--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The people know their rights, and they…" description: "\"The people know their rights, and they are never slow to assert and maintain them when they are invaded.\" — Abraham Lincoln" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a83/abraham-lincoln-88_invaded_the-people-know-their-rights-and-they-ar_3096962.png" --- # The people know their rights, and they are never slow to… ![“The people know their rights, and they are never slow to assert and maintain them when they are invaded.” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a83/abraham-lincoln-88_invaded_the-people-know-their-rights-and-they-ar_3096962.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a83/abraham-lincoln-88_invaded_the-people-know-their-rights-and-they-ar_3096962.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a83/abraham-lincoln-88_invaded_the-people-know-their-rights-and-they-ar_3096962.png) > “The people know their rights, and they are never slow to assert and maintain them when they are invaded.” [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People will actively defend their rights when those rights are threatened. **In simple terms:** Rights are defended when they are under attack. Key Takeaway Stand ready to protect your freedoms. Themes rights activism justice Mood determined serious Type political ethical When to use this quote - political protest - legal battles - community organizing Key Concepts civic duty defense of liberty Questions to Reflect On - What triggers people to assert their rights? - How can societies ensure rights are respected? A Different Perspective Not all rights are equally recognized. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) ## Related quotes > [To be honest, sometimes you have to know your rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-hawkins/to-be-honest-sometimes-you-have-to-know-your-rights/) [Corey Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-hawkins/) > [Why should we tell kidnappers, murderers, and embezzlers their rights? If they don't know their rights, they shouldn't be in the business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-paulsen/why-should-we-tell-kidnappers-murderers-and-embezzlers-their-rights/) [Pat Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-paulsen/) > [Sometimes I think you have to march right in and demand your rights, even if you don't know what your rights are, or who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-i-think-you-have-to-march-right-in-and-demand-your-rights/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't know whether you have any rights before you're born. All I know is that being born again doesn't entitle you to twice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-whitney-brown/i-don-t-know-whether-you-have-any-rights-before-you-re-born-all-i/) [A. Whitney Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-whitney-brown/) > [In Swaraj, based on ahimsa, people need not know their rights, but it is also necessary for them to know their duties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/in-swaraj-based-on-ahimsa-people-need-not-know-their-rights-but-it-is/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“If there's a child on the south side of Chicago who can't read, that matters to me, even if it's not my child. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/if-there-s-a-child-on-the-south-side-of-chicago-who-can-t-read-that/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [It's not good enough to announce 'I know my rights' if you aren't prepared to accept that you have responsibilities to society and your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-grayling/it-s-not-good-enough-to-announce-i-know-my-rights-if-you-aren-t/) [Chris Grayling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-grayling/) > [“Then after that I asked this fella what rights he had that we were offendin’, and he said, well, he didn't know, but he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shaara/then-after-that-i-asked-this-fella-what-rights-he-had-that-we-were/) [Michael Shaara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shaara/) > [Women have a better chance to secure freedom and protect themselves from violence, from abuse, from injustice, if they are well-educated and know their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-bush/women-have-a-better-chance-to-secure-freedom-and-protect-themselves/) [Laura Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-bush/) > [Has a world composed of "us" and "not us" been invaded at last?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bisco-hatori/has-a-world-composed-of-us-and-not-us-been-invaded-at-last/) [Bisco Hatori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bisco-hatori/) > [I was in Shanghai when the Japanese invaded China. I was there in Shanghai when, the morning after Pearl Harbor, they seized Shanghai.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-g-ballard/i-was-in-shanghai-when-the-japanese-invaded-china-i-was-there-in/) [J. G. Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-g-ballard/) > [William: What do you think of the fact that your home has been invaded by women? Maddox: I couldn’t be more pleased, as long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gena-showalter/william-what-do-you-think-of-the-fact-that-your-home-has-been-invaded/) [Gena Showalter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gena-showalter/) > [That's how we invaded Iraq, through the fear of an 'evil empire,' and it just makes people feel like bulls with the toreadors -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-pullman/that-s-how-we-invaded-iraq-through-the-fear-of-an-evil-empire-and-it/) [Bill Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-pullman/) > [On the contrary, the characteristic element of the present situation is that economic questions have finally and irrevocably invaded the domain of public life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-henderson/on-the-contrary-the-characteristic-element-of-the-present-situation/) [Arthur Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-henderson/) > [I'd like to keep work work and life life. It means you've got your life to come back to, somewhere to come home to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcavoy/i-d-like-to-keep-work-work-and-life-life-it-means-you-ve-got-your/) [James McAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcavoy/) ## More by Abraham Lincoln > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/all-that-i-am-or-ever-hope-to-be-i-owe-to-my-angel-mother/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [While the people retain their virtue and vigilance, no administration, by any extreme of wickedness or folly, can very seriously injure the government in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/while-the-people-retain-their-virtue-and-vigilance-no-administration/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Let us at all times remember that all American citizens are brothers of a common country, and should dwell together in bonds of fraternal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/let-us-at-all-times-remember-that-all-american-citizens-are-brothers/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [If you wish to be a lawyer, attach no consequence to the place you are in, or the person you are with; but get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/if-you-wish-to-be-a-lawyer-attach-no-consequence-to-the-place-you-are/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [As we keep or break the Sabbath Day we nobly save or meanly lose the last best hope by which man rises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/as-we-keep-or-break-the-sabbath-day-we-nobly-save-or-meanly-lose-the/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Tell the truth and you won't have so much to remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/tell-the-truth-and-you-won-t-have-so-much-to-remember/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [With high hope for the future, no prediction is ventured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/with-high-hope-for-the-future-no-prediction-is-ventured/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We know, Southern men declare that their slaves are better off than hired laborers amongst us. How little they know, whereof they speak! There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/we-know-southern-men-declare-that-their-slaves-are-better-off-than/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I am glad to see that a system of labor prevails under which laborers can strike when they want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-am-glad-to-see-that-a-system-of-labor-prevails-under-which-laborers/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I don't like that man. I must get to know him better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-don-t-like-that-man-i-must-get-to-know-him-better/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [In this sad world of ours, sorrow comes to all; and to the young, it comes with bitterest agony because it takes them unawares.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/in-this-sad-world-of-ours-sorrow-comes-to-all-and-to-the-young-it/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The man does not live who is more devoted to peace than I am. None who would do more to preserve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/the-man-does-not-live-who-is-more-devoted-to-peace-than-i-am-none-who/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) [Explore all 1,437 Abraham Lincoln quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) ## More Invaded quotes > [I'd like to keep work work and life life. It means you've got your life to come back to, somewhere to come home to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcavoy/i-d-like-to-keep-work-work-and-life-life-it-means-you-ve-got-your/) [James McAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcavoy/) > [On the contrary, the characteristic element of the present situation is that economic questions have finally and irrevocably invaded the domain of public life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-henderson/on-the-contrary-the-characteristic-element-of-the-present-situation/) [Arthur Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-henderson/) > [That's how we invaded Iraq, through the fear of an 'evil empire,' and it just makes people feel like bulls with the toreadors -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-pullman/that-s-how-we-invaded-iraq-through-the-fear-of-an-evil-empire-and-it/) [Bill Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-pullman/) > [William: What do you think of the fact that your home has been invaded by women? Maddox: I couldn’t be more pleased, as long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gena-showalter/william-what-do-you-think-of-the-fact-that-your-home-has-been-invaded/) [Gena Showalter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gena-showalter/) > [I was in Shanghai when the Japanese invaded China. I was there in Shanghai when, the morning after Pearl Harbor, they seized Shanghai.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-g-ballard/i-was-in-shanghai-when-the-japanese-invaded-china-i-was-there-in/) [J. G. Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-g-ballard/) > [Has a world composed of "us" and "not us" been invaded at last?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bisco-hatori/has-a-world-composed-of-us-and-not-us-been-invaded-at-last/) [Bisco Hatori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bisco-hatori/) > [God told me to smite Osama bin Laden, so I invaded Afghanistan. Then He told me to smite Saddam Hussein, so I invaded Iraq.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/god-told-me-to-smite-osama-bin-laden-so-i-invaded-afghanistan-then-he/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [“You invaded Narnia. You have no more right leading than Miraz does. Peter Pevensie: You, him, your father! Narnia's better off without the lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/you-invaded-narnia-you-have-no-more-right-leading-than-miraz-does/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [Breaking into a country signals quite reliably a willingness to break yet more of the invaded country's laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilana-mercer/breaking-into-a-country-signals-quite-reliably-a-willingness-to-break/) [Ilana Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilana-mercer/) > [“I fucked her face, but I’m the one who got invaded. I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annika-martin/i-fucked-her-face-but-i-m-the-one-who-got-invaded-i/) [Annika Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annika-martin/) > [A good model of how to 'work with the enemy' internally is presented by the Dalai Lama, in his endless caretaking of his soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/a-good-model-of-how-to-work-with-the-enemy-internally-is-presented-by/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [I don't like having my space invaded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shia-labeouf/i-don-t-like-having-my-space-invaded/) [Shia LaBeouf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shia-labeouf/) > [Right after we invaded Iraq, I put a sign on my lawn that said "War is not the answer." That sign was either defaced,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-haggis/right-after-we-invaded-iraq-i-put-a-sign-on-my-lawn-that-said-war-is/) [Paul Haggis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-haggis/) > [We have not invaded anyone. We have not conquered anyone. We have not grabbed their land, their culture, their history and tried to enforce…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-have-not-invaded-anyone-we-have-not-conquered-anyone-we-have-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm being invaded by fashion pundits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cojocaru/i-m-being-invaded-by-fashion-pundits/) [Steven Cojocaru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cojocaru/) Browse all 83 Invaded quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The people know their rights, and they are never slow to assert and maintain them when they are invaded.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Abraham Lincoln" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/the-people-know-their-rights-and-they-are-never-slow-to-assert-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Invaded" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/the-people-know-their-rights-and-they-are-never-slow-to-assert-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a83/abraham-lincoln-88_invaded_the-people-know-their-rights-and-they-ar_3096962.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a83/abraham-lincoln-88_invaded_the-people-know-their-rights-and-they-ar_3096962.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a83/abraham-lincoln-88_invaded_the-people-know-their-rights-and-they-ar_3096962.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The people know their rights, and they are never slow to assert and maintain them when they are invaded.” — Abraham Lincoln", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Abraham Lincoln", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The people know their rights, and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/the-people-know-their-rights-and-they-are-never-slow-to-assert-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/the-people-know-their-rights-and-they-are-never-slow-to-assert-and/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```