--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think that by telling the truth and by…" description: "\"I think that by telling the truth and by attempting to be a good citizen, somehow I've ended up playing with fire. And that's really scary.\" — Cecily M..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f7/cecily-mcmillan-33116_attempting_i-think-that-by-telling-the-truth-and-by_2763483.jpg" --- # I think that by telling the truth and by attempting to be… ![“I think that by telling the truth and by attempting to be a good citizen, somehow I've ended up playing with fire. And that's really scary.” quote by Cecily McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f7/cecily-mcmillan-33116_attempting_i-think-that-by-telling-the-truth-and-by_2763483.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f7/cecily-mcmillan-33116_attempting_i-think-that-by-telling-the-truth-and-by_2763483.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f7/cecily-mcmillan-33116_attempting_i-think-that-by-telling-the-truth-and-by_2763483.jpg) > “I think that by telling the truth and by attempting to be a good citizen, somehow I've ended up playing with fire. And that's really scary.” [Cecily McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecily-mcmillan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Speaking truth and civic duty can lead to personal risk and fear. **In simple terms:** Being honest can feel dangerous. Key Takeaway Balance truth with personal safety. Themes civic duty truth risk fear consequences Mood cautious determined Type ethical reflective When to use this quote - public speaking - community activism - whistleblowing - political engagement Key Concepts ethical courage social responsibility Questions to Reflect On - When is it worth speaking out? - How do you protect yourself while staying honest? A Different Perspective Truth may expose one to retaliation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) [Good citizen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-citizen/) [Playing with fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-with-fire/) [Telling the truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telling-the-truth/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [We're just trying to figure out what being a good citizen is, what participating in a democracy is, what taking responsibility for being an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecily-mcmillan/we-re-just-trying-to-figure-out-what-being-a-good-citizen-is-what/) [Cecily McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecily-mcmillan/) > [I can cite a few cases of where people have tampered around with magic and witchcraft that they've been very severely frightened and traumatised…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hollingworth/i-can-cite-a-few-cases-of-where-people-have-tampered-around-with/) [Peter Hollingworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hollingworth/) > [Playing with fire is bad for those who burn themselves. For the rest of us, it is a very great pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-smith/playing-with-fire-is-bad-for-those-who-burn-themselves-for-the-rest/) [Jerry Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-smith/) > [“You like playing with fire, don't you, Paul?" "Only since I met you." -Paul and Martie”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-webb/you-like-playing-with-fire-don-t-you-paul-only-since-i-met-you-paul/) [Peggy Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-webb/) > [If people start to buy the idea that machines are great companions for the elderly or for children, as they increasingly seem to do,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-turkle/if-people-start-to-buy-the-idea-that-machines-are-great-companions/) [Sherry Turkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-turkle/) > [“You can’t host or show some black people good time without regretting, Because the same people you are showing good time. You are making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/de-philosopher-dj-kyos/you-can-t-host-or-show-some-black-people-good-time-without-regretting/) De philosopher DJ Kyos > [“I’ll tell you what,” he bargains, amused. “There’s a dance every Yule at University. You go with Gareth, and I’ll ask Aislinn Greer.” “I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-forest/i-ll-tell-you-what-he-bargains-amused-there-s-a-dance-every-yule-at/) [Laurie Forest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-forest/) > [Let's all wise up. Some of us aren't fighting the fire; we're playing with fire. Flirting with the devil. Stop it! Stop it now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/let-s-all-wise-up-some-of-us-aren-t-fighting-the-fire-we-re-playing/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [“I was playing with fire right now and I didn’t really care if I got burned. - Oliver Bailey”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-bender/i-was-playing-with-fire-right-now-and-i-didn-t-really-care-if-i-got/) [Melissa Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-bender/) > [“Despite his care, Reid was still playing with fire, the kind that could without warning sheathe one’s whole life in irreversible conflagration.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-russell/despite-his-care-reid-was-still-playing-with-fire-the-kind-that-could/) [Paul Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-russell/) > [“And you pride keeps you from doing anything absurd,I suppose." Ranulf eyed Bronwyn suspiciously. Their banter was the equivalent of foreplay, except he seemed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michele-sinclair/and-you-pride-keeps-you-from-doing-anything-absurd-i-suppose-ranulf/) [Michele Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michele-sinclair/) > [I know you taught me better,somehow I never learned,said I was playing with fire somehow I never burned,you tried to set me straight somehow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-cole/i-know-you-taught-me-better-somehow-i-never-learned-said-i-was/) [J Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-cole/) > [Playing with fire doesn't necessarily get you burned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-elkeles/playing-with-fire-doesn-t-necessarily-get-you-burned/) [Simone Elkeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-elkeles/) > [“I stepped close to him, placing a hand on his chest, feeling his heart beat under his shirt. "I trust you," I said, rising…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-kagawa/i-stepped-close-to-him-placing-a-hand-on-his-chest-feeling-his-heart/) [Julie Kagawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-kagawa/) > [Playing with fire Kitten?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/playing-with-fire-kitten/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) ## More by Cecily McMillan > [My town was all-white and shut down Section 8 housing because they didn't want black people to move into the town. And I thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecily-mcmillan/my-town-was-all-white-and-shut-down-section-8-housing-because-they/) [Cecily McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecily-mcmillan/) > [I had a sense that my mother was struggling, when I was a kid, working twelve hour days, making $12,000 a year with two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecily-mcmillan/i-had-a-sense-that-my-mother-was-struggling-when-i-was-a-kid-working/) [Cecily McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecily-mcmillan/) > [I would like to start a discussion about ending solitary confinement. I'd like to start a discussion about the removal of MO wings -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecily-mcmillan/i-would-like-to-start-a-discussion-about-ending-solitary-confinement/) [Cecily McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecily-mcmillan/) > [I think in short order all of us need to act like we are citizens with not only rights, but also duties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecily-mcmillan/i-think-in-short-order-all-of-us-need-to-act-like-we-are-citizens/) [Cecily McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecily-mcmillan/) > [I cannot speak adequately, especially considering my race and my privilege, to the violence of the NYPD or the police in racial terms. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecily-mcmillan/i-cannot-speak-adequately-especially-considering-my-race-and-my/) [Cecily McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecily-mcmillan/) > [I really don't feel good about leaving my house anymore. I don't feel really good about being anywhere in New York City alone anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecily-mcmillan/i-really-don-t-feel-good-about-leaving-my-house-anymore-i-don-t-feel/) [Cecily McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecily-mcmillan/) > [I felt like there wasn't a political discourse. I felt like there was just one set of values, and any one set of values…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecily-mcmillan/i-felt-like-there-wasn-t-a-political-discourse-i-felt-like-there-was/) [Cecily McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecily-mcmillan/) > [Jail is just another micro-society. It just happens that here, the problems are far more out in the open, we don't live with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecily-mcmillan/jail-is-just-another-micro-society-it-just-happens-that-here-the/) [Cecily McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecily-mcmillan/) > [If somebody is acting maladjusted - which means not happy to be at Rikers - the protocol, as I understand it and have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecily-mcmillan/if-somebody-is-acting-maladjusted-which-means-not-happy-to-be-at/) [Cecily McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecily-mcmillan/) > [You can't put people in jail for having mental disorders. You can't do that, and they should not be held there. They need rehabilitative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecily-mcmillan/you-can-t-put-people-in-jail-for-having-mental-disorders-you-can-t-do/) [Cecily McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecily-mcmillan/) > [We're just trying to figure out what being a good citizen is, what participating in a democracy is, what taking responsibility for being an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecily-mcmillan/we-re-just-trying-to-figure-out-what-being-a-good-citizen-is-what/) [Cecily McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecily-mcmillan/) > [I think any person who goes to Rikers is criminalized, even just for visiting. 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