Life Imitates Art or How Hollywood Taught Me to Fight Terrorism

The ‘literature’ of several generations. Most average Americans could quote movies, but not recognize a snippet of Will Shakespeare.
Here, straight from the silver screen, these words of wisdom regarding another Terrorist attack on American soil. Men willing to do anything to achieve their goals. To use any form of terror and intimidation. They made free use of everything from semi-automatic weapons to bombings to keep the populace in a state of perpetual fear of their wrath.

And so I give you, quotes from The Untouchables:

On the EVIL intentions of the enemy:
Al Capone: I want this guy dead! I want his family dead! I want his house burned to the ground! I want to go there in the middle of the night and piss on his ashes!

On why we are doing this:
Mrs. Blackmer: I came here to thank you. It was my little girl that got killed with that bomb.
Eliot Ness: I'm sorry, please. I'm so sorry.
Mrs. Blackmer: You see it's because I know that you have children too... and that this is real for you, that these men caused this tragedy. And I know that you will put a stop to them. I know you'll do that now.


On daily tactical goals:
Jim Malone: You just fulfilled the first rule of law enforcement: make sure when your shift is over you go home alive. Here endeth the lesson.

On the necessary resolve:
Malone: You said you wanted to get Capone. Do you really wanna get him? You see what I'm saying is, what are you prepared to do?
Eliot Ness: Anything and everything in my power.
Malone: And THEN what are you prepared to do? If you open the can on these worms you must be prepared to go all the way because they're not gonna give up the fight until one of you is dead.
Eliot Ness: How do you do it then?
Malone: You wanna know how you do it? Here's how, they pull a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send on of his to the morgue! That's the Chicago way, and that's how you get Capone! Now do you want to do that? Are you ready to do that?
Eliot Ness: I have sworn to capture this man with all legal powers at my disposal and I will do so.
Malone: Well the Lord hates a coward. Do you know what a blood oath is Mr. Ness?
Eliot Ness: Yes.
Malone: Good, cause you just took one.

After the battle:
Eliot Ness: I had to kill him.
Jim Malone: Oh, yeah. He's as dead as Julius Caesar... Would you rather it was you?
Eliot Ness: No, I would not.
Jim Malone: Well, then, you've done your job. Go home and sleep well tonight.

What to say to foreign critics:
Mountie: I do not approve of your methods!
Eliot Ness: Yeah, well... You're not from Chicago.

How to view conflict:
Malone: Don't wait for it to happen. Don't even want it to happen. Just see what does happen.

On how you want your attacks to be carried out:
Bodyguard: Me and the bookkeeper and walking out of here, getting into a car, and driving away. Or else he dies... and you got nothing!
Eliot Ness: You got him?
Stone: Yeah, I got him.
Bodyguard: I'm gonna count to three... one!
Eliot Ness: Take him!
[Stone shoots him]
Stone: Two!

Of course there a limits, be sure you can live with yourself:
Eliot Ness: I have foresworn myself. I have broken every law I have sworn to uphold, I have become what I beheld and I am content that I have done right!

Always follow through:
Eliot Ness: Never stop, never stop fighting till the fight is done.
Al Capone: What'd you say? What're you saying?
Eliot Ness: I said, "Never stop fighting till the fight is done."
Al Capone: What?
Eliot Ness: You heard me, Capone. It's over.
Al Capone: [sneering] Get out, you're nothing but a lot of talk and a badge.
Eliot Ness: Here endeth the lesson.

And finally, it isn’t just what’s legal, it’s about what's RIGHT:
Reporter: Word is they're going to repeal Prohibition. What'll you do then?
Eliot Ness: I think I'll have a drink.