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I'm so sick of arming the world and then sending troops over to destroy the fucking arms, you know what I mean? We keep arming these little countries, then we go and blow the shit out of them. We're like the bullies of the world, you know. We're like Jack Palance in the movie Shane, throwing the pistol at the sheep herder's feet: 'Pick it up.' 'I don't wanna pick it up mister, you'll shoot me.' 'Pick up the gun.' 'Mister, I don't want no trouble, huh. I just came down town here to get some hard rock candy for my kids, some gingham for my wife. I don't even know what gingham is, but she goes through about 10 rolls a week of that stuff. I ain't looking for no trouble, mister.' 'Pick up the gun.' Boom, boom. 'You all saw him. He had a gun.'

Bill Hicks#8

PoliticsWarViolenceForeign policyWeapons

About this quote

What does it mean?
The speaker criticizes the cycle of providing weapons to countries and then using force to destroy them.
In plain terms
It is illogical to arm nations and then attack them for having weapons.
What can you take from it?
Arming conflicts creates cycles of violence.

Where it applies

  • political debate
  • military strategy

Putting it to work

  • critique arms supply
  • analyze conflict cycles

Questions to consider

  • What creates endless conflicts?
  • How do we break cycles of violence?

Another view

The argument simplifies complex geopolitical dynamics.

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