--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If it acts like a terrorist, if it walks…" description: "\"If it acts like a terrorist, if it walks like a terrorist, if it fights like a terrorist, it's a terrorist, right?\" — Sergei Lavrov" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abe/sergei-lavrov-10875_acts_if-it-acts-like-a-terrorist-if-it-walks_3057637.jpg" --- # If it acts like a terrorist, if it walks like a terrorist… ![“If it acts like a terrorist, if it walks like a terrorist, if it fights like a terrorist, it's a terrorist, right?” quote by Sergei Lavrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abe/sergei-lavrov-10875_acts_if-it-acts-like-a-terrorist-if-it-walks_3057637.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abe/sergei-lavrov-10875_acts_if-it-acts-like-a-terrorist-if-it-walks_3057637.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abe/sergei-lavrov-10875_acts_if-it-acts-like-a-terrorist-if-it-walks_3057637.jpg) > “If it acts like a terrorist, if it walks like a terrorist, if it fights like a terrorist, it's a terrorist, right?” [Sergei Lavrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lavrov/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Equating appearance and behavior with terrorism oversimplifies complex threats and can justify unjust policies. **In simple terms:** Looks can be deceptive; judging by looks alone is risky. Key Takeaway Avoid stereotypes; assess actions and evidence. Themes security stereotypes policy ethics Mood cautious critical Type political ethical When to use this quote - law enforcement - immigration screening - public discourse - media analysis Key Concepts terrorism bias profiling Questions to Reflect On - How do we differentiate genuine threats from superficial judgments? - What safeguards prevent misuse of such reasoning? A Different Perspective Such analogies can fuel prejudice and ignore nuanced motivations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) ## Related quotes > [ If it \[a country\] looks like a terrorist, if it acts like a terrorist, if it walks like a terrorist, if it fights like… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergey-lavrov/if-it-a-country-looks-like-a-terrorist-if-it-acts-like-a-terrorist-if/) [Sergey Lavrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergey-lavrov/) > [Apparently, I've acted like a terrorist. But I'm not a terrorist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/apparently-i-ve-acted-like-a-terrorist-but-i-m-not-a-terrorist/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“The central attitudes driving the Terrorist are: You have no right to defy me or leave me. Your life is in my hands. Women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lundy-bancroft/the-central-attitudes-driving-the-terrorist-are-you-have-no-right-to/) [Lundy Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lundy-bancroft/) > [If you're a terrorist, you're a terrorist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/if-you-re-a-terrorist-you-re-a-terrorist/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [“Potential terrorist is a terrorist”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/potential-terrorist-is-a-terrorist/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [He said she went around with her feelings out in front of her with an arm around the feelings' windpipe and a Glock 9mm.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/he-said-she-went-around-with-her-feelings-out-in-front-of-her-with-an/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“Cancer is like a terrorist attack from within. You’re going along, doing your thing, you know the threat of cancer exists theoretically, but you’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-queller/cancer-is-like-a-terrorist-attack-from-within-you-re-going-along/) Jessica Queller > [I would like to be a terrorist for music education - to make a complete reform, all over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-barenboim/i-would-like-to-be-a-terrorist-for-music-education-to-make-a-complete/) [Daniel Barenboim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-barenboim/) > [In the eyes of authority - and maybe rightly so - nothing looks more like a terrorist than the ordinary man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giorgio-agamben/in-the-eyes-of-authority-and-maybe-rightly-so-nothing-looks-more-like/) [Giorgio Agamben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giorgio-agamben/) > [Every person is scared of which bomb Modi will drop at which minute. He is appearing like a terrorist. Instead of loving his people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijayashanti/every-person-is-scared-of-which-bomb-modi-will-drop-at-which-minute/) [Vijayashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijayashanti/) > [“Stop acting like a terrorist,” I snarl. “We’re better than that.” I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brown/stop-acting-like-a-terrorist-i-snarl-we-re-better-than-that-i/) [Pierce Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brown/) > [You're like a terrorist because you captured my heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-re-like-a-terrorist-because-you-captured-my-heart/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Because on that watch list, they would be like, yeah, your name - they told me like, yeah, your name matches the name of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/because-on-that-watch-list-they-would-be-like-yeah-your-name-they/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [The Constitution is very clear on the - on the declaration of war or reacting to international crimes - crimes against nations. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-pitts/the-constitution-is-very-clear-on-the-on-the-declaration-of-war-or/) Joe Pitts > [Each of our acts makes a statement as to our purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/each-of-our-acts-makes-a-statement-as-to-our-purpose/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) ## More by Sergei Lavrov > [When the Georgian army started this assault against the sleeping city of Tskhinvali, the Georgian peacekeepers, serving in one contingent with their Russian friends,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lavrov/when-the-georgian-army-started-this-assault-against-the-sleeping-city/) [Sergei Lavrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lavrov/) > [I started, you know, to work as a diplomat during the Soviet days, and in spite of ideology being very high on the Communist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lavrov/i-started-you-know-to-work-as-a-diplomat-during-the-soviet-days-and/) [Sergei Lavrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lavrov/) > [Even the state TV channels are not monolithic in their pro-government line, and the views they express are quite pluralistic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lavrov/even-the-state-tv-channels-are-not-monolithic-in-their-pro-government/) [Sergei Lavrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lavrov/) > [The international community unfortunately did take sides in Libya, and we would never allow the Security Council to authorise anything similar to what happened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lavrov/the-international-community-unfortunately-did-take-sides-in-libya-and/) [Sergei Lavrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lavrov/) > [I can only say it is not for us to decide who should lead Syria. It is for the Syrians to decide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lavrov/i-can-only-say-it-is-not-for-us-to-decide-who-should-lead-syria-it-is/) [Sergei Lavrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lavrov/) > [We have no desire to continue a sanctions war, trading blows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lavrov/we-have-no-desire-to-continue-a-sanctions-war-trading-blows/) [Sergei Lavrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lavrov/) > [Humanitarian issues must bring together all people who act in good faith trying to alleviate the suffering of people in dire need - especially…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lavrov/humanitarian-issues-must-bring-together-all-people-who-act-in-good/) [Sergei Lavrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lavrov/) > [We are certain that Ukraine needs profound constitutional reform. In all fairness, we can't see any other way to ensure the stable development of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lavrov/we-are-certain-that-ukraine-needs-profound-constitutional-reform-in/) [Sergei Lavrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lavrov/) > [Attempts to put pressure on Russia and to compel it to abandon its values, truth and justice have no prospects whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lavrov/attempts-to-put-pressure-on-russia-and-to-compel-it-to-abandon-its/) [Sergei Lavrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lavrov/) > [If you say that your national law allows you to do something, it is fine as long as you do this inside your own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lavrov/if-you-say-that-your-national-law-allows-you-to-do-something-it-is/) [Sergei Lavrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lavrov/) > [We have been protecting the lives of the Russian peacekeepers who had been attacked by their Georgian comrades, because there was a joint peacekeeping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lavrov/we-have-been-protecting-the-lives-of-the-russian-peacekeepers-who-had/) [Sergei Lavrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lavrov/) > [Syria is a multi-confessional state: in addition to Sunni and Shia Muslims, there are Alawites, Orthodox and other Christian confessions, Druzes, and Kurds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lavrov/syria-is-a-multi-confessional-state-in-addition-to-sunni-and-shia/) [Sergei Lavrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lavrov/) > [I don't believe in ideology in international relations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lavrov/i-don-t-believe-in-ideology-in-international-relations/) [Sergei Lavrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lavrov/) > [We have absolutely no intention of, or interest in, crossing Ukraine's borders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lavrov/we-have-absolutely-no-intention-of-or-interest-in-crossing-ukraine-s/) [Sergei Lavrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lavrov/) > [If our interests - our legitimate interests, the interests of Russians - have been attacked directly, like they were in South Ossetia, for example,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lavrov/if-our-interests-our-legitimate-interests-the-interests-of-russians/) [Sergei Lavrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lavrov/) [Explore all 63 Sergei Lavrov quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lavrov/) ## More Acts quotes > [Each of our acts makes a statement as to our purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/each-of-our-acts-makes-a-statement-as-to-our-purpose/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [The Constitution is very clear on the - on the declaration of war or reacting to international crimes - crimes against nations. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-pitts/the-constitution-is-very-clear-on-the-on-the-declaration-of-war-or/) Joe Pitts > [God only acts and is, in existing beings or men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/god-only-acts-and-is-in-existing-beings-or-men/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [Poetry is a lousy form of activism; it doesn't really change much. And maybe we can point to one or two historical times when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-gottlieb/poetry-is-a-lousy-form-of-activism-it-doesn-t-really-change-much-and/) [Daphne Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-gottlieb/) > [We are surrounded every day by countless acts of immeasurable kindness and goodwill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bel-edwards/we-are-surrounded-every-day-by-countless-acts-of-immeasurable/) [John Bel Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bel-edwards/) > [Foreign journalists have to have an approved interpreter assigned them, which they have to pay for, who also acts as guide. As an Iranian,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hooman-majd/foreign-journalists-have-to-have-an-approved-interpreter-assigned/) [Hooman Majd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hooman-majd/) > [I believe that homosexual acts between individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts. I do not believe that the Armed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-pace/i-believe-that-homosexual-acts-between-individuals-are-immoral-and/) [Peter Pace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-pace/) > [“The book of Luke is the account of the Spirit-empowered ministry of Jesus on the earth, and Acts is the account of the Spirit-empowered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/the-book-of-luke-is-the-account-of-the-spirit-empowered-ministry-of/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [I don't meditate before I play or compose, but I see playing and composing as meditative acts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-swallow/i-don-t-meditate-before-i-play-or-compose-but-i-see-playing-and/) Steve Swallow > [“In Acts, every believer was living in a direct relationship with Him (Christ) and each one functioned normally as a member of His body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-hon/in-acts-every-believer-was-living-in-a-direct-relationship-with-him/) [Henry Hon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-hon/) > [Ladies seem very intrigued by a guy who is ultra confident and acts like he doesn't need you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorma-taccone/ladies-seem-very-intrigued-by-a-guy-who-is-ultra-confident-and-acts/) [Jorma Taccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorma-taccone/) > [In the name of noble purposes men have committed unspeakable acts of cruelty against one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-william-fulbright/in-the-name-of-noble-purposes-men-have-committed-unspeakable-acts-of/) [J. William Fulbright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-william-fulbright/) > [How do you make the timelessness of inert, silent objects count for something? How to use the, in a way, dumbness of sculpture in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-gormley/how-do-you-make-the-timelessness-of-inert-silent-objects-count-for/) [Antony Gormley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-gormley/) > [Only free people have an incentive to be virtuous. Only people who bear the consequences of their own acts will care about those consequences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-browne/only-free-people-have-an-incentive-to-be-virtuous-only-people-who/) [Harry Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-browne/) > [The legitimacy of coercive acts in a democracy arises from the process by which they are justified and by the degree to which we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ignatieff/the-legitimacy-of-coercive-acts-in-a-democracy-arises-from-the/) [Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/) Browse all 251 Acts quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If it acts like a terrorist, if it walks like a terrorist, if it fights like a terrorist, it's a terrorist, right?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sergei Lavrov" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lavrov/if-it-acts-like-a-terrorist-if-it-walks-like-a-terrorist-if-it-fights/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acts" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lavrov/if-it-acts-like-a-terrorist-if-it-walks-like-a-terrorist-if-it-fights/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abe/sergei-lavrov-10875_acts_if-it-acts-like-a-terrorist-if-it-walks_3057637.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abe/sergei-lavrov-10875_acts_if-it-acts-like-a-terrorist-if-it-walks_3057637.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abe/sergei-lavrov-10875_acts_if-it-acts-like-a-terrorist-if-it-walks_3057637.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If it acts like a terrorist, if it walks like a terrorist, if it fights like a terrorist, it's a terrorist…” — Sergei Lavrov", "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": "Sergei Lavrov", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lavrov/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If it acts like a terrorist,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lavrov/if-it-acts-like-a-terrorist-if-it-walks-like-a-terrorist-if-it-fights/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lavrov/if-it-acts-like-a-terrorist-if-it-walks-like-a-terrorist-if-it-fights/#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 } } ] } ```