-luther-king-jr-127_evil_it-s-just-as-evil-to-kill-vietnamese-as_3066034.png" --- # It's just as evil to kill Vietnamese as it is to kill… ![“It's just as evil to kill Vietnamese as it is to kill Americans.” quote by Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7d/martin-luther-king-jr-127_evil_it-s-just-as-evil-to-kill-vietnamese-as_3066034.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7d/martin-luther-king-jr-127_evil_it-s-just-as-evil-to-kill-vietnamese-as_3066034.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7d/martin-luther-king-jr-127_evil_it-s-just-as-evil-to-kill-vietnamese-as_3066034.png) > “It's just as evil to kill Vietnamese as it is to kill Americans.” [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. All lives are equally valuable; killing any group is morally wrong. **In simple terms:** Killing is evil regardless of nationality. Key Takeaway Recognize universal humanity. Themes ethics war equality Mood serious inspirational Type political philosophical When to use this quote - political debate - peace activism - education curricula Key Concepts Human rights moral philosophy Questions to Reflect On - Can we truly value all lives equally? - What actions uphold this principle? A Different Perspective Some argue strategic differences affect moral judgment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [To kill a citizen of our own country is evil, but to kill a citizen of another country is 'good.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/to-kill-a-citizen-of-our-own-country-is-evil-but-to-kill-a-citizen-of/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [“Best to live and love by the maxim that 'silence in the face of evil is evil itself', but when it's evil fighting evil,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/best-to-live-and-love-by-the-maxim-that-silence-in-the-face-of-evil/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [Violence in any form is evil and to kill innocent animals in tantamount to blatant savagery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sathya-sai-baba/violence-in-any-form-is-evil-and-to-kill-innocent-animals-in/) [Sathya Sai Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sathya-sai-baba/) > [Evil can kill a person but never conquer a people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jens-stoltenberg/evil-can-kill-a-person-but-never-conquer-a-people/) [Jens Stoltenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-stoltenberg/) > [Thou canst not force my soul to wish thee ill, That is the only evil that can kill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-wheeler-wilcox/thou-canst-not-force-my-soul-to-wish-thee-ill-that-is-the-only-evil/) [Ella Wheeler Wilcox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-wheeler-wilcox/) > [I knew that I could never again raise my voice against the violence of the oppressed in the ghettos without having first spoken clearly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-knew-that-i-could-never-again-raise-my-voice-against-the-violence/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [There are people who wish to do us harm in the most heinous way. They want to kill Americans simply because they are Americans.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-gregg/there-are-people-who-wish-to-do-us-harm-in-the-most-heinous-way-they/) [Judd Gregg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-gregg/) > [The most extreme individuals and factions in Islamic countries are now more motivated than ever to kill Americans, and the number of potential terrorists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-olver/the-most-extreme-individuals-and-factions-in-islamic-countries-are/) [John Olver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-olver/) > [My core goal is to dismantle, defeat, destroy al Qaeda and its allies that killed Americans and are still plotting to go kill Americans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/my-core-goal-is-to-dismantle-defeat-destroy-al-qaeda-and-its-allies/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Bathtub falls and police officers kill more Americans than terrorism, yet we've been asked to sacrifice our most sacred rights for fear of falling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/bathtub-falls-and-police-officers-kill-more-americans-than-terrorism/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Nuclear weapons kill Americans - they don't kill Republicans or Democrats - they kill Americans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-wilson/nuclear-weapons-kill-americans-they-don-t-kill-republicans-or/) [Joe Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-wilson/) > [Our actions in the Middle East over the last 15 years have already guaranteed radical Muslims quite enough ammunition to kill Americans for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-clooney/our-actions-in-the-middle-east-over-the-last-15-years-have-already/) [Nick Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-clooney/) > [It occurs to us that so-called "freedom fries" kill many more Americans than terrorists ever do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mosher/it-occurs-to-us-that-so-called-freedom-fries-kill-many-more-americans/) [Terry Mosher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mosher/) > [Terrorists that kill Americans don't get released.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/terrorists-that-kill-americans-don-t-get-released/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [I am convinced that it is one of the most unjust wars that has ever been fought in the history of the world. Our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-am-convinced-that-it-is-one-of-the-most-unjust-wars-that-has-ever/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) ## More by Martin Luther King, Jr > [The strong man holds in a living blend strongly marked opposites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-strong-man-holds-in-a-living-blend-strongly-marked-opposites/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Our nation was born in genocide when it embraced the doctrine that the original American, the Indian, was an inferior race. ... We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/our-nation-was-born-in-genocide-when-it-embraced-the-doctrine-that/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Every genuine expression of love grows out of a consistent and total surrender to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/every-genuine-expression-of-love-grows-out-of-a-consistent-and-total/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character--that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-remember-that-intelligence-is-not-enough-intelligence-plus/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I’ve been to the Mountaintop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-ve-been-to-the-mountaintop/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The supreme task is to organize and unite people so that their anger becomes a transforming force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-supreme-task-is-to-organize-and-unite-people-so-that-their-anger/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The great issue of life is to harness the drum major instinct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-great-issue-of-life-is-to-harness-the-drum-major-instinct/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Somebody must have sense enough and morality enough to cut off the chain of hate and the chain of evil in the universe. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somebody-must-have-sense-enough-and-morality-enough-to-cut-off-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Darkness is only driven out with light, not more darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/darkness-is-only-driven-out-with-light-not-more-darkness/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [What seems so necessary today may not even be desirable tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/what-seems-so-necessary-today-may-not-even-be-desirable-tomorrow/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The Negro cannot win the respect of his oppressor by acquiescing; he merely increases the oppressor's arrogance and contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-negro-cannot-win-the-respect-of-his-oppressor-by-acquiescing-he/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The majority of the Negroes who took part in the year-long boycott of Montgomery's buses were poor and untutored; but they understood the essence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-majority-of-the-negroes-who-took-part-in-the-year-long-boycott-of/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Whenever you are engaged in work that serves humanity and is for the building of humanity, it has dignity and it has worth,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/whenever-you-are-engaged-in-work-that-serves-humanity-and-is-for-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-have-a-dream-that-one-day-even-the-state-of-mississippi-a-desert/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) [Explore all 1,210 Martin Luther King, Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) ## More Evil quotes > [I've always been fascinated by the idea that there's no such thing as evil; it's all in your point of view. To one group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-ve-always-been-fascinated-by-the-idea-that-there-s-no-such-thing-as/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [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/) > [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [What is done out of love always takes place beyond good and evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-is-done-out-of-love-always-takes-place-beyond-good-and-evil/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ Evil cannot be "treated" -- nor should it be. Evil has to \[be\] confronted and destroyed and it matters not why the evil is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/evil-cannot-be-treated-nor-should-it-be-evil-has-to-be-confronted-and/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [The evil which does me no harm is like the good which in no wise avails me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/the-evil-which-does-me-no-harm-is-like-the-good-which-in-no-wise/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/attack-the-evil-that-is-within-yourself-rather-than-attacking-the/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [There is a spirit which I feel that delights to do no evil, nor to revenge any wrong, but delights to endure all things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nayler/there-is-a-spirit-which-i-feel-that-delights-to-do-no-evil-nor-to/) James Nayler > [The politician attempts to remedy the evil by increasing the very thing that caused the evil in the first place: legal plunder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-politician-attempts-to-remedy-the-evil-by-increasing-the-very/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [“Water is so friendly when you have it on your palms, but so evil when they have you on theirs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/water-is-so-friendly-when-you-have-it-on-your-palms-but-so-evil-when/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [THE ART OF PEACE is not easy. It is a fight to the finish, the slaying of evil desires and all falsehood within. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morihei-ueshiba/the-art-of-peace-is-not-easy-it-is-a-fight-to-the-finish-the-slaying/) [Morihei Ueshiba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morihei-ueshiba/) [Browse all 11,163 Evil quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's just as evil to kill Vietnamese as it is to kill Americans.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Martin Luther King, Jr" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/it-s-just-as-evil-to-kill-vietnamese-as-it-is-to-kill-americans/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Evil" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/it-s-just-as-evil-to-kill-vietnamese-as-it-is-to-kill-americans/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7d/martin-luther-king-jr-127_evil_it-s-just-as-evil-to-kill-vietnamese-as_3066034.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7d/martin-luther-king-jr-127_evil_it-s-just-as-evil-to-kill-vietnamese-as_3066034.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7d/martin-luther-king-jr-127_evil_it-s-just-as-evil-to-kill-vietnamese-as_3066034.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's just as evil to kill Vietnamese as it is to kill Americans.” — Martin Luther King, Jr", "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": "Martin Luther King, Jr", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's just as evil to kill...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/it-s-just-as-evil-to-kill-vietnamese-as-it-is-to-kill-americans/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/it-s-just-as-evil-to-kill-vietnamese-as-it-is-to-kill-americans/#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 } } ] } ```