--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I went on a killing spree that left…" description: "\"“If I went on a killing spree that left thousands of people dead, I'd be branded as the worst kind of criminal. So why it is okay for the government to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7bd/michel-templet-11969_government_if-i-went-on-a-killing-spree-that-left-t_2054720.jpg" --- # If I went on a killing spree that left thousands of people… ![“If I went on a killing spree that left thousands of people dead, I'd be branded as the worst kind of criminal. So why it is okay for the government to do exactly that?” quote by Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7bd/michel-templet-11969_government_if-i-went-on-a-killing-spree-that-left-t_2054720.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7bd/michel-templet-11969_government_if-i-went-on-a-killing-spree-that-left-t_2054720.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7bd/michel-templet-11969_government_if-i-went-on-a-killing-spree-that-left-t_2054720.jpg) > ““If I went on a killing spree that left thousands of people dead, I'd be branded as the worst kind of criminal. So why it is okay for the government to do exactly that?”” [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote questions the double standard where individuals are condemned for mass violence while state actions causing similar harm are normalized. **In simple terms:** Government violence is seen as acceptable compared to individual crimes. Key Takeaway Question state authority and its moral consistency. Themes justice government morality double standards Mood critical skeptical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - public policy debates - human rights activism - legal reform - media analysis Key Concepts ethics political philosophy power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - When does state violence become justified? - How do we hold governments accountable? A Different Perspective The quote may oversimplify complex geopolitical contexts and the role of state security. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Criminal Okay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criminal-okay-3889165/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Killing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killing/) [Killing Spree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killing-spree-1629337/) [Kind Criminal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind-criminal-3429092/) [Okay Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/okay-government-1364000/) [Pacifism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pacifism/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [Some days, a killing spree seems like a good idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilith-saintcrow/some-days-a-killing-spree-seems-like-a-good-idea/) [Lilith Saintcrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilith-saintcrow/) > [The president and his right-wing Supreme Court think it is 'okay' to have the government take your house if they feel like putting a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-dean/the-president-and-his-right-wing-supreme-court-think-it-is-okay-to/) [Howard Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-dean/) > [“I'm the worst kind of criminal." "And what kind is that?" "The kind that got caught.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-mull/i-m-the-worst-kind-of-criminal-and-what-kind-is-that-the-kind-that/) [Brandon Mull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-mull/) > [Every society gets the kind of criminal it deserves. What is equally true is that every community gets the kind of law enforcement it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kennedy/every-society-gets-the-kind-of-criminal-it-deserves-what-is-equally/) [Robert Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kennedy/) > [Every society gets the kind of criminal it deserves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kennedy/every-society-gets-the-kind-of-criminal-it-deserves/) [Robert Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kennedy/) > [“Next time you two decide to go on a bloody killing spree, at least send me an invitation so I know that you care.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-kagawa/next-time-you-two-decide-to-go-on-a-bloody-killing-spree-at-least/) [Julie Kagawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-kagawa/) > [But sometimes living in denial was the only way to keep a man from going on a killing spree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-jerome-dickey/but-sometimes-living-in-denial-was-the-only-way-to-keep-a-man-from/) [Eric Jerome Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-jerome-dickey/) > [I am the president of the sorority and I'm sure there are plenty of people I've pissed off enough to go on a killing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-roberts/i-am-the-president-of-the-sorority-and-i-m-sure-there-are-plenty-of/) [Emma Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-roberts/) > [“On 11 September 2001, a bunch of Saudis killed almost 3000 US civilians, which led to the construction of a monument in New York…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/on-11-september-2001-a-bunch-of-saudis-killed-almost-3000-us/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“I absolutely hate the way the United States glorifies its military and its wars. 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Bush and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/i-find-it-significant-that-most-of-the-people-who-believe-in-just-war/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“I find it significant that most military veterans become pacifists.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/i-find-it-significant-that-most-military-veterans-become-pacifists/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“The idea that war can ever bring freedom is quite possibly the greatest deception that mankind has ever forced upon himself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/the-idea-that-war-can-ever-bring-freedom-is-quite-possibly-the/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“Why is it acceptable to do such horrible things in the name of staying alive? Would it not have been better had I died…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/why-is-it-acceptable-to-do-such-horrible-things-in-the-name-of/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“Is it morally acceptable to murder one hundred innocent people in the process of catching a serial killer who has murdered ten people? If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/is-it-morally-acceptable-to-murder-one-hundred-innocent-people-in-the/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) ## More by Michel Templet > [“Every adversity is just another opportunity to excel a little more.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/every-adversity-is-just-another-opportunity-to-excel-a-little-more/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“To speak only one language is to do yourself a great injustice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/to-speak-only-one-language-is-to-do-yourself-a-great-injustice/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“There is no such thing as a victimless crime, and people should be allowed to do as they please with their own bodies and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-victimless-crime-and-people-should-be/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“Presidents are not elected anymore; they are hired.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/presidents-are-not-elected-anymore-they-are-hired/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“We have a problem when the same people who make the law get to decide whether or not they themselves have broken the law.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/we-have-a-problem-when-the-same-people-who-make-the-law-get-to-decide/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“I find it significant that most military veterans become pacifists.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/i-find-it-significant-that-most-military-veterans-become-pacifists/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“We live in a nation where education and free thought are tantamount to treason, and I have to ask, under these circumstances, is treason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/we-live-in-a-nation-where-education-and-free-thought-are-tantamount/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“Patriotism is racism for the modern era.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/patriotism-is-racism-for-the-modern-era/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“Obama's plan for "change": Let's do everything Bush did, only with more suck! Because it just didn't suck badly enough the first time!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/obama-s-plan-for-change-let-s-do-everything-bush-did-only-with-more/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“Always remember, if you have been diagnosed with PTSD, it is not a sign of weakness; rather, it is proof of your strength, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/always-remember-if-you-have-been-diagnosed-with-ptsd-it-is-not-a-sign/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“Why am I a socialist? Simple: Because I believe in freedom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/why-am-i-a-socialist-simple-because-i-believe-in-freedom/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“On 11 September 2001, a bunch of Saudis killed almost 3000 US civilians, which led to the construction of a monument in New York…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/on-11-september-2001-a-bunch-of-saudis-killed-almost-3000-us/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“Is it morally acceptable to murder one hundred innocent people in the process of catching a serial killer who has murdered ten people? If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/is-it-morally-acceptable-to-murder-one-hundred-innocent-people-in-the/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“Barack Obama is an even worse president than George W. 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We're concerned about government corruption, government handing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amity-shlaes/right-now-we-re-concerned-about-budget-right-now-we-re-concerned/) [Amity Shlaes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amity-shlaes/) > [One of the worst things to come out of the Consumer Protection Board's misleading claims is the impression that government resources are to hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lesko/one-of-the-worst-things-to-come-out-of-the-consumer-protection-board/) [Matthew Lesko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-lesko/) > [It is afraid of an informed, angry public demanding the constitutional government it was promised - and it should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/it-is-afraid-of-an-informed-angry-public-demanding-the-constitutional/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Louisiana's spicy, colorful politics have saddled our state with a reputation for tolerating lax ethical standards in government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/louisiana-s-spicy-colorful-politics-have-saddled-our-state-with-a/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) [Greg Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-perry/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. 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