Informer Quotes

A man is a critic when he cannot be an artist, in the same way that a man becomes an informer when he cannot be a soldier. (Gustave Flaubert)
Human justice is very prolix, and yet at times quite mediocre; divine justice is more concise and needs no information from the prosecution, no legal papers, no interrogation of witnesses, but makes the guilty one his own informer and helps him with eternity's memory. View quote
Soren Kierkegaard
To put the point sharply: If an informer in the French underground who sent a friend to the torture chambers of the Gestapo was equally a victim, then there can be no right or wrong in life that I understand. View quote
Albert Maltz
On that road of the informer, it is always night. I cannot ever inform against anyone without feeling something die within me. I inform without pleasure, because it is necessary. View quote
Whittaker Chambers
Judas was not a monster, though his act was monstrous; he was a man, the twelfth part of humanity, and his sin was that he could betray for thirty pieces of silver, like any common informer. Jesus was uncommon, not Judas. View quote
Mary McCarthy
What had he been taught? For the social good, you must be your own policeman and witness. You must assume responsibility for any crime which might conceivably be yours. The face of the informer stared impassively at him. It was Barrent's own face, reflected back from a mirror on the wall. View quote
Robert Sheckley
Bad guys turned informer. Good guys didn't - no matter when, no matter what. View quote
Kurt Vonnegut
Has not experience demonstrated quite recently that Jack the Ripper performed his exploits under the eye of the London police - a most active force - and that he only left off killing when the population of Whitechapel itself began to give chase to him? And in our every-day relations with our fellow-citizens, do you think that it is really judges, gaolers, and police that hinder anti-social acts from multiplying? The judge, ever ferocious, because he is a maniac of law, the accuser, the informer, the police spy, all those interlopers that live from hand to mouth around the Law Courts, do they not scatter demoralization far and wide into society? Read the trials, glance behind the scenes, push your analysis further than the exterior facade of law courts, and you will come out sickened. View quote
Peter Kropotkin
Golovinski: What is the meaning of this? Why am I arrested? Secret police chief: Mathieu Golovinski, you are accused of provocation and being an informer! Golovinski:I am loyal to the tsar.... who dares accuse me? Who? Secret police chief: We have reliable sources. You are sentenced to exilein the country of your choice! Golovinski: I will go to France. View quote
Will Eisner
In writing a little tragedy, 'The Gaol Gate,' I made the scenario in three lines, 'He is an informer; he is dead; he is hanged.' I wrote that play very quickly. View quote
Lady Gregory
...this bill will require the creation of a Federal police force of mammoth proportions. It also bids fair to result in the development of an 'informer' psychology in great areas of our national life-neighbors spying on neighbors, workers spying on workers, business spying on businessmen-were those who would harass their fellow citizens for selfish and narrow purposes will have ample inducement to do so. These, the Federal police force an 'informer' psychology, are the hallmarks of the police state and landmarks in the destruction of a free society. (Barry Goldwater)
In a society where every third person is a communist and every second person is an informer, it is difficult to expect to win by democratic means. View quote
Vasil Bykaŭ
Then there's the law that any person found carrying a Swanhook, the same being neither a Swanherd in good standing nor accompanied by two certified Swanherds, or Swannerds (or Swanners, or Swanmasters), of known probity, should cough up thirteen shillings fourpence, three shillings fourpence going to the informer and the rest to the King. This looked like a fine bit of legislation until it developed that you can't collect from such people. They haven't got it. That's why they're out stealing Swans. View quote
Will Cuppy
Here it was again, the most ancient of roadforks, one that Paul had glimpsed before, in Kroner's study, months ago. The choice of one course or the other had nothing to do with machines, hierarchies, economics, love, age. It was a purely internal matter. Every child older than six knew the fork, and knew what the good guys did here, and what the bad guys did here. The fork was a familiar one in folk tales the world over, and the good guys and the bad guys, whether in chaps, breechclouts, serapes, leopardskins, or banker's gray pinstripes, all separated here. Bad guys turned informer. Good guys didn't - no matter when, no matter what. View quote
Kurt Vonnegut