--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We need not throw away 200 years of…" description: "\"We need not throw away 200 years of American jurisprudence while we fight terrorism. We need not choose between our most deeply held values, and keepin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e2/barack-obama-17_civil-rights_we-need-not-throw-away-200-years-of-amer_1784047.jpg" --- # We need not throw away 200 years of American jurisprudence… ![“We need not throw away 200 years of American jurisprudence while we fight terrorism. We need not choose between our most deeply held values, and keeping this nation safe.” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e2/barack-obama-17_civil-rights_we-need-not-throw-away-200-years-of-amer_1784047.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e2/barack-obama-17_civil-rights_we-need-not-throw-away-200-years-of-amer_1784047.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e2/barack-obama-17_civil-rights_we-need-not-throw-away-200-years-of-amer_1784047.jpg) > “We need not throw away 200 years of American jurisprudence while we fight terrorism. We need not choose between our most deeply held values, and keeping this nation safe.” [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. Obama argues that protecting national security should not require abandoning centuries of legal tradition or core values. **In simple terms:** We can fight terrorism without discarding law or values. Key Takeaway Balance security with constitutional principles. Themes law security values policy ethics Mood thoughtful concerned Type policy inspirational When to use this quote - legislative debate - court rulings - public policy Key Concepts civil liberties terrorism judicial precedent Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards ensure security respects rights? - Can law evolve without losing its foundation? A Different Perspective Compromise may weaken effectiveness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American Jurisprudence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-jurisprudence-678684/) [Civil rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-rights/) [Fight Terrorism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fight-terrorism/) [Fighting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighting/) [Jurisprudence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jurisprudence/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Safe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safe/) [Terrorism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorism/) [Terrorism Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorism-need-1151354/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) [Values Keeping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values-keeping-1886919/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [I think the reality is that copyright law has for a very long time been a tiny little part of American jurisprudence, far removed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/i-think-the-reality-is-that-copyright-law-has-for-a-very-long-time/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [Intelligence communities are very closed communities, but at the same time, you don't only learn how to fight terrorism. You need to learn about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mosab-hassan-yousef/intelligence-communities-are-very-closed-communities-but-at-the-same/) [Mosab Hassan Yousef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mosab-hassan-yousef/) > [One of the things that I've learned, and I think we've all learned, is that we are not going to get the kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/one-of-the-things-that-i-ve-learned-and-i-think-we-ve-all-learned-is/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [It wasn't until about a year, year and a half in where I began to realize that the Pentagon and our national-security apparatus and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-wasn-t-until-about-a-year-year-and-a-half-in-where-i-began-to/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“Were you terrified, Murgatroyd?" Murgatroyd nodded eagerly. "There you go, girl: You're a terrorist. 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For almost a century, the filibuster was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/there-is-another-grimmer-history-to-the-filibuster-though-one-that/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I think there are a whole host of things that are civil rights, and then there are other things - such as traditional marriage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-think-there-are-a-whole-host-of-things-that-are-civil-rights-and/) [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 Civil rights quotes > [Every one knows that the exercise of military power is forever dangerous to civil rights; and we have had recent instances of violences that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/every-one-knows-that-the-exercise-of-military-power-is-forever/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [I am for freedom of religion, and against all maneuvers to bring about a legal ascendency of one sect over another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-am-for-freedom-of-religion-and-against-all-maneuvers-to-bring-about/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [I speak not for myself, but so those without a voice can be heard. Those who have fought for their rights. Their right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/i-speak-not-for-myself-but-so-those-without-a-voice-can-be-heard/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [The Patriot Act is certainly a concern; all of those things are dangerous. I think more important than me preaching is that we as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/the-patriot-act-is-certainly-a-concern-all-of-those-things-are/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [American civil rights leader, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? Lynching is a murder. For the past four hundred years our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/american-civil-rights-leader-where-do-we-go-from-here-chaos-or/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [“Why do we apologize for advocating for ourselves? Why do we apologize for taking up space that we are entitled to? Why do we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-tambascio/why-do-we-apologize-for-advocating-for-ourselves-why-do-we-apologize/) [Elizabeth Tambascio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-tambascio/) > [We are a nation of innovators and problem-solvers who sparked revolutions in democratic government, civil rights, communications, flight, rural electrification and technology. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-a-mcchrystal/we-are-a-nation-of-innovators-and-problem-solvers-who-sparked/) [Stanley A. McChrystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-a-mcchrystal/) > [“Mental illness is not something you misunderstand in this era. Get educated because bias is no different than racism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/mental-illness-is-not-something-you-misunderstand-in-this-era-get/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [Civil rights leaders are involved in helping poor people. 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