--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's not about whether or not someone is…" description: "\"It's not about whether or not someone is a bigot, but whether or not the argument which that someone is arguing is worth being a bigot about.\" — Criss ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/751/criss-jami-320_arguing_it-s-not-about-whether-or-not-someone-is_3025424.jpg" --- # It's not about whether or not someone is a bigot, but… ![“It's not about whether or not someone is a bigot, but whether or not the argument which that someone is arguing is worth being a bigot about.” quote by Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/751/criss-jami-320_arguing_it-s-not-about-whether-or-not-someone-is_3025424.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/751/criss-jami-320_arguing_it-s-not-about-whether-or-not-someone-is_3025424.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/751/criss-jami-320_arguing_it-s-not-about-whether-or-not-someone-is_3025424.jpg) > “It's not about whether or not someone is a bigot, but whether or not the argument which that someone is arguing is worth being a bigot about.” [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The value of an argument should be judged by its merit, not by the speaker's bias. **In simple terms:** Judge ideas, not people. Key Takeaway Focus on argument quality. Themes bias argument ethics Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - debates - political discourse - online comments - courtroom trials Key Concepts critical thinking moral philosophy Questions to Reflect On - Is the argument itself sound? - How do you separate idea from speaker? A Different Perspective Even a biased person can make a worthwhile point. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arguing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arguing/) [Arguing Worth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arguing-worth-3217800/) [Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) [Argument Arguing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument-arguing-4916814/) [Bigot Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigot-argument-4916812/) [Bigots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigots/) [Worth Bigot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worth-bigot-4916813/) ## Related quotes > [Arguing is not worth the wasted effort. Stay positive. Good thing will come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/arguing-is-not-worth-the-wasted-effort-stay-positive-good-thing-will/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“In some cases, I am able to respect what so many call bigots. Such people have a more solid foundation for drawing their lines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/in-some-cases-i-am-able-to-respect-what-so-many-call-bigots-such/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“No travel can broaden a bigoted mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/no-travel-can-broaden-a-bigoted-mind/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“First, they came for the bigots, and I said nothing, because I didn’t believe I was a bigot, then…it was really nice, it turned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-ince/first-they-came-for-the-bigots-and-i-said-nothing-because-i-didn-t/) [Robin Ince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-ince/) > [Being no bigot myself, I am disposed to indulge the professors of Christianity in the church that road to heaven which to them shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/being-no-bigot-myself-i-am-disposed-to-indulge-the-professors-of/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [“• They travel in tight circles of likeminded people. • Their thinking is more likely based on what authorities have told them rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-dean/they-travel-in-tight-circles-of-likeminded-people-their-thinking-is/) [John W. Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-dean/) > [What concerns me most is the horrible degradation our notions of truth, civility, and decency have undergone. Also the way that language has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/what-concerns-me-most-is-the-horrible-degradation-our-notions-of/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [We should not allow the fundamentalists and the bigots to take over and speak for the great faiths any more than we should let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/we-should-not-allow-the-fundamentalists-and-the-bigots-to-take-over/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [“Bigots often like to say they're the ones being hurt as they oppress and hurt others. Never fall for the 'pity the privileged' routine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashanne-stokes/bigots-often-like-to-say-they-re-the-ones-being-hurt-as-they-oppress/) [DaShanne Stokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashanne-stokes/) > [“Apes throw tantrum when they are insecure, pursuit of delusion soothes the vegetated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/apes-throw-tantrum-when-they-are-insecure-pursuit-of-delusion-soothes/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“Don’t become bigoted about bigots.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-ross/don-t-become-bigoted-about-bigots/) [Scott Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-ross/) > [“But the bigots always see those whom they hate as morally corrupt, as if they confuse their own aesthetics of disgust and fear with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-duncan/but-the-bigots-always-see-those-whom-they-hate-as-morally-corrupt-as/) [Hal Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-duncan/) > [Religion doesn't make people bigots. People are bigots and they use religion to justify their ideology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reza-aslan/religion-doesn-t-make-people-bigots-people-are-bigots-and-they-use/) [Reza Aslan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reza-aslan/) > [These days I am a teetotal, mean-spirited, right-wing, narrow-minded, conservative Christian bigot, but not a racist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-russell/these-days-i-am-a-teetotal-mean-spirited-right-wing-narrow-minded/) [Jane Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-russell/) > [I found from working on the film that I am a bigot, at times. And that I am also a coward, at times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-howard/i-found-from-working-on-the-film-that-i-am-a-bigot-at-times-and-that/) [Terrence Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-howard/) ## More by Criss Jami > [The only activity a cynic will find contagious is yawning, that is, with other people, at other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-only-activity-a-cynic-will-find-contagious-is-yawning-that-is/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Religion, like science, is only noteworthy when it emphasizes a matter of what is true rather than whose belief is greater or lesser or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/religion-like-science-is-only-noteworthy-when-it-emphasizes-a-matter/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Slander does to a soul what cancer does to a cell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/slander-does-to-a-soul-what-cancer-does-to-a-cell/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [The hated man is the result of his hater's pride rather than his hater's conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-hated-man-is-the-result-of-his-hater-s-pride-rather-than-his/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [What is a genius? A person who demands little to nothing from others, but is often found extremely difficult to have around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/what-is-a-genius-a-person-who-demands-little-to-nothing-from-others/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [A man does not have to feel less than human to realize his sin; oppositely, he has to realize that he gets no special…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/a-man-does-not-have-to-feel-less-than-human-to-realize-his-sin/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [I would rather my descendants have greater abilities and a greater knowledge of the love of Christ than I do, much like standing on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/i-would-rather-my-descendants-have-greater-abilities-and-a-greater/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Create with the heart; build with the mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/create-with-the-heart-build-with-the-mind/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [Peace is more of an internal settlement rather than what is visible on the external.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/peace-is-more-of-an-internal-settlement-rather-than-what-is-visible/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Our entire lives we witness individuals, the ones who break some of the most culturally sensitive moral codes, ruined permanently by the media -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/our-entire-lives-we-witness-individuals-the-ones-who-break-some-of/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [Senses of humor define people, as factions, deeper rooted than religious or political opinions. When carrying out everyday tasks, opinions are rather easy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/senses-of-humor-define-people-as-factions-deeper-rooted-than/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [I believe in evolution in the sense that a short-tempered man is the successor of a crybaby.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/i-believe-in-evolution-in-the-sense-that-a-short-tempered-man-is-the/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“God speaks of his children shining best in ways that only he can provide. The heavens lift one as a golden child while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/god-speaks-of-his-children-shining-best-in-ways-that-only-he-can/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [It is never just disagreement but always intellectual dishonesty that is the apologist's worst enemy. And its apprentice is ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/it-is-never-just-disagreement-but-always-intellectual-dishonesty-that/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Always work towards a dream or you'll always dream of working elsewhere.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/always-work-towards-a-dream-or-you-ll-always-dream-of-working/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) [Explore all 684 Criss Jami quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) ## More Arguing quotes > [I do wish you wouldn't argue with me when I'm knitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/i-do-wish-you-wouldn-t-argue-with-me-when-i-m-knitting/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [It's fine to talk about politics with people you agree with. But it is rude to argue about politics with people you disagree with.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/it-s-fine-to-talk-about-politics-with-people-you-agree-with-but-it-is/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [Men are fair, and they have learned not to personalize anger - they can disagree with you and argue to the bone, but afterward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/men-are-fair-and-they-have-learned-not-to-personalize-anger-they-can/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [When Eudæmonidas heard a philosopher arguing that only a wise man can be a good general, "This is a wonderful speech," said he; "but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/when-eud-monidas-heard-a-philosopher-arguing-that-only-a-wise-man-can/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [Fasting is required, staying away from fighting and arguing and bombing of masjids is still going on. Hatred is still manifested between Sunni and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/fasting-is-required-staying-away-from-fighting-and-arguing-and/) [Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/) > [The problem for the Left, however, is that the moment it stops painting the Right as vile, it has to argue the issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-problem-for-the-left-however-is-that-the-moment-it-stops-painting/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/to-argue-with-a-person-who-has-renounced-the-use-of-reason-is-like/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [You can argue that the Terminator movies reboot their world each time they go back in time, but that doesn't negate the value of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hayter/you-can-argue-that-the-terminator-movies-reboot-their-world-each-time/) [David Hayter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hayter/) > [We may argue eloquently that 'Honesty is the best Policy' - unfortunately, the moment honesty is adopted for the sake of policy it mysteriously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/we-may-argue-eloquently-that-honesty-is-the-best-policy-unfortunately/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [I'm a very serious person, but I don't take myself very seriously and I would rather laugh all day than argue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stone-cold-steve-austin/i-m-a-very-serious-person-but-i-don-t-take-myself-very-seriously-and/) [Stone Cold Steve Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stone-cold-steve-austin/) > [These eyes, tho' clear To outward view of blemish or of spot, Bereft of light, their seeing have forgot, Nor to their idle orbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/these-eyes-tho-clear-to-outward-view-of-blemish-or-of-spot-bereft-of/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [There's crucial distinction that has to be drawn between the Shari'a, which is this hugely expansive vision of cosmic order that I've been describing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadakat-kadri/there-s-crucial-distinction-that-has-to-be-drawn-between-the-shari-a/) [Sadakat Kadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadakat-kadri/) > [Only fools argue whether to eat meat or not. They don't understand truth nor do they meditate on it. Who can define what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/only-fools-argue-whether-to-eat-meat-or-not-they-don-t-understand/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [The surest sign that you haven't any sense is to argue with one who hasn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/the-surest-sign-that-you-haven-t-any-sense-is-to-argue-with-one-who/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) [Browse all 1,908 Arguing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arguing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's not about whether or not someone is a bigot, but whether or not the argument which that someone is arguing is worth being a bigot about.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Criss Jami" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/it-s-not-about-whether-or-not-someone-is-a-bigot-but-whether-or-not/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Arguing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/it-s-not-about-whether-or-not-someone-is-a-bigot-but-whether-or-not/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/751/criss-jami-320_arguing_it-s-not-about-whether-or-not-someone-is_3025424.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/751/criss-jami-320_arguing_it-s-not-about-whether-or-not-someone-is_3025424.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/751/criss-jami-320_arguing_it-s-not-about-whether-or-not-someone-is_3025424.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's not about whether or not someone is a bigot, but whether or not the argument which that someone is…” — Criss Jami", "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": "Criss Jami", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's not about whether or not...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/it-s-not-about-whether-or-not-someone-is-a-bigot-but-whether-or-not/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/it-s-not-about-whether-or-not-someone-is-a-bigot-but-whether-or-not/#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 } } ] } ```