--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is my view that if society was doing…" description: "\"It is my view that if society was doing the right thing with respect to you, [and there were] programs targeted at helping people rise into the middle ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73a/barack-obama-17_able_it-is-my-view-that-if-society-was-doing_2708983.jpg" --- # It is my view that if society was doing the right thing… ![“It is my view that if society was doing the right thing with respect to you, [and there were] programs targeted at helping people rise into the middle class and have a good income and be able to save and send their kids to school, and you've got a vigorous enforcement of anti-discrimination laws…” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73a/barack-obama-17_able_it-is-my-view-that-if-society-was-doing_2708983.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73a/barack-obama-17_able_it-is-my-view-that-if-society-was-doing_2708983.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73a/barack-obama-17_able_it-is-my-view-that-if-society-was-doing_2708983.jpg) > “It is my view that if society was doing the right thing with respect to you, \[and there were\] programs targeted at helping people rise into the middle class and have a good income and be able to save and send their kids to school, and you've got a vigorous enforcement of anti-discrimination laws, then I have confidence in the black community's capabilities to then move forward.” [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. Investing in anti‑discrimination enforcement and middle‑class support boosts confidence and progress in Black communities. **In simple terms:** Support and enforce rights to empower communities. Key Takeaway Promote equity through policy and enforcement. Themes equity policy community empowerment Mood hopeful determined Type political inspirational When to use this quote - Legislative advocacy - community program design - education funding Key Concepts Socio‑economic mobility civil rights law social investment Questions to Reflect On - What additional measures can close the opportunity gap? - How can communities sustain momentum? A Different Perspective Progress may be hindered by systemic barriers beyond policy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Anti discrimination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anti-discrimination/) [Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Black community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-community/) [Capability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capability/) [Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Class Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class-good-1505762/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Discrimination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discrimination/) [Doing right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-right/) [Doing the right thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-the-right-thing/) [Enforcement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enforcement/) [Have confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/have-confidence/) [Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping/) [Helping people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping-people/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Income](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/income/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Middle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle/) [Middle class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-class/) [Move forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/move-forward/) [Moving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moving/) [Moving forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moving-forward/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Program](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/program/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Respect Programs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect-programs-2793000/) [Right thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-thing/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Society Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society-doing-1665391/) [Views](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/views/) [Vigorous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vigorous/) ## Related quotes > [This is why the anti-discrimination principle being enforced is important. Because it won't stop if some of the underlying biases aren't challenged and surfaced.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/this-is-why-the-anti-discrimination-principle-being-enforced-is/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We're still fighting to make sure that basic anti-discrimination laws are enforced, not just at the federal level, by the way, but throughout government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-re-still-fighting-to-make-sure-that-basic-anti-discrimination-laws/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Statistically and emotionally, I believe that the way I can be of help to society is by doing what I know and what I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/statistically-and-emotionally-i-believe-that-the-way-i-can-be-of-help/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [The transmission of values from one generation to the next is the single most important task of the society. ...What am I doing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ashcroft/the-transmission-of-values-from-one-generation-to-the-next-is-the/) [John Ashcroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashcroft/) > [Society is doing a great deal for the workingman, for the lower classes; but it seems to me, sometimes, as if it formed associations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bartholomew-gough/society-is-doing-a-great-deal-for-the-workingman-for-the-lower/) [John Bartholomew Gough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bartholomew-gough/) > [“People who come first in class never get good marks in the report card of Life. After all who asks you your CGPA on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laksh-kishore/people-who-come-first-in-class-never-get-good-marks-in-the-report/) [Laksh Kishore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laksh-kishore/) > [I used to always crack jokes in class. I was a good liar and a good talker. I was just good. I was my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/i-used-to-always-crack-jokes-in-class-i-was-a-good-liar-and-a-good/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [The teacher always used me as an example to the class of good English and good storytelling because we all had to write the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/the-teacher-always-used-me-as-an-example-to-the-class-of-good-english/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [I was that kid in the class who had the good-looking mom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-spice/i-was-that-kid-in-the-class-who-had-the-good-looking-mom/) [Ice Spice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-spice/) > [I do have confidence that we're gonna be able to get it right. But it's not gonna be overnight. And there's no silver bullets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-do-have-confidence-that-we-re-gonna-be-able-to-get-it-right-but-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [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/) > [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/) > [ When I talked to \[Donald Trump\] about - our intelligence agencies, what I've said to him is - is that there are gonna be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/when-i-talked-to-donald-trump-about-our-intelligence-agencies-what-i/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I can no more disown (Jeremiah Wright) than I can disown the black community. I can no more disown him than I can my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-no-more-disown-jeremiah-wright-than-i-can-disown-the-black/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Theoretically, you can make, obviously, a powerful argument that centuries of slavery, Jim Crow, discrimination are the primary cause for all those gaps. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/theoretically-you-can-make-obviously-a-powerful-argument-that/) [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": "It is my view that if society was doing the right thing with respect to you, [and there were] programs targeted at helping people rise into the middle class and have a good income and be able to save and send their kids to school, and you've got a vigorous enforcement of anti-discrimination laws, then I have confidence in the black community's capabilities to then move forward.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-is-my-view-that-if-society-was-doing-the-right-thing-with-respect/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Able" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-is-my-view-that-if-society-was-doing-the-right-thing-with-respect/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73a/barack-obama-17_able_it-is-my-view-that-if-society-was-doing_2708983.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73a/barack-obama-17_able_it-is-my-view-that-if-society-was-doing_2708983.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73a/barack-obama-17_able_it-is-my-view-that-if-society-was-doing_2708983.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is my view that if society was doing the right thing with respect to you, [and there were] programs…” — 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": "It is my view that if...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-is-my-view-that-if-society-was-doing-the-right-thing-with-respect/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-is-my-view-that-if-society-was-doing-the-right-thing-with-respect/#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 } } ] } ```