--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As a life-long liberal who has engaged in…" description: "\"As a life-long liberal who has engaged in protests against the government and for civil rights, I am saddened at efforts by some of my fellow liberals ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92f/bob-beckel-4887_civil-rights_as-a-life-long-liberal-who-has-engaged-i_738230.jpg" --- # As a life-long liberal who has engaged in protests against… ![“As a life-long liberal who has engaged in protests against the government and for civil rights, I am saddened at efforts by some of my fellow liberals to silence commencement speakers with whom they might disagree on some issues.” quote by Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92f/bob-beckel-4887_civil-rights_as-a-life-long-liberal-who-has-engaged-i_738230.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92f/bob-beckel-4887_civil-rights_as-a-life-long-liberal-who-has-engaged-i_738230.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92f/bob-beckel-4887_civil-rights_as-a-life-long-liberal-who-has-engaged-i_738230.jpg) > “As a life-long liberal who has engaged in protests against the government and for civil rights, I am saddened at efforts by some of my fellow liberals to silence commencement speakers with whom they might disagree on some issues.” [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker laments that some liberals, despite championing free speech, now suppress dissenting voices at events. **In simple terms:** Liberals sometimes silence opposing speakers, contradicting their own values. Key Takeaway Protect open dialogue even with disagreeing views. Themes free speech political activism civil discourse liberalism censorship Mood concerned reflective critical Type political commentary reflective When to use this quote - university campuses - political rallies - media panels - community forums Key Concepts democratic theory political hypocrisy speech rights Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance respect for differing opinions with protecting free speech? - What mechanisms ensure diverse viewpoints are heard? A Different Perspective Silencing dissent can undermine democratic principles and alienate allies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civil Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-right/) [Civil rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-rights/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Graduation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graduation/) [Liberal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberal/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Silence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence/) ## Related quotes > [Jim Crow laws stripped blacks of basic rights. Despite landmark civil rights laws, many public schools were still segregated, blacks still faced barriers to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/jim-crow-laws-stripped-blacks-of-basic-rights-despite-landmark-civil/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) > [In the summer of 1964, my sister and I went to South Ballston, Virginia, to stay with my aunt and her kids. They passed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-p-jones/in-the-summer-of-1964-my-sister-and-i-went-to-south-ballston-virginia/) [Edward P. Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-p-jones/) > [ \[Christian rebellion\] arises from the doctrine of mankind made in the image of God, and therefore protests against all forms of dehumanization. It sets… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/christian-rebellion-arises-from-the-doctrine-of-mankind-made-in-the/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [You need to fight cases in the courts, but you certainly cannot rely on the courts, you need to testify in Congress and lobby…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-cole/you-need-to-fight-cases-in-the-courts-but-you-certainly-cannot-rely/) [David D. Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-cole/) > [The issue of civil rights was too much for the establishment to handle. One of the chapters of history that's least studied by historians…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hayden/the-issue-of-civil-rights-was-too-much-for-the-establishment-to/) [Tom Hayden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hayden/) > [The notion of women being written out of history is as old as the Bible, but it always seems more galling when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-thornberry/the-notion-of-women-being-written-out-of-history-is-as-old-as-the/) [Emily Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-thornberry/) > [I do not believe that defending traditional marriage between one man and one woman excludes anybody or usurps anybody's civil rights and denies anybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-autry/i-do-not-believe-that-defending-traditional-marriage-between-one-man/) [Alan Autry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-autry/) > [The world - and America - has been defined by people who haven't necessarily abided by the laws and the rules. Civil disobedience is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-kennedy/the-world-and-america-has-been-defined-by-people-who-haven-t/) [Rory Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-kennedy/) > [The great paradox of the civil rights revolution is that instead of enforcing and expanding equality before the law, the revolution created differential rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-craig-roberts/the-great-paradox-of-the-civil-rights-revolution-is-that-instead-of/) [Paul Craig Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-craig-roberts/) > [I grew up in the early '60s, and there was a lot of civil rights, a lot of unrest in our country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herm-edwards/i-grew-up-in-the-early-60s-and-there-was-a-lot-of-civil-rights-a-lot/) [Herm Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herm-edwards/) > [Civil rights leaders are involved in helping poor people. That's what I've been doing all my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-young/civil-rights-leaders-are-involved-in-helping-poor-people-that-s-what/) [Andrew Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-young/) > [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/) > [ The parts of the \[Civil Right\] Movement we recognize so well now were not born from a single decision, but were a complicated and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-aydin/the-parts-of-the-civil-right-movement-we-recognize-so-well-now-were/) [Andrew Aydin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-aydin/) > [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/) > [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/) ## More by Bob Beckel > [I do oppose repealing Obamacare, because it's working for growing numbers of previously uninsured Americans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/i-do-oppose-repealing-obamacare-because-it-s-working-for-growing/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) > [Anger in the black community towards Republicans is established and immutable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/anger-in-the-black-community-towards-republicans-is-established-and/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) > [The hardest-hit taxpayers in our disgraceful tax system are those folks who pack Trump's rallies, especially in hard-hit Rust Belt states like Ohio and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/the-hardest-hit-taxpayers-in-our-disgraceful-tax-system-are-those/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) > [Some days I feel like I'm only the fire hydrant to Westminster dog show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/some-days-i-feel-like-i-m-only-the-fire-hydrant-to-westminster-dog/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) > [We've come a long way from the days of Jim Crow, and yes, we elected a black president, but racism lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/we-ve-come-a-long-way-from-the-days-of-jim-crow-and-yes-we-elected-a/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) > [Charter schools are not a panacea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/charter-schools-are-not-a-panacea/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) > [Jim Crow laws stripped blacks of basic rights. Despite landmark civil rights laws, many public schools were still segregated, blacks still faced barriers to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/jim-crow-laws-stripped-blacks-of-basic-rights-despite-landmark-civil/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) > [Like many other Americans, I'm tired of the U.S. taxpayer paying for foreign wars, especially when the countries we defend have raked in huge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/like-many-other-americans-i-m-tired-of-the-u-s-taxpayer-paying-for/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) > [It should be mandatory that any tax breaks go through appropriate committees and be voted on separately by both the House of Representatives and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/it-should-be-mandatory-that-any-tax-breaks-go-through-appropriate/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) > [Where most politicians would have abandoned a supporter like Jeremiah Wright and the community he served, Obama, while strongly criticizing him, did not throw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/where-most-politicians-would-have-abandoned-a-supporter-like-jeremiah/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) > [I came from a dysfunctional family - very dysfunctional. And my father used to find great humor in throwing me down the stairs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/i-came-from-a-dysfunctional-family-very-dysfunctional-and-my-father/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) > [As a former presidential campaign manager, I remember the final week of the campaign as being the longest and most important week of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/as-a-former-presidential-campaign-manager-i-remember-the-final-week/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) > [In the 1990s, the Democratic Party began to cozy up to their long-time enemies: Wall Street Bankers. They took their money and relaxed their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/in-the-1990s-the-democratic-party-began-to-cozy-up-to-their-long-time/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) > [My pop culture ended somewhere north of Elvis but not too far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/my-pop-culture-ended-somewhere-north-of-elvis-but-not-too-far/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) > [I have never analyzed a presidential election as much as I did the Trump-Clinton race of 2016.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/i-have-never-analyzed-a-presidential-election-as-much-as-i-did-the/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) [Explore all 104 Bob Beckel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) ## 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 > [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. That's what I've been doing all my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-young/civil-rights-leaders-are-involved-in-helping-poor-people-that-s-what/) [Andrew Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-young/) > [I grew up in the early '60s, and there was a lot of civil rights, a lot of unrest in our country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herm-edwards/i-grew-up-in-the-early-60s-and-there-was-a-lot-of-civil-rights-a-lot/) [Herm Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herm-edwards/) > [The great paradox of the civil rights revolution is that instead of enforcing and expanding equality before the law, the revolution created differential rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-craig-roberts/the-great-paradox-of-the-civil-rights-revolution-is-that-instead-of/) [Paul Craig Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-craig-roberts/) > [The world - and America - has been defined by people who haven't necessarily abided by the laws and the rules. Civil disobedience is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-kennedy/the-world-and-america-has-been-defined-by-people-who-haven-t/) [Rory Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-kennedy/) > [I do not believe that defending traditional marriage between one man and one woman excludes anybody or usurps anybody's civil rights and denies anybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-autry/i-do-not-believe-that-defending-traditional-marriage-between-one-man/) [Alan Autry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-autry/) > [Truth is on the side of the oppressed today, it's against the oppressor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/truth-is-on-the-side-of-the-oppressed-today-it-s-against-the-oppressor/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [The notion of women being written out of history is as old as the Bible, but it always seems more galling when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-thornberry/the-notion-of-women-being-written-out-of-history-is-as-old-as-the/) [Emily Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-thornberry/) [Browse all 1,552 Civil rights quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-rights/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As a life-long liberal who has engaged in protests against the government and for civil rights, I am saddened at efforts by some of my fellow liberals to silence commencement speakers with whom they might disagree on some issues.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bob Beckel" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/as-a-life-long-liberal-who-has-engaged-in-protests-against-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Civil rights" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/as-a-life-long-liberal-who-has-engaged-in-protests-against-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92f/bob-beckel-4887_civil-rights_as-a-life-long-liberal-who-has-engaged-i_738230.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92f/bob-beckel-4887_civil-rights_as-a-life-long-liberal-who-has-engaged-i_738230.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92f/bob-beckel-4887_civil-rights_as-a-life-long-liberal-who-has-engaged-i_738230.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As a life-long liberal who has engaged in protests against the government and for civil rights, I am…” — Bob Beckel", "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": "Bob Beckel", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "As a life-long liberal who has...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/as-a-life-long-liberal-who-has-engaged-in-protests-against-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/as-a-life-long-liberal-who-has-engaged-in-protests-against-the/#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 } } ] } ```