--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think about freedom as not only as the…" description: "\"I think about freedom as not only as the absence of oppression but also the presence of justice and joy.\" — DeRay Mckesson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3db/deray-mckesson-4626_freedom_i-think-about-freedom-as-not-only-as-the_2265297.jpg" --- # I think about freedom as not only as the absence of… ![“I think about freedom as not only as the absence of oppression but also the presence of justice and joy.” quote by DeRay Mckesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3db/deray-mckesson-4626_freedom_i-think-about-freedom-as-not-only-as-the_2265297.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3db/deray-mckesson-4626_freedom_i-think-about-freedom-as-not-only-as-the_2265297.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3db/deray-mckesson-4626_freedom_i-think-about-freedom-as-not-only-as-the_2265297.jpg) > “I think about freedom as not only as the absence of oppression but also the presence of justice and joy.” [DeRay Mckesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Defines freedom as both lack of oppression and the presence of justice and joy. **In simple terms:** Freedom includes justice and joy. Key Takeaway Seek justice and joy. Themes freedom justice joy Mood hopeful determined Type philosophical activist When to use this quote - activism - community organizing - policy reform Key Concepts human rights social equity Questions to Reflect On - How can you foster joy in your community? - What justice issues matter most to you? A Different Perspective Freedom without justice is incomplete. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Oppression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppression/) ## Related quotes > [Justice Ginsburg is a very competent justice, and it is a joy to have her on the court, but particularly for me it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/justice-ginsburg-is-a-very-competent-justice-and-it-is-a-joy-to-have/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [I think about freedom and the urgency around our imagination. If you can't imagine it, you can't fight for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/i-think-about-freedom-and-the-urgency-around-our-imagination-if-you/) [DeRay Mckesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) > [“Personal freedom is not the absence of inner constraint, but a realistic awareness of our motivations and the ability, in light of this knowledge,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-richard-ganz/personal-freedom-is-not-the-absence-of-inner-constraint-but-a/) Dr. Richard Ganz > [Republicans define freedom as an absence of restraints imposed by government. Democrats define freedom as an absence of necessity, which government exists to reduce.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/republicans-define-freedom-as-an-absence-of-restraints-imposed-by/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [Freedom is not the absence of obligation or restraint, but the freedom of movement within healthy, chosen parameters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-armstrong/freedom-is-not-the-absence-of-obligation-or-restraint-but-the-freedom/) [Kristin Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-armstrong/) > [The greatest threat to freedom is the absence of criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/the-greatest-threat-to-freedom-is-the-absence-of-criticism/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) > [“We will never arrive to the notion of total freedom, that is, the absence of cause”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/we-will-never-arrive-to-the-notion-of-total-freedom-that-is-the/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The greatest threat to freedom is the absence of criticism. Je Suis Charlie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-greatest-threat-to-freedom-is-the-absence-of-criticism-je-suis/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [This concern with the basic condition of freedom -- the absence of physical constraint -- is unquestionably necessary, but is not all that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/this-concern-with-the-basic-condition-of-freedom-the-absence-of/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [The early American knew that freedom was nothing more than the absence of external restraint on behavior; the government could not give you freedom,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-chodorov/the-early-american-knew-that-freedom-was-nothing-more-than-the/) [Frank Chodorov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-chodorov/) > [“Freedom, then, is not the absence of limitations and constraints but it is finding the right ones, those that fit our nature and liberate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/freedom-then-is-not-the-absence-of-limitations-and-constraints-but-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“A common American error is to believe that freedom is the absence of state authority.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-snyder/a-common-american-error-is-to-believe-that-freedom-is-the-absence-of/) [Timothy Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-snyder/) > [“Freedom is the absence of influence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugo-embleton-black/freedom-is-the-absence-of-influence/) Hugo Embleton-Black > [Freedom is not only the absence of external restraints. It is also the absence of irresistible internal compulsions, unmanageable passion, and uncensorable highlights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/freedom-is-not-only-the-absence-of-external-restraints-it-is-also-the/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [“Some people he said, think that freedom means men being able to wear shorts or women to go about without the hijab. Others think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hooman-majd/some-people-he-said-think-that-freedom-means-men-being-able-to-wear/) [Hooman Majd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hooman-majd/) ## More by DeRay Mckesson > [I love Baltimore. This city has made me the man that I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/i-love-baltimore-this-city-has-made-me-the-man-that-i-am/) [DeRay Mckesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) > [The first time I was ever impressed with Patagonia as a brand was when they released the 'Don't Buy This Jacket' campaign. That campaign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/the-first-time-i-was-ever-impressed-with-patagonia-as-a-brand-was/) [DeRay Mckesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) > [For our kids to go to school, they must be alive, and for adults to work, they must not be in jail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/for-our-kids-to-go-to-school-they-must-be-alive-and-for-adults-to/) [DeRay Mckesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) > [When our response to all trauma is to call the police, then that gets us into a cycle of perpetuating trauma. Mental health trauma…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/when-our-response-to-all-trauma-is-to-call-the-police-then-that-gets/) [Deray McKesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) > [I think that I, because of student government and because of working in Baltimore, knew how to be creative with very little resources.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/i-think-that-i-because-of-student-government-and-because-of-working/) [DeRay Mckesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) > [Social media allowed us to become our own storytellers. With it, we seized the power of our truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/social-media-allowed-us-to-become-our-own-storytellers-with-it-we/) [DeRay Mckesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) > [What we know to be true is that comfort isn't always freedom. People confuse the two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/what-we-know-to-be-true-is-that-comfort-isn-t-always-freedom-people/) [DeRay Mckesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) > [Donald Trump is dangerous. The truth is that the bigotry and hatred that he speaks have real consequences in people's lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/donald-trump-is-dangerous-the-truth-is-that-the-bigotry-and-hatred/) [Deray McKesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) > [I will never forget the first time I was teargassed or the night I hid under my steering wheel as the SWAT vehicle drove…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/i-will-never-forget-the-first-time-i-was-teargassed-or-the-night-i/) [DeRay Mckesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) > [There is nothing romantic about teargas. Or smoke bombs or rubber bullets or sound cannons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/there-is-nothing-romantic-about-teargas-or-smoke-bombs-or-rubber/) [DeRay Mckesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) > [Most of my life's information is public. I got a text one day from a hacker who texted me all of my credit card…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/most-of-my-life-s-information-is-public-i-got-a-text-one-day-from-a/) [DeRay Mckesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) > [When I think about protest, I worry so much that people think about it only as standing in the streets. And I say that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/when-i-think-about-protest-i-worry-so-much-that-people-think-about-it/) [DeRay Mckesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) > [I think that Silicon Valley and technology can play a huge role in redefining what community looks like and how people come together and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/i-think-that-silicon-valley-and-technology-can-play-a-huge-role-in/) [DeRay Mckesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) > [There are people who have demonstrated their willingness to challenge systems and structures, and then when it comes to elections, some of those same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/there-are-people-who-have-demonstrated-their-willingness-to-challenge/) [DeRay Mckesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) > [Skills acquisition is really at the heart of what it means to learn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/skills-acquisition-is-really-at-the-heart-of-what-it-means-to-learn/) [DeRay Mckesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) [Explore all 108 DeRay Mckesson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) ## More Freedom quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [We live in the greatest country in the world because of the veterans who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom and the security…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-husted/we-live-in-the-greatest-country-in-the-world-because-of-the-veterans/) [Jon Husted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-husted/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [“No one was more surprised than I to realize that my newfound freedom had been purchased by giving up on eternity and settling for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-jessop/no-one-was-more-surprised-than-i-to-realize-that-my-newfound-freedom/) [Carolyn Jessop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-jessop/) > [“In a world of fixed future, there can be no right or wrong. Right and wrong demand freedom of choice, but if each action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-a-world-of-fixed-future-there-can-be-no-right-or-wrong-right-and/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“In any case, white people, who had robbed black people of their liberty and who profited by this theft every hour that they lived,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/in-any-case-white-people-who-had-robbed-black-people-of-their-liberty/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“I have to blame myself for not finding any way of reaching him, but I can't feel that either Ruth or I had anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/i-have-to-blame-myself-for-not-finding-any-way-of-reaching-him-but-i/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [“It breaks my heart. Better than your words, your eye tells me all your peril. You are not yet free, you still search for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-breaks-my-heart-better-than-your-words-your-eye-tells-me-all-your/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [I don't want to be famous famous. I'm happy on the second tier, where I have autonomy on a professional level but I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-reece/i-don-t-want-to-be-famous-famous-i-m-happy-on-the-second-tier-where-i/) [Gabrielle Reece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-reece/) [Browse all 30,110 Freedom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think about freedom as not only as the absence of oppression but also the presence of justice and joy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "DeRay Mckesson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/i-think-about-freedom-as-not-only-as-the-absence-of-oppression-but/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Freedom" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/i-think-about-freedom-as-not-only-as-the-absence-of-oppression-but/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3db/deray-mckesson-4626_freedom_i-think-about-freedom-as-not-only-as-the_2265297.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3db/deray-mckesson-4626_freedom_i-think-about-freedom-as-not-only-as-the_2265297.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3db/deray-mckesson-4626_freedom_i-think-about-freedom-as-not-only-as-the_2265297.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think about freedom as not only as the absence of oppression but also the presence of justice and joy.” — DeRay Mckesson", "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": "DeRay Mckesson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think about freedom as not...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/i-think-about-freedom-as-not-only-as-the-absence-of-oppression-but/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/i-think-about-freedom-as-not-only-as-the-absence-of-oppression-but/#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 } } ] } ```