American Rhetoric: Movie Speech

"Michael Collins" (1996)

Michael Collins Preaches National Sovereignty

Video of Address delivered by Liam Neeson

Collins: The fact that the candidate you're being asked to vote for is at this moment rotting in an English jail shouldn't put you off! Sure wasn't I one myself 'til a week ago.

They can jail us. They can shoot us. They can even conscript us. They can use us as cannon fodder in the sod.

But -- But we have a weapon more powerful than any in the whole arsenal of their British Empire -- and that weapon is our refusal. Our refusal to bow to any order but our own, any institution but our own.

[pointing to the police]

Our friends in the Royal Irish Constabulary would like to shut me up. Oh yes, jail me again, shoot me, who knows? And I'd like you to send them a message. If they shut me up, who'll take my place?

[Crowd: I will!]

Who's going to take my place?

[Crowd: I will!]

I can't hear you. Who'll take my place?! Will they shut you up?!!

photo of Michael Collins