Nelson Mandela Quotes

Any man who is a man may not, in honor, submit to threats or violence. But many men who are not cowards are simply unprepared for the fact of human savagery.

I do believe that where there is a choice between cowardice and non-violence I would advise violence. Thus when my eldest son asked me what he should have done, had he been present when I was almost fatally assaulted in 1908, whether he should have run away and seen me killed or whether he should have used his physical force which he could and wanted to use, and defended me, I told him that it was his duty to defend me even by using violence.

It is not cowardly, quite the contrary, to seek to meet the adversary and know his intentions. However, it is cowardly, shameful and treasonable to lay down arms.

Ye shall defend your families even unto bloodshed.

I was never a weapons person, you're a coward if you have to walk with a weapon, be a man and fight.

Those of us who are most genuinely repelled by war and violence are also those who are most likely to decide that some things, after all, are worth fighting for.

I'm not a pacifist. I'm not that brave.

Stop it," spluttered Eustace, "go away. Put that thing away. It's not safe. Stop it, I say. I'll tell Caspian. I'll have you muzzled and tied up." "Why do you not draw your own sword, poltroon!" cheeped the Mouse. "Draw and fight or I'll beat you black and blue with the flat." "I haven't got one," said Eustace. "I'm a pacifist. I don't believe in fighting." "Do I understand," said Reepicheep, withdrawing his sword for a moment and speaking very sternly, "that you do not intend to give me satisfaction?

I do believe that, where there is only a choice between cowardice and violence, I would advise violence. I would rather have India resort to arms in order to defend her honour than that she should, in a cowardly manner, become or remain a helpless witness to her own dishonour. But I believe that nonviolence is infinitely superior to violence, forgiveness is more manly than punishment.

Where there is only a choice between cowardice and violence, I would advise violence.

As our enemies have found we can reason like men, so now let us show them we can fight like men also.

I know you are here to kill me. Shoot, coward, you are only going to kill a man.

I'd like to think, if I was ever in a fight, I'd win, although I'd probably run in the opposite direction.

I always disliked dogs, those protectors of cowards who lack the courage to fight an assailant themselves.

Who builds with sweat, defends with blood.

In politics ... retreat is honorable if dictated by military considerations and shameful if even suggested for ethical reasons.

Men go to war for fear, honor or interest.

I do not fear war, it is my trade.

There's a very heavy burden of proof to be borne by anyone who calls for violence. Maybe it can be sometimes justified. Personally, I'm not a committed pacifist, so I think that, yes, it can sometimes be justified.

He who defends his money is a martyr, and who defends his religion is a martyr, and he who defends his honor is a martyr.

War is a dreadful thing, but there are things more dreadful even than war, one of them is dishonor.

Arms are dangerous instruments and not necessarily forged for good. How can we safely entrust them to any but those who have schooled themselves in the precepts of the Classics and can use these weapons for the realization of Humanity and Righteousness? To quell violence and disorder, to repulse barbarians and brigands, to rescue living souls from agony and torture, to save the nation from imminent downfall-these are the true ends of Humanity and Righteousness.

We don't want yellow cowards in this Army. They should be killed off like rats. If not, they will go home after this war and breed more cowards. The brave men will breed more brave men. Kill off the Goddamned cowards and we will have a nation of brave men.

If the fight comes unsolicited, I am not willing to die meekly, to surrender without an effort. And that being so, am I still a pacifist?

War alone brings up to its highest tension all human energy, and puts the stamp of nobility upon the peoples who have the courage to meet it.