That's not what justice is," the colonel jeered, and began pounding the table again with his big fat hand. "That's what Karl Marx is. I'll tell you what justice is. Justice is a knee in the gut from the floor on the chin at night sneaky with a knife brought up down on the magazine of a battleship sandbagged underhanded in the dark without a word of warning. Garroting. That's what justice is when we've all got to be tough enough and rough enough to fight Billy Petrolle. From the hip. Get it?
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The colonel ridicules a notion of justice that aligns with Karl Marx, insisting instead that true justice involves brutality and violence. He describes it as a ruthless and sneaky act of aggression, embodying an idea that justice requires a fierce readiness to confront adversaries without warning or mercy. This view contrasts sharply with more traditional, lawful interpretations of justice, suggesting a world where power and toughness reign supreme.

This extreme depiction raises questions about the morality and ethics of justice. Rather than the pursuit of fairness or lawfulness, it illustrates a perspective where justice is intertwined with violence and fear, highlighting a ferocious mentality that challenges the fundamental principles of a civilized society. Through this character's words, Heller critiques the notion that might makes right, presenting a cynical view on the nature of power and justice in tumultuous times.

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January 27, 2025

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