"We have an incredible warrior class in this country - people in law enforcement, intelligence - and I thank God every night we have them standing fast to protect us from the tremendous amount of evil that exists in the world"
About this Quote
Calling cops and spies a "warrior class" isn’t just praise; it’s a worldview in one militarized phrase. Brad Thor, a thriller novelist who trades in clandestine threats and high-stakes patriotism, frames domestic security as a civilizational front line. The language pulls everyday governance into the moral drama of combat: not public servants operating under law, but warriors "standing fast" against "evil". That shift matters because it primes the audience to accept extraordinary power as a natural response to extraordinary menace.
Thor’s religious tag - "thank God every night" - isn’t decorative. It sanctifies the security apparatus, turning policy debate into something closer to reverence. If protection is a nightly prayer, skepticism starts to look like ingratitude, even betrayal. The quote also blurs boundaries that, in a liberal democracy, are supposed to stay sharp: law enforcement (domestic, accountable) and intelligence (secretive, often deniable) are fused into a single heroic caste. "Class" signals hierarchy; it implies a protected group with special burdens and, by implication, special license.
The pivot word is "evil". It’s rhetorically efficient because it skips messy causes and competing narratives. Evil can’t be negotiated with, audited, or humanized; it can only be fought. That’s perfect fuel for the thriller imagination, but it also maps neatly onto post-9/11 political culture, where fear and gratitude became twin engines of legitimacy. The subtext is a request: trust the warriors, stop second-guessing the methods, and treat security as a moral, not merely civic, obligation.
Thor’s religious tag - "thank God every night" - isn’t decorative. It sanctifies the security apparatus, turning policy debate into something closer to reverence. If protection is a nightly prayer, skepticism starts to look like ingratitude, even betrayal. The quote also blurs boundaries that, in a liberal democracy, are supposed to stay sharp: law enforcement (domestic, accountable) and intelligence (secretive, often deniable) are fused into a single heroic caste. "Class" signals hierarchy; it implies a protected group with special burdens and, by implication, special license.
The pivot word is "evil". It’s rhetorically efficient because it skips messy causes and competing narratives. Evil can’t be negotiated with, audited, or humanized; it can only be fought. That’s perfect fuel for the thriller imagination, but it also maps neatly onto post-9/11 political culture, where fear and gratitude became twin engines of legitimacy. The subtext is a request: trust the warriors, stop second-guessing the methods, and treat security as a moral, not merely civic, obligation.
Quote Details
| Topic | Police & Firefighter |
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