---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you put a tiny and despised minority…"
description: "\"When you put a tiny and despised minority up for a popular vote, the minority usually loses.\" — Andrew Sullivan"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a57/andrew-sullivan-4198_despised_when-you-put-a-tiny-and-despised-minorit_1974589.png"
---

#  When you put a tiny and despised minority up for a popular…

![“When you put a tiny and despised minority up for a popular vote, the minority usually loses.” quote by Andrew Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a57/andrew-sullivan-4198_despised_when-you-put-a-tiny-and-despised-minorit_1974589.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a57/andrew-sullivan-4198_despised_when-you-put-a-tiny-and-despised-minorit_1974589.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a57/andrew-sullivan-4198_despised_when-you-put-a-tiny-and-despised-minorit_1974589.png)

> “When you put a tiny and despised minority up for a popular vote, the minority usually loses.”

[Andrew Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-sullivan/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

When a tiny, disliked minority is put to a popular vote, it usually loses due to majority bias.

**In simple terms:** Minorities often lose in popular votes.

Key Takeaway

Advocate for minority protections.

Themes

politics minority rights democracy

Mood

critical inquisitive

Type

political analytical

When to use this quote

- election reforms
- civil rights activism
- policy debates

Key Concepts

majority rule voting systems

Questions to Reflect On

- How can voting systems better protect minorities?
- What alternatives exist to simple popular votes?

A Different Perspective

Majority rule can also protect minorities with safeguards.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Despised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despised/) [Despised Minority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despised-minority-3335621/) [Loses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loses/) [Minority Popular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minority-popular-3335619/) [Minority Usually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minority-usually-3335620/) [Popular vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/popular-vote/) [Tiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tiny/) [Vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vote/) [Vote Minority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vote-minority-3335618/)

## Related quotes

> [“People force a despised minority to live in squalor, which makes them seem animalistic and subhuman, which encourages the dominant group to mistreat them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/people-force-a-despised-minority-to-live-in-squalor-which-makes-them/)

[Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/)

> [It's about time that we create first class citizenship for every American plain and simple. Every New Jersey-ian. This should not be a popular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-booker/it-s-about-time-that-we-create-first-class-citizenship-for-every/)

[Cory Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-booker/)

> [The National Popular Vote is about getting states to convert from the winner-take-all rule. The states that pass the legislation will assign all their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-golisano/the-national-popular-vote-is-about-getting-states-to-convert-from-the/)

[Tom Golisano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-golisano/)

> [If there was special interests affecting police work, I believe that would be called corruption. So, if it has do with donating money versus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-mccarthy/if-there-was-special-interests-affecting-police-work-i-believe-that/)

[Garry McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-mccarthy/)

> [ Such a closely divided election; Secretary \[Hillary\] Clinton won the popular votes.Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin - about 112,000 votes separated the two candidates as well. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stephanopoulos/such-a-closely-divided-election-secretary-hillary-clinton-won-the/)

[George Stephanopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stephanopoulos/)

> [What is true, just, and beautiful is not determined by popular vote. The masses everywhere are ignorant, short-sighted, motivated by envy, and easy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-hermann-hoppe/what-is-true-just-and-beautiful-is-not-determined-by-popular-vote-the/)

[Hans-Hermann Hoppe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-hermann-hoppe/)

> [ \[The Democrats\] are sitting there thinking they really won. They won the popular vote. "We're only talking about this election Kellyanne \[Conway\]. You don't… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-democrats-are-sitting-there-thinking-they-really-won-they-won-the/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [If the popular vote elected the president today, two states - California and New York - would be all you would need. And that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/if-the-popular-vote-elected-the-president-today-two-states-california/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [Al Gore won the popular vote and didn't get elected president, so I'm not going to sit here and kill myself over not winning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/draymond-green/al-gore-won-the-popular-vote-and-didn-t-get-elected-president-so-i-m/)

[Draymond Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/draymond-green/)

> [I ran for the electoral college. I didn't run for the popular vote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-ran-for-the-electoral-college-i-didn-t-run-for-the-popular-vote/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [ \[Donald Trump\] even quoted a tweet from a self-identified 16-year-old as a way to justify crazy unsupported claims about the popular vote. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-todd/donald-trump-even-quoted-a-tweet-from-a-self-identified-16-year-old/)

[Chuck Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-todd/)

> [Donald Trump will become president even after losing the popular vote in our November elections by a wide margin. To govern effectively, he must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raja-krishnamoorthi/donald-trump-will-become-president-even-after-losing-the-popular-vote/)

[Raja Krishnamoorthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raja-krishnamoorthi/)

> [Since Hillary Clinton won the popular vote, why are they complaining about the Russians hacking the election? I mean, Hillary wins the popular vote,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/since-hillary-clinton-won-the-popular-vote-why-are-they-complaining/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [A popular vote to ascertain the will of the sovereign.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/a-popular-vote-to-ascertain-the-will-of-the-sovereign/)

[Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/)

> [I would've easily won the popular vote, much easier, in my opinion, than winning the electoral college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-would-ve-easily-won-the-popular-vote-much-easier-in-my-opinion-than/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

## More by Andrew Sullivan

> [True belief is not about blind submission. It is about open-eyed acceptance, and acceptance requires persistent distance from the truth, and that distance is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-sullivan/true-belief-is-not-about-blind-submission-it-is-about-open-eyed/)

[Andrew Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-sullivan/)

> [I'm gay. I always have been and I always will be, and I'm happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-sullivan/i-m-gay-i-always-have-been-and-i-always-will-be-and-i-m-happy/)

[Andrew Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-sullivan/)

> [What modernity requires is not that you cease living according to your faith, but that you accept that others may differ and that therefore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-sullivan/what-modernity-requires-is-not-that-you-cease-living-according-to/)

[Andrew Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-sullivan/)

> [Although I never publicly defended promiscuity, I never publicly attacked it. I attempted to avoid the subject, in part because I felt, and often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-sullivan/although-i-never-publicly-defended-promiscuity-i-never-publicly/)

[Andrew Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-sullivan/)

> [The day of reckoning is not just coming for Saddam Hussein. It's coming for the anti-war movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-sullivan/the-day-of-reckoning-is-not-just-coming-for-saddam-hussein-it-s/)

[Andrew Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-sullivan/)

> [For me, friendship has always been the most accessible of relationships - certainly far more so than romantic love. Friendship, I learned, provided a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-sullivan/for-me-friendship-has-always-been-the-most-accessible-of/)

[Andrew Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-sullivan/)

> [The first person I came out to was God. And the first conversation I ever had with anybody was in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-sullivan/the-first-person-i-came-out-to-was-god-and-the-first-conversation-i/)

[Andrew Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-sullivan/)

> [If religion is about truth, why is it so afraid of error?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-sullivan/if-religion-is-about-truth-why-is-it-so-afraid-of-error/)

[Andrew Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-sullivan/)

> [“Even if it's deep unhappiness, it's your unhappiness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-sullivan/even-if-it-s-deep-unhappiness-it-s-your-unhappiness/)

[Andrew Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-sullivan/)

> [Monsters remain human beings. In fact, to reduce them to a subhuman level is to exonerate them of their acts of terrorism and mass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-sullivan/monsters-remain-human-beings-in-fact-to-reduce-them-to-a-subhuman/)

[Andrew Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-sullivan/)

> [Well, in the past, the size of government was one of the more fundamental dividing lines between Right and Left. The Right was supposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-sullivan/well-in-the-past-the-size-of-government-was-one-of-the-more/)

[Andrew Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-sullivan/)

> [I've never been a partisan, I've never been a Republican, I've never been a Democrat, ever, which is why I was very frustrated being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-sullivan/i-ve-never-been-a-partisan-i-ve-never-been-a-republican-i-ve-never/)

[Andrew Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-sullivan/)

> [I think essentially corrupting institutions in Washington are turning conservatism into something that is really very creepy, but also emotionally and psychically powerful for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-sullivan/i-think-essentially-corrupting-institutions-in-washington-are-turning/)

[Andrew Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-sullivan/)

> [I believe that there are moments in sex that are so awesome that they actually reflect God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-sullivan/i-believe-that-there-are-moments-in-sex-that-are-so-awesome-that-they/)

[Andrew Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-sullivan/)

> [Every generation is born into, for the most part, a heterosexual family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-sullivan/every-generation-is-born-into-for-the-most-part-a-heterosexual-family/)

[Andrew Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-sullivan/)

[Explore all 114 Andrew Sullivan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-sullivan/)

## More Despised quotes

> [He lacked tenderness; he was rude; and he had more than a streak of cruelty in him; he was a thief and a liar.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-du-maurier/he-lacked-tenderness-he-was-rude-and-he-had-more-than-a-streak-of/)

[Daphne du Maurier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-du-maurier/)

> [You are still despised and mocked, A man too weak and infirm to be God, A God too much man to call forth adoration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil/you-are-still-despised-and-mocked-a-man-too-weak-and-infirm-to-be-god/)

[Khalil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil/)

> [“He had despised that Mary with her idiot smile, symbol of a story that meant nothing, servant of a God who no good to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hill/he-had-despised-that-mary-with-her-idiot-smile-symbol-of-a-story-that/)

[Joe Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-hill/)

> [Amidst the flood of dangerous reading, I plead for my Master's book; I call upon you not to forget the book of the soul.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/amidst-the-flood-of-dangerous-reading-i-plead-for-my-master-s-book-i/)

[J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/)

> [At a time when painting itself often seems to be a threatened, even despised, form of artistic activity, Andrew Salgado emerges as a dazzlingly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-lucie-smith/at-a-time-when-painting-itself-often-seems-to-be-a-threatened-even/)

[Edward Lucie-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-lucie-smith/)

> [And if thy heart be straight with God then every creature shall be to thee a mirror of life and a book of holy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/and-if-thy-heart-be-straight-with-god-then-every-creature-shall-be-to/)

[Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/)

> [Unless a man gives himself entirely to the Cross, in a spirit of humility and self-abasement; unless he casts himself down to be trampled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-the-evangelist/unless-a-man-gives-himself-entirely-to-the-cross-in-a-spirit-of/)

[Mark the Evangelist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-the-evangelist/)

> [I'd rather be despised for my character than be liked for my lack of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-d-rather-be-despised-for-my-character-than-be-liked-for-my-lack-of/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [It is easy enough to say that poverty is no crime. No; if it were men wouldn't be ashamed of it. It is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/it-is-easy-enough-to-say-that-poverty-is-no-crime-no-if-it-were-men/)

[Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/)

> [Many men without morals have attacked religion because it was contrary to their inclinations. Many wise men have despised it because it seemed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-d-holbach/many-men-without-morals-have-attacked-religion-because-it-was/)

[Baron d'Holbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-d-holbach/)

> [“For immediately in the beginning, after his original life of blessedness, the first man despised the command of God, and fell into this mortal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eusebius-of-caesarea/for-immediately-in-the-beginning-after-his-original-life-of/)

[Eusebius of Caesarea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eusebius-of-caesarea/)

> [I like to give a voice to others, especially things neglected or despised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-morgan/i-like-to-give-a-voice-to-others-especially-things-neglected-or/)

[Edwin Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-morgan/)

> [Which was worse: a friend with brain damage, or one who despised you?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/which-was-worse-a-friend-with-brain-damage-or-one-who-despised-you/)

[Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/)

> [The native American has been generally despised by his white conquerors for his poverty and simplicity. They forget, perhaps, that his religion forbade the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-alexander-eastman/the-native-american-has-been-generally-despised-by-his-white/)

[Charles Alexander Eastman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-alexander-eastman/)

> [“What is believed in one man's time, is despised in another man's day. To be sure, there will even be revulsion in some future…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-o-shea/what-is-believed-in-one-man-s-time-is-despised-in-another-man-s-day/)

[Pat O'Shea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-o-shea/)

[Browse all 319 Despised quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despised/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "When you put a tiny and despised minority up for a popular vote, the minority usually loses.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Andrew Sullivan"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-sullivan/when-you-put-a-tiny-and-despised-minority-up-for-a-popular-vote-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Despised"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-sullivan/when-you-put-a-tiny-and-despised-minority-up-for-a-popular-vote-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a57/andrew-sullivan-4198_despised_when-you-put-a-tiny-and-despised-minorit_1974589.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a57/andrew-sullivan-4198_despised_when-you-put-a-tiny-and-despised-minorit_1974589.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a57/andrew-sullivan-4198_despised_when-you-put-a-tiny-and-despised-minorit_1974589.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“When you put a tiny and despised minority up for a popular vote, the minority usually loses.” — Andrew Sullivan",
                "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": "Andrew Sullivan",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-sullivan/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "When you put a tiny and...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-sullivan/when-you-put-a-tiny-and-despised-minority-up-for-a-popular-vote-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-sullivan/when-you-put-a-tiny-and-despised-minority-up-for-a-popular-vote-the/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
