Quote by Ernest Hemingway
I have watched them all day and they are the same men that we are. I believe that I could walk up to the mill and knock on the door and I would be welcome except that they have orders to challenge all travelers and ask to see their papers. It is only orders that come between us. Those men are not fascists. I call them so, but they are not. They are poor men as we are. They should never be fighting against us and I do not like to think of the killing.
Summary
This quote emphasizes the common humanity shared between individuals, highlighting the role of circumstances and orders in creating divisions. The speaker observes that although they and the other men at the mill appear different due to their roles, they fundamentally share the same struggles and experiences. They believe that if not for the orders they have received, there would be no hostility and they would be welcomed by these men. The quote aims to challenge preconceptions and labels, emphasizing the consequences of external forces that dictate individuals' actions, which the speaker finds troubling.