--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Generally speaking in America, a lot of…" description: "\"Generally speaking in America, a lot of environmentally problematic facilities tend to be located in places where poor folks live because wealthier fol..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/128/barack-obama-17_ability_generally-speaking-in-america-a-lot-of-e_1213487.jpg" --- # Generally speaking in America, a lot of environmentally… ![“Generally speaking in America, a lot of environmentally problematic facilities tend to be located in places where poor folks live because wealthier folks have the ability to say, "not in my backyard."” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/128/barack-obama-17_ability_generally-speaking-in-america-a-lot-of-e_1213487.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/128/barack-obama-17_ability_generally-speaking-in-america-a-lot-of-e_1213487.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/128/barack-obama-17_ability_generally-speaking-in-america-a-lot-of-e_1213487.jpg) > “Generally speaking in America, a lot of environmentally problematic facilities tend to be located in places where poor folks live because wealthier folks have the ability to say, "not in my backyard."” [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Poor communities often host harmful facilities because wealthier residents can oppose them, highlighting systemic inequality. **In simple terms:** Rich people keep bad sites away from them, leaving them for the poor. Key Takeaway Address inequality by demanding fair siting of harmful facilities. Themes environmental justice economic disparity political power community health urban planning Mood concerned determined Type political activist When to use this quote - city council meetings - community organizing - policy advocacy - environmental impact assessments Key Concepts systemic racism public policy social equity Questions to Reflect On - Who is responsible for equitable zoning? - How can communities gain more influence? A Different Perspective Changing entrenched power dynamics is complex and slow. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Backyards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backyards/) [Environmentally Problematic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environmentally-problematic-3688218/) [Facility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facility/) [Folks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folks/) [Places Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/places-poor-3688217/) [Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor/) [Poor Folks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor-folks-419648/) [Problematic Facilities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problematic-facilities-3688219/) [Wealthier Folks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealthier-folks-3688220/) ## Related quotes > [The more we are using clean energy, renewable energy sources, the less environmentally problematic facilities end up being a problem for everybody, but particularly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-more-we-are-using-clean-energy-renewable-energy-sources-the-less/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I've been to those places where it's 'poor, pitiful me.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-ve-been-to-those-places-where-it-s-poor-pitiful-me/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [If people continue to feel like Democrats are looking after poor folks and Republicans are looking after rich folks and nobody is looking after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/if-people-continue-to-feel-like-democrats-are-looking-after-poor/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [If you ask for good schools, you aren't likely to get them. If you ask for jobs or economic investment, you won't get that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-alexander/if-you-ask-for-good-schools-you-aren-t-likely-to-get-them-if-you-ask/) [Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-alexander/) > [My clients were always poor folks, working folks, people who were in trouble and couldn't afford to pay a whole lot. I found it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grisham/my-clients-were-always-poor-folks-working-folks-people-who-were-in/) [John Grisham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grisham/) > [When you come from desperate poverty, and that's exactly what I come from, you know that nonsenses are not to be tolerated. I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/when-you-come-from-desperate-poverty-and-that-s-exactly-what-i-come/) [John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/) > [We are in a social and political context in which the norm is to punish poor folks of color rather than to educate and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-alexander/we-are-in-a-social-and-political-context-in-which-the-norm-is-to/) [Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-alexander/) > [I think poor folks are the only people who cannot afford - financially and otherwise - to be sick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-thought/i-think-poor-folks-are-the-only-people-who-cannot-afford-financially/) [Black Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-thought/) > [“Folks that prosperous don’t usually pick up and move. Mostly, movers are poor folks.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/folks-that-prosperous-don-t-usually-pick-up-and-move-mostly-movers/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [Everybody needs history but the people who need it most are poor folks - people without resources or options.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-hampton/everybody-needs-history-but-the-people-who-need-it-most-are-poor/) [Henry Hampton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-hampton/) > [Inevitably, people tell me that poor folks are lazy or unintelligent, that they are somehow deserving of their poverty. However, if you begin to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-torres/inevitably-people-tell-me-that-poor-folks-are-lazy-or-unintelligent/) [Bob Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-torres/) > [“Mama says no matter how poor folks are, whether you’re a have, a have-not, or break your mama’s back on the cracks in between,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-murdoch/mama-says-no-matter-how-poor-folks-are-whether-you-re-a-have-a-have/) [Emily Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-murdoch/) > [Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington -- it began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/our-campaign-was-not-hatched-in-the-halls-of-washington-it-began-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The poor folks hate the rich folks, and the rich folks hate the poor folks. All of my folks hate all of your folks,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/the-poor-folks-hate-the-rich-folks-and-the-rich-folks-hate-the-poor/) [Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) > [I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to. It belongs to you. It belongs to you. I was never the likeliest candidate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-will-never-forget-who-this-victory-truly-belongs-to-it-belongs-to-2/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More by Barack Obama > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/donald-trump-is-temperamentally-unfit/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What we've said to the girls is: 'If you guys ever decide that you're going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-we-ve-said-to-the-girls-is-if-you-guys-ever-decide-that-you-re/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Nobody is listening to your telephone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-of-us-take-offense-to-anyone-who-reaps-the-rewards-of-living-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The world is complicated and full of grays, but there's still truth there to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-world-is-complicated-and-full-of-grays-but-there-s-still-truth/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I want to thank the Greek people publicly for their humanitarian response to the crisis of so many migrants and refugees seeking safety in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-thank-the-greek-people-publicly-for-their-humanitarian/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We had a farewell dinner for some of my senior staff, and generally everybody likes to talk about how cool I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-had-a-farewell-dinner-for-some-of-my-senior-staff-and-generally/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ It's good to get fresh legs in \[the White house\]. I think that it refreshes our democracy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-good-to-get-fresh-legs-in-the-white-house-i-think-that-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy, it is part of what makes us exceptional, part of what makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/believe-it-or-not-entertainment-is-part-of-our-american-diplomacy-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Explore all 3,624 Barack Obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Generally speaking in America, a lot of environmentally problematic facilities tend to be located in places where poor folks live because wealthier folks have the ability to say, \"not in my backyard.\"", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/generally-speaking-in-america-a-lot-of-environmentally-problematic/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/generally-speaking-in-america-a-lot-of-environmentally-problematic/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/128/barack-obama-17_ability_generally-speaking-in-america-a-lot-of-e_1213487.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/128/barack-obama-17_ability_generally-speaking-in-america-a-lot-of-e_1213487.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/128/barack-obama-17_ability_generally-speaking-in-america-a-lot-of-e_1213487.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Generally speaking in America, a lot of environmentally problematic facilities tend to be located in places…” — Barack Obama", "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": "Barack Obama", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Generally speaking in America, a lot...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/generally-speaking-in-america-a-lot-of-environmentally-problematic/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/generally-speaking-in-america-a-lot-of-environmentally-problematic/#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 } } ] } ```