That is why I took up the gun — not to shoot, not to kill, not to destroy, but to stop those who would do evil, to protect the vulnerable, to defend democratic values, to stand up for the freedom we have to talk … about how we can make the world a better place.

Source: "Why I Chose a Gun." TEDxAmsterdam. Nov. 2011. Conference Presentation. Additional Information: With this quote, the Netherlands’ chief of defense, Peter van Uhm, describes why he chose a gun as the instrument to represent how he interacts with the world. Says van Uhm, he chose the gun -- i.e., a career in the military -- not for violent reasons, but in order to protect innocent people and defend the values he holds dear. The quote is from van Uhm's 2011 TED Talk about his career and about the need for armies to ensure peace. Watch the full TED Talk here: Peter van Uhm - Why I Chose the Gun