--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The promotion of human rights cannot be…" description: "\"The promotion of human rights cannot be about exhortation alone. At times, it must be coupled with painstaking diplomacy. I know that engagement with r..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cab/barack-obama-17_choices_the-promotion-of-human-rights-cannot-be_2057836.jpg" --- # The promotion of human rights cannot be about exhortation… ![“The promotion of human rights cannot be about exhortation alone. At times, it must be coupled with painstaking diplomacy. I know that engagement with repressive regimes lacks the satisfying purity of indignation. But I also know that sanctions without outreach -- condemnation without discussion…” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cab/barack-obama-17_choices_the-promotion-of-human-rights-cannot-be_2057836.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cab/barack-obama-17_choices_the-promotion-of-human-rights-cannot-be_2057836.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cab/barack-obama-17_choices_the-promotion-of-human-rights-cannot-be_2057836.jpg) > “The promotion of human rights cannot be about exhortation alone. At times, it must be coupled with painstaking diplomacy. I know that engagement with repressive regimes lacks the satisfying purity of indignation. But I also know that sanctions without outreach -- condemnation without discussion -- can carry forward only a crippling status quo. No repressive regime can move down a new path unless it has the choice of an open door.” [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. Human rights work needs both moral persuasion and practical diplomacy; without dialogue, sanctions alone cannot change oppressive regimes. **In simple terms:** Human rights need both talk and action. Key Takeaway Combine advocacy with diplomatic engagement. Themes human rights diplomacy policy ethics Mood determined hopeful Type political inspirational When to use this quote - international negotiations - NGO advocacy - government policy - conflict resolution Key Concepts soft power sanctions engagement regime change Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance moral outrage with pragmatic diplomacy? - What channels best open doors for repressive governments? A Different Perspective Sanctions without dialogue may entrench regimes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Condemnation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/condemnation/) [Diplomacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diplomacy/) [Discussion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discussion/) [Doors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doors/) [Engagement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engagement/) [Exhortation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exhortation/) [Human rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-rights/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Indignation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indignation/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Moving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moving/) [New paths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-paths/) [Open Door](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/open-door/) [Outreach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outreach/) [Path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/path/) [Promotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promotion/) [Purity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purity/) [Regimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regimes/) [Repressive Regime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repressive-regime-854664/) [Repressive Regimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repressive-regimes-794337/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Rights Exhortation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights-exhortation-3910741/) [Sanctions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sanctions/) [Sanctions Outreach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sanctions-outreach-3910742/) [Satisfying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/satisfying/) [Status quo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/status-quo/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [By contrast, China is a repressive regime that denies its citizens the essential freedoms of religion, political dissent and representative self-government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-akin/by-contrast-china-is-a-repressive-regime-that-denies-its-citizens-the/) [Todd Akin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-akin/) > [I think a repressive regime always fears people who are awakened - particularly ordinary people. If they are awakened, I think governments all over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ngugi-wa-thiong-o/i-think-a-repressive-regime-always-fears-people-who-are-awakened/) [Ngugi wa Thiong'o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ngugi-wa-thiong-o/) > [“It is embedded so deeply in the private lives of our more public shifts that we can forget it is there until a poet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lewis/it-is-embedded-so-deeply-in-the-private-lives-of-our-more-public/) [Sarah Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lewis/) > [ I was able to do that \[showing up of Democratic benefits\] when I was the candidate. But I've not seen or presided over that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-was-able-to-do-that-showing-up-of-democratic-benefits-when-i-was/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I'm fascinated by the ways people under repressive regimes still manage to share information - and joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celeste-ng/i-m-fascinated-by-the-ways-people-under-repressive-regimes-still/) [Celeste Ng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celeste-ng/) > [Humor is always important. There are people who help us deal with difficulty or hardship; from the concentration camps to the court jester, there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maz-jobrani/humor-is-always-important-there-are-people-who-help-us-deal-with/) [Maz Jobrani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maz-jobrani/) > [We need a more complex understanding of writers working under authoritarian or repressive regimes. Something to replace this simpleminded, Cold War-ish equation in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-mishra/we-need-a-more-complex-understanding-of-writers-working-under/) [Pankaj Mishra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-mishra/) > [The United States does have the highest rate of incarceration in the world dwarfing the rates of even highly repressive regimes like Russia, China…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-alexander/the-united-states-does-have-the-highest-rate-of-incarceration-in-the/) [Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-alexander/) > [“First Afghanistan, now Iraq. So who's next? Syria? North Korea? Iran? Where will it all end?' If these illegal interventions are permitted to continue,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kofman/first-afghanistan-now-iraq-so-who-s-next-syria-north-korea-iran-where/) [Daniel Kofman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kofman/) > [“It is quite unfathomable why the EU leadership fails to anticipate these potentially catastrophic possibilities, and fails to respond to popular concerns with more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-m-roth/it-is-quite-unfathomable-why-the-eu-leadership-fails-to-anticipate/) [Byron M. Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-m-roth/) > [Repressive regimes do not endure change willingly - and Venezuela is no exception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leopoldo-lopez/repressive-regimes-do-not-endure-change-willingly-and-venezuela-is-no/) [Leopoldo Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leopoldo-lopez/) > [Trade, tourism, cultural exchange, and participation in international institutions all serve to erode the legitimacy of repressive regimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/trade-tourism-cultural-exchange-and-participation-in-international/) [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) > [As a pastor our main ministry is exhortation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-hunt/as-a-pastor-our-main-ministry-is-exhortation/) [Johnny Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-hunt/) > [“But it will be asked, why are they now admonished of their duty, and not rather left to the guidance of the Spirit? Why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/but-it-will-be-asked-why-are-they-now-admonished-of-their-duty-and/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [Extension work is not exhortation. Nor is it exploitation of the people, or advertising of an institution, or publicity work for securing students. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liberty-hyde-bailey/extension-work-is-not-exhortation-nor-is-it-exploitation-of-the/) [Liberty Hyde Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liberty-hyde-bailey/) ## 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 Choices quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/) [Alison James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-james/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) [Pancho Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pancho-barnes/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/) [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [Clarissa," he said, "here with the vampire, I see. When things have settled a bit, we really must discuss you choice in pets..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/clarissa-he-said-here-with-the-vampire-i-see-when-things-have-settled/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [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/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [I don't know that any woman could ever not think about that at some point - even making the choice not to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-watts/i-don-t-know-that-any-woman-could-ever-not-think-about-that-at-some/) [Naomi Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-watts/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) [Browse all 11,466 Choices quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The promotion of human rights cannot be about exhortation alone. 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