--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If any individual who objects to…" description: "\"If any individual who objects to government policy can take it in their own hands to publicly disclose classified information, then we will never be ab..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/994/barack-obama-17_able_if-any-individual-who-objects-to-governm_2150420.jpg" --- # If any individual who objects to government policy can… ![“If any individual who objects to government policy can take it in their own hands to publicly disclose classified information, then we will never be able to keep our people safe or conduct foreign policy.” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/994/barack-obama-17_able_if-any-individual-who-objects-to-governm_2150420.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/994/barack-obama-17_able_if-any-individual-who-objects-to-governm_2150420.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/994/barack-obama-17_able_if-any-individual-who-objects-to-governm_2150420.jpg) > “If any individual who objects to government policy can take it in their own hands to publicly disclose classified information, then we will never be able to keep our people safe or conduct foreign policy.” [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. If anyone can leak classified info, security and foreign policy become impossible. **In simple terms:** Unrestricted leaks endanger safety. Key Takeaway Protect sensitive information. Themes security government information control Mood serious cautious Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - journalism - whistleblowing - cybersecurity - policy making - diplomacy Key Concepts politics ethics national defense Questions to Reflect On - How to balance security with public right to know? - When does secrecy become harmful? A Different Perspective Overly strict controls may suppress necessary transparency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Classified information](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/classified-information/) [Conduct Foreign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conduct-foreign-626152/) [Foreign policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foreign-policy/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-policy/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Information](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/information/) [Nsa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nsa/) [Objects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/objects/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/policy/) [Policy Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/policy-hands-4518529/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Publicly Disclose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/publicly-disclose-4518528/) [Safe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safe/) ## Related quotes > [A political society does not live to conduct foreign policy; it would be more correct to say that it conducts foreign policy in order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-f-kennan/a-political-society-does-not-live-to-conduct-foreign-policy-it-would/) [George F. Kennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-f-kennan/) > [It is my view that we cannot conduct foreign policy at the extremes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/it-is-my-view-that-we-cannot-conduct-foreign-policy-at-the-extremes/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [Clapper has been straight and direct in the answers that he's given, and has actively engaged in an effort to provide more information about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-carney/clapper-has-been-straight-and-direct-in-the-answers-that-he-s-given/) [Jay Carney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-carney/) > [I'll turn the page on a growing empire of classified information. We'll protect sources and methods, but we won't use sources and methods to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-ll-turn-the-page-on-a-growing-empire-of-classified-information-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Hillary Clinton was an outstanding secretary of state. She would never intentionally put America in any kind of jeopardy. And what I also know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/hillary-clinton-was-an-outstanding-secretary-of-state-she-would-never/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Granting such immunity undermines the constitutional protections Americans trust the Congress to protect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/granting-such-immunity-undermines-the-constitutional-protections/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We need to find a way forward to make sure that we can stop terrorists while protecting the privacy, and liberty, of innocent Americans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-need-to-find-a-way-forward-to-make-sure-that-we-can-stop/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Our efforts will only be effective if ordinary citizens in other countries have confidence that the United States respects their privacy too. And the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/our-efforts-will-only-be-effective-if-ordinary-citizens-in-other/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [This Administration also puts forward a false choice between the liberties we cherish and the security we demand... That means no more illegal wire-tapping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/this-administration-also-puts-forward-a-false-choice-between-the/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Those who are troubled by our existing programs are not interested in a repeat of 9/11, and those who defend these programs are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/those-who-are-troubled-by-our-existing-programs-are-not-interested-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [So I think it's important to understand that your duly elected representatives have been consistently informed about exactly what we're doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-i-think-it-s-important-to-understand-that-your-duly-elected/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We can give our intelligence and law enforcement community the powers they need to track down and take out terrorists without undermining our commitment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-can-give-our-intelligence-and-law-enforcement-community-the-powers/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I don't welcome leaks. There's a reason why these programs are classified.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-don-t-welcome-leaks-there-s-a-reason-why-these-programs-are/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The program grew out of a desire to address a gap identified after 9/11 ... The program does not involve the NSA examining the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-program-grew-out-of-a-desire-to-address-a-gap-identified-after-9/) [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/) ## 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 Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) [Greg Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-perry/) > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) [Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If any individual who objects to government policy can take it in their own hands to publicly disclose classified information, then we will never be able to keep our people safe or conduct foreign policy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/if-any-individual-who-objects-to-government-policy-can-take-it-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Able" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/if-any-individual-who-objects-to-government-policy-can-take-it-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/994/barack-obama-17_able_if-any-individual-who-objects-to-governm_2150420.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/994/barack-obama-17_able_if-any-individual-who-objects-to-governm_2150420.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/994/barack-obama-17_able_if-any-individual-who-objects-to-governm_2150420.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If any individual who objects to government policy can take it in their own hands to publicly disclose…” — 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": "If any individual who objects to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/if-any-individual-who-objects-to-government-policy-can-take-it-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/if-any-individual-who-objects-to-government-policy-can-take-it-in/#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 } } ] } ```