Lin Yutang book The Importance of Living
Source: The Importance of Living (1937), Ch. I : The Awakening, pp. 4–5
“Perhaps his laughter saved them — it must be difficult to shoot a laughing man: you have to feel important to kill.”
— Graham Greene, book The Lawless Roads
The Lawless Roads (1939)
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Graham Greene164
English writer, playwright and literary critic 1904–1991Related quotes
Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German philosopher, poet, composer, cultural critic, and classical philologist
Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish philosopher, satirical writer, essayist, historian and teacher
1840s, Heroes and Hero-Worship (1840), The Hero as Poet
“I know you've come to kill me. Shoot, coward, you are only going to kill a man.”
Ernesto Che Guevara (1928–1967) Argentine Marxist revolutionary
These reportedly, were his last words, to Sergeant Jaime Terán, who in different accounts had either volunteered to be his executioner, or by most accounts, had been selected by lot (9 October 1967). Because of the many different reports that have arisen, much confusion and uncertainty exists about his actual last words. His last words to Colonel Arnaldo Saucedo Parada, head of intelligence of the Eighth Division who delivered the official report on Che's final moments were reported as: "I knew you were going to shoot me; I should never have been taken alive. Tell Fidel that this failure does not mean the end of the revolution, that it will triumph elsewhere. Tell Aleida to forget this, remarry and be happy, and keep the children studying. Ask the soldiers to aim well."
Variant translations:
I know you are here to kill me. Shoot, you are only going to kill a man.
I know you have come to kill me. Shoot, coward. You are only going to kill a man.
Capture and Death (1967)
Rod Serling (1924–1975) American screenwriter
Speech at Binghamton Community High School (1968).
Other
“Laugh.
Laughter is immeasurable. Be joyful
though you have considered all the facts.”
Wendell Berry (1934) author
"Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front" in Farming: A Hand Book (1970).
Poems
Jacob Zuma (1942) 4th President of South Africa
Singing to supporters at ANC celebrations in Bloemfontein on 8 January 2012, Is Jan van Riebeeck really the cause of all SA's misfortunes? http://www.politicsweb.co.za/news-and-analysis/is-jan-van-riebeeck-really-the-cause-of-all-sas-mi, Dave Steward (16 January 2015) <br class="br"> Jacob Zuma sings kill the Boer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cb3MLHblnbQ, youtube
