--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Any time we deny any citizen the full…" description: "\"Any time we deny any citizen the full exercise of his constitutional rights, we are weakening our own claim to them.\" — Dwight D. Eisenhower" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/906/dwight-d-eisenhower-499_citizens_any-time-we-deny-any-citizen-the-full-ex_1883596.jpg" --- # Any time we deny any citizen the full exercise of his… ![“Any time we deny any citizen the full exercise of his constitutional rights, we are weakening our own claim to them.” quote by Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/906/dwight-d-eisenhower-499_citizens_any-time-we-deny-any-citizen-the-full-ex_1883596.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/906/dwight-d-eisenhower-499_citizens_any-time-we-deny-any-citizen-the-full-ex_1883596.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/906/dwight-d-eisenhower-499_citizens_any-time-we-deny-any-citizen-the-full-ex_1883596.jpg) > “Any time we deny any citizen the full exercise of his constitutional rights, we are weakening our own claim to them.” [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Denying any citizen their constitutional rights weakens the nation's own claim to those rights, undermining democracy. **In simple terms:** Taking away rights harms everyone. Key Takeaway Protect all citizens' rights to strengthen democracy. Themes rights citizenship democracy law justice Mood concerned determined hopeful Type political ethical When to use this quote - legislation - court decisions - public policy - activism - education Key Concepts constitutional law civil liberties social contract Questions to Reflect On - How do we ensure rights are upheld in emergencies? - What mechanisms guard against rights erosion? A Different Perspective Balancing security and liberty can be complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Citizens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizens/) [Claims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/claims/) [Constitutional rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitutional-rights/) [Deny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deny/) [Deny Citizen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deny-citizen-2675927/) [Exercise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exercise/) [Exercise Constitutional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exercise-constitutional-2440423/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Interesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interesting/) [Libertarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/libertarian/) [Libertarianism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/libertarianism/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Rights Weakening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights-weakening-2675925/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Weakening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weakening/) [Weakening Claim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weakening-claim-2675926/) ## Related quotes > [During times of emergencies, civil crisis, or natural disasters it is important for persons to remain free to exercise their constitutional rights in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hanabusa/during-times-of-emergencies-civil-crisis-or-natural-disasters-it-is/) [Colleen Hanabusa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hanabusa/) > [Any new gun control is simply gonna infringe on the law-abiding ability to exercise constitutional rights. There's not a single law that could be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/any-new-gun-control-is-simply-gonna-infringe-on-the-law-abiding/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/this-country-with-its-institutions-belongs-to-the-people-who-inhabit-3/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [What about your constitutional right to bear arms, you say. I would simply point out that you don’t have to exercise a constitutional right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-handler/what-about-your-constitutional-right-to-bear-arms-you-say-i-would/) [Chelsea Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-handler/) > [I don't think the federal government has any business keeping a list of law-abiding Americans who exercise their constitutional right to keep and bear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/i-don-t-think-the-federal-government-has-any-business-keeping-a-list/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [I don't think that there's substantiated evidence that shows that voter fraud is such a rampant problem that we have to put in place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clay-aiken/i-don-t-think-that-there-s-substantiated-evidence-that-shows-that/) [Clay Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clay-aiken/) > [ It was outrageous that \[Donald Trump\] would be advocating \[that\] women who exercise their constitutional right and have autonomy over their healthcare decisions would… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/it-was-outrageous-that-donald-trump-would-be-advocating-that-women/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [We need an adequate defense, but every arms dollar we spend above adequacy has a long-term weakening effect upon the nation and its security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/we-need-an-adequate-defense-but-every-arms-dollar-we-spend-above/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [ It didn't really change my opinion about \[Edward\] Snowden all that much, but I definitely feel like as a culture, it gave us information… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/it-didn-t-really-change-my-opinion-about-edward-snowden-all-that-much/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [You hear about constitutional rights, free speech and the free press. Every time I hear these words I say to myself, 'That man is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-hague/you-hear-about-constitutional-rights-free-speech-and-the-free-press/) [Frank Hague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-hague/) > [To take a single step beyond the boundaries specially drawn around the powers of Congress is to take possession of a boundless field of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/to-take-a-single-step-beyond-the-boundaries-specially-drawn-around/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Civil libertarians have raised concerns that some of the Patriot Act's provisions infringe on Constitutional rights. Those concerns are not supported by the facts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-wicker/civil-libertarians-have-raised-concerns-that-some-of-the-patriot-act/) [Roger Wicker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-wicker/) > [President Bush has asserted the right to wiretap and eavesdrop on any American without a warrant in the name of fighting terrorism. He has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-thomas/president-bush-has-asserted-the-right-to-wiretap-and-eavesdrop-on-any/) [Helen Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-thomas/) > [I went to Ferguson and walked with the demonstrators and saw this heavily armed police force, tactical units pointing sniper rifles at my constituents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lacy-clay-jr/i-went-to-ferguson-and-walked-with-the-demonstrators-and-saw-this/) [William Lacy Clay, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lacy-clay-jr/) > [I think that, as Americans, we should never forget that when we tamper with freedom of speech, it is a very sensitive issue that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-b-rangel/i-think-that-as-americans-we-should-never-forget-that-when-we-tamper/) [Charles B. Rangel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-b-rangel/) ## More by Dwight D. Eisenhower > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [“Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/every-gun-that-is-made-every-warship-launched-every-rocket-fired/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [We have won an armistice on a single battlefield, not peace in our world. We may not now relax our guard nor cease our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/we-have-won-an-armistice-on-a-single-battlefield-not-peace-in-our/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [With a full century of contrary proof in our possession and despite our demonstrated capacity for cooperative teamwork, some among us seem to accept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/with-a-full-century-of-contrary-proof-in-our-possession-and-despite/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [Things are more like they are now than they ever were before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/things-are-more-like-they-are-now-than-they-ever-were-before/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force! You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/soldiers-sailors-and-airmen-of-the-allied-expeditionary-force-you-are/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [“Don't join the book burners. Don't think you're going to conceal faults by concealing evidence that they ever existed. Don't be afraid to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/don-t-join-the-book-burners-don-t-think-you-re-going-to-conceal/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [Knowledge-full, unfettered knowledge of its own heritage, of freedom's enemies, of the whole world of men and ideas-this knowledge is a free people's surest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/knowledge-full-unfettered-knowledge-of-its-own-heritage-of-freedom-s/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [Any nations right to a form of government and economic system of its own choosing is inalienable. Any nations attempt to dictate to other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/any-nations-right-to-a-form-of-government-and-economic-system-of-its/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [The peace we seek, founded upon decent trust and cooperation among nations, can be fortified not by weapons of war but by wheat and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/the-peace-we-seek-founded-upon-decent-trust-and-cooperation-among/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [The only way to win World War III is to prevent it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/the-only-way-to-win-world-war-iii-is-to-prevent-it/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [I’m going to pass a law that no one can ask me my golf score.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/i-m-going-to-pass-a-law-that-no-one-can-ask-me-my-golf-score/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [For all that we cherish and justly desire - for ourselves or for our children - the securing of peace is the first requisite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/for-all-that-we-cherish-and-justly-desire-for-ourselves-or-for-our/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [Never waste a minute thinking about people you don't like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/never-waste-a-minute-thinking-about-people-you-don-t-like/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [Do not needlessly endanger your lives until I give you the signal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/do-not-needlessly-endanger-your-lives-until-i-give-you-the-signal/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) [Explore all 515 Dwight D. Eisenhower quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) ## More Citizens quotes > [Politics is not an issue whether you like or dislike , but every citizen must involve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khem-veasna/politics-is-not-an-issue-whether-you-like-or-dislike-but-every/) [Khem Veasna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khem-veasna/) > [I will be a model prisoner, as I have been a model citizen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-edwards/i-will-be-a-model-prisoner-as-i-have-been-a-model-citizen/) [Edwin Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-edwards/) > [The language we share is at the core of our identity as citizens, and our ticket to full participation in American political life. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-i-hayakawa/the-language-we-share-is-at-the-core-of-our-identity-as-citizens-and/) [S. I. Hayakawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-i-hayakawa/) > [Jeff Chu's pilgrimage across America to discover his own place as a gay man in the Christian church as well as attitudes about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/jeff-chu-s-pilgrimage-across-america-to-discover-his-own-place-as-a/) [Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/) > [“The police ultimately pay the price for poor customer service when citizens become fearful of them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-police-ultimately-pay-the-price-for-poor-customer-service-when/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [Worship isn't destructive, Martin. I know that. I don't. I only know it's the core of his life. What else has he got? He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-shaffer/worship-isn-t-destructive-martin-i-know-that-i-don-t-i-only-know-it-s/) [Peter Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-shaffer/) > [No greater victory can be won by citizens or soldiers than to transform temporary foes into permanent friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-jennings-bryan/no-greater-victory-can-be-won-by-citizens-or-soldiers-than-to/) [William Jennings Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-jennings-bryan/) > [Let us at all times remember that all American citizens are brothers of a common country, and should dwell together in bonds of fraternal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/let-us-at-all-times-remember-that-all-american-citizens-are-brothers/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [A free society depends upon a high degree of mutual trust. The public will not give that trust to officials who are not seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-cox/a-free-society-depends-upon-a-high-degree-of-mutual-trust-the-public/) [Archibald Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-cox/) > [My dreams were always small and puny. All I ever needed was a little house with a little picket fence by the sea. Little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imelda-marcos/my-dreams-were-always-small-and-puny-all-i-ever-needed-was-a-little/) [Imelda Marcos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imelda-marcos/) > [The average ordinary citizen can do a lot of different things when it comes to the climate crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/the-average-ordinary-citizen-can-do-a-lot-of-different-things-when-it/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [I think most of us are raised with preconceived notions of the choices we're supposed to make. We waste so much time making decisions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bullock/i-think-most-of-us-are-raised-with-preconceived-notions-of-the/) [Sandra Bullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bullock/) > [Without the ability to talk about government power, there's no way for citizens to make sure this power isn't being misused.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-swartz/without-the-ability-to-talk-about-government-power-there-s-no-way-for/) [Aaron Swartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-swartz/) > [Consequently, citizen legislators, rotating back to their communities after a short period of public service—considered an indispensable and routine characteristic and design of representative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/consequently-citizen-legislators-rotating-back-to-their-communities/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What I will stand up for is what I think is right and for the best interests of the citizens of the state of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-judge/what-i-will-stand-up-for-is-what-i-think-is-right-and-for-the-best/) [Patty Judge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-judge/) [Browse all 4,189 Citizens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizens/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Any time we deny any citizen the full exercise of his constitutional rights, we are weakening our own claim to them.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dwight D. 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