Ammon Hennacy Quote - Liberty Quotes Blog

"Force is the weapon of the weak."

by:	Ammon Hennacy (1893-1970) Catholic anarchist, pacifist, vegetarian, draft refuser in two world wars, tax resister, "one-person revolution in America."
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Categories:	Dissent, Independence, Individualism, Oppression, Responsibility, Tyranny, Tax
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Reader comments about this quote:

Bravo, Hennacy! -- Anonymous
Absolutely true when considering day to day operations. Absolutely incorrect when appropriately applied in defense. -- Mike, Norwalk 2
And when it's used by the weak unfortunately the truth that force must be met with force must be taken into account. On the other hand, it is most fortunate we have the ablity to defend with force. -- Anon 2
The weapon of the weak...or the last resort of the oppressed? -- J Carlton, Calgary 1
Mike, give me a break - you could say that about any quote. Treat in the context it was said. He wasn't referring to defending yourself. Force is the weapon of the weak both physical and non-physical - i.e., when you are forced by government (or any other organisation) to relinquish your property, your rights, and your happiness. -- RBESRQ 1
Robert, I absolutely agree with you. My comment, by way of extremely terse example(s), can be explained by the Obamunists. Secured bond holders were forced to take a position behind unsecured debt holders contrary to statute while missile defense is being cut in face of an ever increasing threat. AND, the ever escalating Nazi SS style enforcement by policing agencies across the country is supported / expanded by executive, judicial, and legislative bodies even up to the extreme case when people (individual sovereigns and professionals in the business) are trying to get loved ones to the hospital for emergency care. Weak minded governmental force (physical and mental) is out of control -- Mike, Norwalk 4
Hennacy gives us one of those “sounds nice, feels good” quotes. Unfortunately, force has been one means that often has had to be deployed upon those who reason evades. I would offer these in rebuttal: "Of the four wars in my lifetime none came about because the U.S. was too strong." - Ronald Reagan And one reason why this is so: "Expecting the world to treat you fairly because you are good is like expecting the bull not to charge because you are a vegetarian." --Dennis Wholey -- Doug Stevenson, The real world 2
Well said, Doug. What sort of weakness is Hennacy is referring to?__"Non-violence is the policy of the vegetable kingdom" - H.G. Wells -- A.WOODS, Gloucester 3
Interesting, A.WOODS, that you would quote a self-proclaimed socialist (and Fabian Socialist, until he left them because he wanted a more radical form of socialism) to base your opinion on. Freedom exists naturally and is a free gift of birth, but the defense of the outward manifestation of freedom is necessary. You cannot FORCE freedom into existence, this is absurd. This is like saying that we can FORCE gravity from existing! Good luck with that. -- Logan, Memphis, TN 2
Vegeterians live longer... and their footprint is half the size -- RBESRQ 2
Logan stated: "Freedom exists naturally and is a free gift of birth, but the defense of the outward manifestation of freedom is necessary. You cannot FORCE freedom into existence, this is absurd." I have to disagree because we would first have to agree on what constitutes freedom and some are born into oppression. Person 'A' may define freedom as the unrestricted ability to make person 'B' his subject and tax him or make him work for him (he might be 'free' to do that). But if person 'B' uses force to obtain his own freedom from that oppression, then the use of force to accomplish that would not seem absurd to him. However, now person 'A' has lost his ability and freedom to make 'B' pay him or work for him. So in a way, 'A' may still be free but now in a much more limited way. This was the case of the American Revolution where freedom of a nation to self govern was accomplished by force. The removal of slavery by a third party ('C' the north) over the south is another example. -- Doug
Logan, if someone is born into freedom I can understand how it would please them to consider their state to be a natural and free birthright. -- A.WOODS, Gloucester
Deep. -- E Archer, NYC
Speaking of Mr. Hennacy, except for the tax resistance part the rest of his bio is cover for scatterbrain cowardice, possibly a dietary deficiency would explain it. "War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself." - John Stuart Mill English economist & philosopher (1806 - 1873)� -- Mike, Pleasant Hill
Hitler was a vegetarian and didn't smoke. ;-) Beware of those that dictate personal behavior and are willing to back it up with force. Fascism, communism, any form of statism/totalitarianism -- all are based on 'might makes right.' Hennacy is a good example of what it means to take responsibility for oneself. Forced conscription into the military is not a republican virtue, nor a foundation of liberty. Only 3% of those capable of fighting the Revolutionary War actually joined the fight. Demanding obedience at the point of a gun is NOT what America is about -- never was. Hennacy stood up time and time again against arbitrary dictates of the state and the bench. Few have the courage to take a stand as a 'noble sovereign' citizen. -- E Archer, NYC 1
Because of fear in the night we make war, with those that do oppress the poor and needy. To be oppressed without a cause, at the hand of tyranny, a miserable life indeed ! Three score valiant men are around the kings bed, they all hold swords being expert in war ! Every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night. We bear precious seeds of Liberty and Freedom. To be trained in the art of war, being put under authority of defense, is a sacred cause never to be taken lightly. " The strong man with the dagger is followed by the weak man with the sponge ". The welfare of the undeserving becomes a snare to their feet. There was never a removal of slavery, by way of the civil war, but a reinstating of it ! The dupe of statesmen, patriotism for a deceiving cause. " Blessed Be the Lord my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight: My goodness, and my fortress ; my high tower, and my deliverer ; my shield, and in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me. Lord what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him ! or the son of man, that thou makest account of him ! Send thine hand from above; rid me, and deliver me out of great waters, from the hand of strange children; Whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood. " The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To Proclaim Liberty to the Captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bond; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that morn. We have a covenant with God, under contract, our work is directed in Truth. The cause of Liberty and Freedom springs forth, let it never be forgotten ! Amen. Semper Fi. to the praise of God forever, Amen -- Ronw13, Yachats Or
Ronw13, I tried to read this but about half way through I got bogged down with the gibberish. -- jim k, Austin 1
Gibberish ? king David fought against socialism within his nation even then, Proverbs chapter 1. To poll the wealth of the nation by way of oppression through unjust exaction. The children of the nation are at Chophshiy Liberty. Freedom from bondage and tax. The king taxes strangers, Not his children ! This Christ repeatedly stated. That is why Peter carried a sword in the garden, to protect his King ! Israel was in league with Rome who sought to tax the world at that time. This type of Liberty has always been fleeting. But only under a few kings was it ever implemented and enforced. The lesson being for men to learn not to oppress their children ! Slavery is a cruel tyrant ! Prophecy from Isaiah stated that Liberty would be proclaim before the world. The Bible, KJB is the Rock upon which the Republic Rest. I hope that simplifies things, that so many, would make hidden and complicated. For those who study the KJB specifically, it can be searched out, otherwise these truths are removed from private interpretations rather than searching the literal translation which the King James Bible is. That is why it was chained to the pulpit. Not long after 1611, even as my family in 1645 came to the Americas to stand upon our new beginning of, and at, this Liberty granted, which was withheld from the masses. Very few could at that time understand Greek and Hebrew. This only for the learned, educated. Martin Luther, Hippo and others around 1500 found Liberty under Paul's writings, 13 letters and epistles, Liberty from socialism, whether under Monarch or Democ rule. God is alive and well, and his word never returns void. This nation to come was mentioned long ago, from the first book onward . Matters not whether ones believes in God or not. It never makes him not so. The world is under is Grace at the moment. The Light of Liberty Shines in the dark night of oppression. Paul's writings and teaching were the first written down of the NT, the march through time, of the truth of Liberty has continued till now. -- Ronw13, Yachats Or
13 steps upon the Rock, brandished on our money. The Sanctuary of Liberty is polluted, but not the Independent sovereign's mind. Our Republic under siege of socialism since 1865 ! -- Ronw13, Yachats Or
Another great example of: "Force is the weapon of the weak" is Amerika's policing agencies. The term law enforcement is an oxymoron. Can one enforce gravity, physics, fiscal law, etc.? NO ! ! ! Only tyranny and despotism can be enforced. The weapon of the extremely weak (mind, soul and morally inept) is gathering with billy-clubs, weapons and ridiculous numbers to force some-one who has allegedly violated some ridiculous compelled compliance, license, victimless crime, or etc., etc., etc. -- Mike, Norwalk 1

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