The soldier is applauded who refuses to serve in an unjust war by those who do not refuse to sustain the unjust government which makes the war

Henry David Thoreau, Civil Disobedience [Amazon, Bookshop, Publisher, Local Library]

Hermetic quote Thoreau Civil Disobedience soldier applauded refuses serve unjust war sustain unjust government makes war

Consider also:

  1. “But, to speak practically and as a citizen, unlike those who call themselves no-government men, I ask for, not at once no government, but at once a better government.”
  2. “Let every man make known what kind of government would command his respect, and that will be one step toward obtaining it.”
  3. “the work of comparatively a few individuals using the standing government as their tool; for in the outset, the people would not have consented to this measure”