--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I accept that people are going to call me…" description: "\"I accept that people are going to call me awful things every day, and I will always defend their right to do so.\" — Barack Obama" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f53/barack-obama-17_acceptance_i-accept-that-people-are-going-to-call-m_372385.jpg" --- # I accept that people are going to call me awful things… ![“I accept that people are going to call me awful things every day, and I will always defend their right to do so.” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f53/barack-obama-17_acceptance_i-accept-that-people-are-going-to-call-m_372385.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f53/barack-obama-17_acceptance_i-accept-that-people-are-going-to-call-m_372385.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f53/barack-obama-17_acceptance_i-accept-that-people-are-going-to-call-m_372385.jpg) > “I accept that people are going to call me awful things every day, and I will always defend their right to do so.” [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. He affirms defending others’ right to speak, even when they say hurtful things. **In simple terms:** Defend others’ right to speak. Key Takeaway Uphold free speech despite offensive language. Themes free speech rights tolerance courage Mood reflective serious Type philosophical political When to use this quote - political debates - online platforms - public protests - personal interactions Key Concepts civil liberties public discourse Questions to Reflect On - When should speech be limited? - How do we protect dignity while preserving liberty? A Different Perspective Balancing speech with protection from hate is complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acceptance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acceptance/) [African american](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-american/) [Freedom of speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-of-speech/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politician/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) ## Related quotes > [I made a promise to North Texans that I will fight every day to defend their health care, including the protections for those with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-allred/i-made-a-promise-to-north-texans-that-i-will-fight-every-day-to/) [Colin Allred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-allred/) > [Actually, I defend the right to free abortion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torbjorn-tannsjo/actually-i-defend-the-right-to-free-abortion/) [Torbjorn Tannsjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torbjorn-tannsjo/) > [Most of us marvel at the ingenuity and imaginativeness of sting operations, defend their right to exist and will argue that if well-used, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barkha-dutt/most-of-us-marvel-at-the-ingenuity-and-imaginativeness-of-sting/) [Barkha Dutt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barkha-dutt/) > [Defend the weak, protect both young and old, never desert your friends. Give justice to all, be fearless in battle and always ready to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-jacques/defend-the-weak-protect-both-young-and-old-never-desert-your-friends-2/) [Brian Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-jacques/) > [For me, I will defend what's right - not who I am speaking with at the time or who I think will back me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-richards/for-me-i-will-defend-what-s-right-not-who-i-am-speaking-with-at-the/) [Kyle Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-richards/) > [It is, in fact, precisely to defend the right to free speech that countless patriots have given the last full measure of devotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-boot/it-is-in-fact-precisely-to-defend-the-right-to-free-speech-that/) [Max Boot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-boot/) > [Defend the weak, protect both young and old, never desert your friends. Give justice to all, be fearless in battle and always ready to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-jacques/defend-the-weak-protect-both-young-and-old-never-desert-your-friends/) [Brian Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-jacques/) > [God defend the right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/god-defend-the-right/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Defend for all the right reasons than the wrongs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/defend-for-all-the-right-reasons-than-the-wrongs/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If anyone interferes into the private life of two people, I will defend the right of those two people between their four walls. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jair-bolsonaro/if-anyone-interferes-into-the-private-life-of-two-people-i-will/) [Jair Bolsonaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jair-bolsonaro/) > [I'd defend the right for any novelist to experiment with form or language, but if people don't take to it, don't react by making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-joyce/i-d-defend-the-right-for-any-novelist-to-experiment-with-form-or/) [Graham Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-joyce/) > [As soon as you hit 40, you have to defend your right to be that great age,' and still working in the media. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-daly/as-soon-as-you-hit-40-you-have-to-defend-your-right-to-be-that-great/) [Tess Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-daly/) > [If you are unwilling to defend your right to your own lives, then you are merely like mice trying to argue with owls. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/if-you-are-unwilling-to-defend-your-right-to-your-own-lives-then-you/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [I live proudly in a body of my own design. I defend my right to be complex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-feinberg/i-live-proudly-in-a-body-of-my-own-design-i-defend-my-right-to-be/) [Leslie Feinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-feinberg/) > [I think that our politics everywhere are gonna be going through this bumpy phase. But as long as we stay true to our Democratic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-think-that-our-politics-everywhere-are-gonna-be-going-through-this/) [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 Acceptance quotes > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When one fib becomes due as it were, you must forge another to take up the old acceptance; and so the stock of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/when-one-fib-becomes-due-as-it-were-you-must-forge-another-to-take-up/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Acceptance of death when it arrives is one thing, but to allow it to upstage the joys of living is ingratitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-blythe/acceptance-of-death-when-it-arrives-is-one-thing-but-to-allow-it-to/) [Ronald Blythe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-blythe/) > [“Loving someone who does not love you back hurts, alot, i know. It is liking seeing these pair of shoes at the retail store…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nomthandazo-tsembeni/loving-someone-who-does-not-love-you-back-hurts-alot-i-know-it-is/) [Nomthandazo Tsembeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nomthandazo-tsembeni/) > [Take responsibily for your past, the bad memories of poor decisions you took were your choices once, and you liked them for the moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aruho-marvin/take-responsibily-for-your-past-the-bad-memories-of-poor-decisions/) [Aruho Marvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aruho-marvin/) > [Let us learn to accept and appreciate things now, and we'll find more happiness in every moment we live. Happiness comes when we stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/let-us-learn-to-accept-and-appreciate-things-now-and-we-ll-find-more/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [“Love first; ask questions later.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-courtney/love-first-ask-questions-later/) [Jeremy Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-courtney/) > [“There was beauty in chaos, she'd just never known it before.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-linsmeier/there-was-beauty-in-chaos-she-d-just-never-known-it-before/) [Amanda Linsmeier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-linsmeier/) > [Accepting the challenges in life makes it interesting and overcoming them makes it eloquent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/accepting-the-challenges-in-life-makes-it-interesting-and-overcoming/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Acceptance is the only thing you should teach. Be it Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Dalit, you must inculcate acceptance, not tolerance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamal-haasan/acceptance-is-the-only-thing-you-should-teach-be-it-christian-muslim/) [Kamal Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamal-haasan/) > [There just seems to be more acceptance now of other kinds of British films, than the picture-postcard ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-roth/there-just-seems-to-be-more-acceptance-now-of-other-kinds-of-british/) [Tim Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-roth/) > [You should never hate anyone, even your worst enemies. Everyone has something good about them. You have to find the redeeming quality and love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/you-should-never-hate-anyone-even-your-worst-enemies-everyone-has/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) > [The sense that in this universe we are treated as strangers, the longing to be acknowledged, to meet with some response, to bridge some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-sense-that-in-this-universe-we-are-treated-as-strangers-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 3,960 Acceptance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acceptance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I accept that people are going to call me awful things every day, and I will always defend their right to do so.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-accept-that-people-are-going-to-call-me-awful-things-every-day-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acceptance" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-accept-that-people-are-going-to-call-me-awful-things-every-day-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f53/barack-obama-17_acceptance_i-accept-that-people-are-going-to-call-m_372385.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f53/barack-obama-17_acceptance_i-accept-that-people-are-going-to-call-m_372385.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f53/barack-obama-17_acceptance_i-accept-that-people-are-going-to-call-m_372385.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I accept that people are going to call me awful things every day, and I will always defend their right to do…” — 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": "I accept that people are going...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-accept-that-people-are-going-to-call-me-awful-things-every-day-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-accept-that-people-are-going-to-call-me-awful-things-every-day-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 } } ] } ```