--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Another wrote: “First, we are evicting…" description: "\"“Another wrote: “First, we are evicting Sheila M, the caller for help from police. She has been beaten by her ‘man’ who kicks in doors and goes to jail..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f63/matthew-desmond-1529_self-defense_another-wrote-first-we-are-evicting-shei_1289901.jpg" --- # Another wrote: “First, we are evicting Sheila M, the… ![“Another wrote: “First, we are evicting Sheila M, the caller for help from police. She has been beaten by her ‘man’ who kicks in doors and goes to jail for 1 or 2 days. (Catch and release does not work.) We suggested she obtain a gun and kill him in self defense, but evidently she hasn’t…” quote by Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f63/matthew-desmond-1529_self-defense_another-wrote-first-we-are-evicting-shei_1289901.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f63/matthew-desmond-1529_self-defense_another-wrote-first-we-are-evicting-shei_1289901.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f63/matthew-desmond-1529_self-defense_another-wrote-first-we-are-evicting-shei_1289901.jpg) > ““Another wrote: “First, we are evicting Sheila M, the caller for help from police. She has been beaten by her ‘man’ who kicks in doors and goes to jail for 1 or 2 days. (Catch and release does not work.) We suggested she obtain a gun and kill him in self defense, but evidently she hasn’t. Therefore, we are evicting her.” Each”” [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A commentary on systemic failure to protect vulnerable individuals, suggesting extreme measures when institutions fail. **In simple terms:** Systemic neglect leads to desperate suggestions. Key Takeaway Recognize and address root causes of violence. Themes justice violence systemic failure vulnerability Mood critical somber Type analytical advocacy When to use this quote - domestic violence shelters - legal aid - community intervention - policy reform Key Concepts self‑defense policy critique social services Questions to Reflect On - How can we improve protection for victims? - What alternatives exist to violent retaliation? A Different Perspective The suggestion of violence is unethical and illegal. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Self defense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-defense/) ## Related quotes > [“Evictions should be the absolute last resort for landlords and not the first-choice, nuclear option. Evicting people is mostly an unnecessary exercise in power-tripping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-stafford/evictions-should-be-the-absolute-last-resort-for-landlords-and-not/) [Stewart Stafford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-stafford/) > [Inequality, climate change, and conflict are evicting millions from their homes. But these perils are being met with 'anti-answers' such as nationalism, closed borders,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winnie-byanyima/inequality-climate-change-and-conflict-are-evicting-millions-from/) [Winnie Byanyima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winnie-byanyima/) > [RETRIBUTION, n. A rain of fire-and-brimstone that falls alike upon the just and such of the unjust as have not procured shelter by evicting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/retribution-n-a-rain-of-fire-and-brimstone-that-falls-alike-upon-the/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [In Brazil, a poor man goes to jail when he steals. When a rich man steals, he becomes a minister.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/in-brazil-a-poor-man-goes-to-jail-when-he-steals-when-a-rich-man/) [Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/) > [In a society of criminals, the innocent man goes to jail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/in-a-society-of-criminals-the-innocent-man-goes-to-jail/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [Justice doesn't mean the bad guy goes to jail, it just means that someone pays for the crime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/justice-doesn-t-mean-the-bad-guy-goes-to-jail-it-just-means-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let me tell you something. Nobody goes to jail unless they want to. Unless they make themselves get caught. They don't have things organized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-pileggi/let-me-tell-you-something-nobody-goes-to-jail-unless-they-want-to/) [Nicholas Pileggi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-pileggi/) > [People have a right to protest; they have a right to make their opinion. They can be very upset about what they consider to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/people-have-a-right-to-protest-they-have-a-right-to-make-their/) [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) > [Tyler Perry's 'Madea Goes to Jail!' Which, I have to tell you, of everything that I've ever done in my career, that's the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/tyler-perry-s-madea-goes-to-jail-which-i-have-to-tell-you-of/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [A man who goes to jail for his ideas is much freer than his keepers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikis-theodorakis/a-man-who-goes-to-jail-for-his-ideas-is-much-freer-than-his-keepers/) [Mikis Theodorakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikis-theodorakis/) > [If anything’s going on in our lives, we have each other. One time, I was having a bad day, and I called Chris Colfer.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lea-michele/if-anything-s-going-on-in-our-lives-we-have-each-other-one-time-i-was/) [Lea Michele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lea-michele/) > [“Someone kills herself on your land, your mother goes to jail, you go to jail, you take a beating from your cousin, and what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-a-king/someone-kills-herself-on-your-land-your-mother-goes-to-jail-you-go-to/) [Alex A. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-a-king/) > ['Nobody goes to jail.' This is the mantra of the financial-crisis era, one that saw virtually every major bank and financial company on Wall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-taibbi/nobody-goes-to-jail-this-is-the-mantra-of-the-financial-crisis-era/) [Matt Taibbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-taibbi/) > [People can have their opinions about everything in the world, but people's opinions end where the tip of my nose begins. Your opinions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-can-have-their-opinions-about-everything-in-the-world-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you shoot someone who is fleeing, it's not self-defense. It's an execution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-shoot-someone-who-is-fleeing-it-s-not-self-defense-it-s-an/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Matthew Desmond > [I don't think we can fix poverty without fixing housing, and I don't think we can address housing without understanding landlords.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/i-don-t-think-we-can-fix-poverty-without-fixing-housing-and-i-don-t/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [If we continue to tolerate this level of poverty in our cities, and go along with eviction as commonplace in poor neighborhoods, it's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/if-we-continue-to-tolerate-this-level-of-poverty-in-our-cities-and-go/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [You see one eviction, and you're overcome, but then there's another one and another one and another one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/you-see-one-eviction-and-you-re-overcome-but-then-there-s-another-one/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [When I talk to booksellers, they tell me how hard it is to hand-sell some of my books because I do keep popping around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/when-i-talk-to-booksellers-they-tell-me-how-hard-it-is-to-hand-sell/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [Housing being a top-order issue for cities is something that's not trivial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/housing-being-a-top-order-issue-for-cities-is-something-that-s-not/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [I think that we value fairness in this country. We value equal opportunity. Without a stable home, those ideals really fall apart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/i-think-that-we-value-fairness-in-this-country-we-value-equal/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [Exploitation. Now, there's a word that has been scrubbed out of the poverty debate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/exploitation-now-there-s-a-word-that-has-been-scrubbed-out-of-the/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [I think there are ways that graduate students can fact-check their work. I think there are ways that we can do this that don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/i-think-there-are-ways-that-graduate-students-can-fact-check-their/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [Fire itself is very beautiful, and there's an attachment to fire that firefighters have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/fire-itself-is-very-beautiful-and-there-s-an-attachment-to-fire-that/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [“Sherrena nodded reassuringly and said, almost to herself, “I guess I got to stop feeling sorry for these people because nobody is feeling sorry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/sherrena-nodded-reassuringly-and-said-almost-to-herself-i-guess-i-got/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [Everywhere else, we are someone else, but at home, we remove our masks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/everywhere-else-we-are-someone-else-but-at-home-we-remove-our-masks/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [A community that sees so clearly its own disadvantage or its own hardships also has a harder time seeing its potential: its ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/a-community-that-sees-so-clearly-its-own-disadvantage-or-its-own/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [“It was once said that the poor are 'constantly exposed to evidence of their own irrelevance.' Especially for poor African-American families - who live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/it-was-once-said-that-the-poor-are-constantly-exposed-to-evidence-of/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [A universal voucher program would change the face of poverty in this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/a-universal-voucher-program-would-change-the-face-of-poverty-in-this/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [“Wildland firefighters do not enjoy the cultural prestige that structural firefighters do. They do not wax their fire engines and cruise down the local…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/wildland-firefighters-do-not-enjoy-the-cultural-prestige-that/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) [Explore all 230 Matthew Desmond quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) ## More Self defense quotes > [When you shoot someone who is fleeing, it's not self-defense. It's an execution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-shoot-someone-who-is-fleeing-it-s-not-self-defense-it-s-an/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People can have their opinions about everything in the world, but people's opinions end where the tip of my nose begins. Your opinions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-can-have-their-opinions-about-everything-in-the-world-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Israel has a couple of hundred nuclear weapons and also chemical and biological weapons. This stockpile is not only a threat in itself but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/israel-has-a-couple-of-hundred-nuclear-weapons-and-also-chemical-and/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Laws that forbid the carrying of arms . . . disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/laws-that-forbid-the-carrying-of-arms-disarm-only-those-who-are/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [I do not believe in loving enemies; I have pretty hard work to love my friends. Neither do I believe in revenge. No man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/i-do-not-believe-in-loving-enemies-i-have-pretty-hard-work-to-love-my/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [Self-defense is the clearest of all laws, and for this reason: lawyers didn't make it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-william-jerrold/self-defense-is-the-clearest-of-all-laws-and-for-this-reason-lawyers/) [Douglas William Jerrold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-william-jerrold/) > [A good soldier is a blind, heartless, soulless, murderous machine. He is not a man. His is not a brute, for brutes kill only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-london/a-good-soldier-is-a-blind-heartless-soulless-murderous-machine-he-is/) [Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-london/) > [For an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/for-an-unarmed-man-may-be-attacked-with-greater-confidence-than-an/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“The Kodiak of Atlanta was brave and powerful and the closest thing to a father Curran had. He also had an uncanny ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/the-kodiak-of-atlanta-was-brave-and-powerful-and-the-closest-thing-to/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [“Your self-defense becomes a self-defeat when you are doing it for selfish reasons! It's not about you and your pocket alone; let it be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/your-self-defense-becomes-a-self-defeat-when-you-are-doing-it-for/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Don't try to be fancy. Shoot for the center of mass. The world is full of decent people. Criminals we can do without.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/don-t-try-to-be-fancy-shoot-for-the-center-of-mass-the-world-is-full/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [“When dragons attack, the only thing you should seek to stand behind is your own sword.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/when-dragons-attack-the-only-thing-you-should-seek-to-stand-behind-is/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [Therefore, if you are attacked, retaliate instantly. Be sudden. Be quick. Speed is your salvation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/therefore-if-you-are-attacked-retaliate-instantly-be-sudden-be-quick/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [All art is an intensely vulnerable gesture, and it is made with no small amounts of risk, and fear. So, I have plenty of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-erikson/all-art-is-an-intensely-vulnerable-gesture-and-it-is-made-with-no/) [Steven Erikson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-erikson/) > [Behind the deceptive words designed to entice people into supporting violence -- words like democracy, freedom, self-defense, national security -- there is the reality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/behind-the-deceptive-words-designed-to-entice-people-into-supporting/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) [Browse all 357 Self defense quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-defense/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Another wrote: “First, we are evicting Sheila M, the caller for help from police. She has been beaten by her ‘man’ who kicks in doors and goes to jail for 1 or 2 days. (Catch and release does not work.) We suggested she obtain a gun and kill him in self defense, but evidently she hasn’t. Therefore, we are evicting her.” Each”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Matthew Desmond" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/another-wrote-first-we-are-evicting-sheila-m-the-caller-for-help-from/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Self defense" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/another-wrote-first-we-are-evicting-sheila-m-the-caller-for-help-from/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f63/matthew-desmond-1529_self-defense_another-wrote-first-we-are-evicting-shei_1289901.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f63/matthew-desmond-1529_self-defense_another-wrote-first-we-are-evicting-shei_1289901.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f63/matthew-desmond-1529_self-defense_another-wrote-first-we-are-evicting-shei_1289901.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Another wrote: “First, we are evicting Sheila M, the caller for help from police. She has been beaten by her…” — Matthew Desmond", "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": "Matthew Desmond", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Another wrote: “First, we are evicting...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/another-wrote-first-we-are-evicting-sheila-m-the-caller-for-help-from/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/another-wrote-first-we-are-evicting-sheila-m-the-caller-for-help-from/#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 } } ] } ```