--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whenever citizens are seen routinely as…" description: "\"Whenever citizens are seen routinely as enemies of their own government, writers are rountinely seen to be the most dangerous enemies.\" — E. L. Doctorow" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6d/e-l-doctorow-4627_citizens_whenever-citizens-are-seen-routinely-as_1414930.png" --- # Whenever citizens are seen routinely as enemies of their… ![“Whenever citizens are seen routinely as enemies of their own government, writers are rountinely seen to be the most dangerous enemies.” quote by E. L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6d/e-l-doctorow-4627_citizens_whenever-citizens-are-seen-routinely-as_1414930.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6d/e-l-doctorow-4627_citizens_whenever-citizens-are-seen-routinely-as_1414930.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6d/e-l-doctorow-4627_citizens_whenever-citizens-are-seen-routinely-as_1414930.png) > “Whenever citizens are seen routinely as enemies of their own government, writers are rountinely seen to be the most dangerous enemies.” [E. L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When citizens are labeled enemies, writers become the most dangerous dissenters. **In simple terms:** Governments vilify citizens, then target writers. Key Takeaway Protect free expression against state paranoia. Themes censorship political dissent authoritarianism public perception Mood cautious defiant Type political literary When to use this quote - journalism - literature - activism Key Concepts state control danger of ideas role of art Questions to Reflect On - How does labeling affect public trust? - What protects writers today? A Different Perspective May not apply in open societies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Enemies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemies/) [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [The Home Guards are required to come in at once and deliver up their arms, those who fail to do so will be regarded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-home-guards-are-required-to-come-in-at-once-and-deliver-up-their/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The people that tell you what you want to hear are the most dangerous enemies you'll ever meet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-e-carter/the-people-that-tell-you-what-you-want-to-hear-are-the-most-dangerous/) [Rachel E. Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-e-carter/) > [An enemy despised is the most dangerous of all enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/an-enemy-despised-is-the-most-dangerous-of-all-enemies/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [Our most dangerous enemies are the one we never knew we had.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vicky-alexis/our-most-dangerous-enemies-are-the-one-we-never-knew-we-had/) [Vicky Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vicky-alexis/) > [I regard myself as one of the most dangerous enemies of religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/i-regard-myself-as-one-of-the-most-dangerous-enemies-of-religion/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [But our most dangerous enemies are the ones we never knew we had.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gossip-girl/but-our-most-dangerous-enemies-are-the-ones-we-never-knew-we-had/) [Gossip Girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gossip-girl/) > [I greatly fear some of America's greatest and most dangerous enemies are such as think themselves her best friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hale/i-greatly-fear-some-of-america-s-greatest-and-most-dangerous-enemies/) [Nathan Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hale/) > [Seducers are more dangerous enemies to the church than persecutors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/seducers-are-more-dangerous-enemies-to-the-church-than-persecutors/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [“The people who tell you what you want to hear are the most dangerous enemies you'll ever meet.” I stared”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-e-carter/the-people-who-tell-you-what-you-want-to-hear-are-the-most-dangerous/) [Rachel E. Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-e-carter/) > [Some allies are more dangerous than enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-allies-are-more-dangerous-than-enemies/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Testimony of all ages forces us to admit that war is among the most dangerous enemies to liberty, and that the executive is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/testimony-of-all-ages-forces-us-to-admit-that-war-is-among-the-most/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [Traitors are more dangerous than enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/velupillai-prabhakaran/traitors-are-more-dangerous-than-enemies/) [Velupillai Prabhakaran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/velupillai-prabhakaran/) > [My friends are much more dangerous than my enemies. These latter - with infinite subtlety - spin webs to keep me out of places…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lafcadio-hearn/my-friends-are-much-more-dangerous-than-my-enemies-these-latter-with/) [Lafcadio Hearn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lafcadio-hearn/) > [“The dangerous enemies of your species are fundamentalism, intolerance, separatism, extremism, hostility and prejudicial fear, be it religious, atheistic or political.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/the-dangerous-enemies-of-your-species-are-fundamentalism-intolerance/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [The things that make them similar - their machismo, their expansionary braggadocio - is going to turn them I think into bitter and dangerous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/the-things-that-make-them-similar-their-machismo-their-expansionary/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) ## More by E. L. Doctorow > [Things that appear on the front page of the newspaper as 'fact' are far more dangerous than the games played by a novelist, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-doctorow/things-that-appear-on-the-front-page-of-the-newspaper-as-fact-are-far/) [E. L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow/) > [There are moments when I cannot bear this unremitting consciousness. It knows only itself. Awake, I am in a continuum with my dreams. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-doctorow/there-are-moments-when-i-cannot-bear-this-unremitting-consciousness/) [E. L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow/) > [Most people are quiet in the world, and live in it tentatively, as if it were not their own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-doctorow/most-people-are-quiet-in-the-world-and-live-in-it-tentatively-as-if/) [E. L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow/) > [It is the immigrant hordes who keep this country alive, the waves of them arriving year after year… Who believes in America more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-doctorow/it-is-the-immigrant-hordes-who-keep-this-country-alive-the-waves-of/) [E. L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow/) > [A book begins as a private excitement of the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-doctorow/a-book-begins-as-a-private-excitement-of-the-mind/) [E. L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow/) > [I started on computers with 'Billy Bathgate,' a little orange screen with black letters. I thought it was really cool, but it actually slowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-doctorow/i-started-on-computers-with-billy-bathgate-a-little-orange-screen/) [E. L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow/) > [When I'm writing, I like to seal everything off and face the wall, not to look outside the window. The only way out is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-doctorow/when-i-m-writing-i-like-to-seal-everything-off-and-face-the-wall-not/) [E. L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow/) > [Facts are the images of history, just as images are the facts of fiction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-doctorow/facts-are-the-images-of-history-just-as-images-are-the-facts-of/) [E. L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow/) > [The nature of good fiction is that it dwells in ambiguity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-doctorow/the-nature-of-good-fiction-is-that-it-dwells-in-ambiguity/) [E. L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow/) > [Uncharged with invisible meaning, the visible is nothing, mere clay; and without visible circumstance, a territory, to connect to, our spirit is shapeless, nameless,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-doctorow/uncharged-with-invisible-meaning-the-visible-is-nothing-mere-clay-and/) [E. L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow/) > [“Writing a novel is like driving at night in the fog. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-doctorow/writing-a-novel-is-like-driving-at-night-in-the-fog-you-can-only-see/) [E. L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow/) > [I did have a feeling then that the culture of factuality was so dominating that storytelling had lost all its authority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-doctorow/i-did-have-a-feeling-then-that-the-culture-of-factuality-was-so/) [E. L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow/) > [I got married very early, and in no time at all, we had three children. And it seemed to me I had an obligation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-doctorow/i-got-married-very-early-and-in-no-time-at-all-we-had-three-children/) [E. L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow/) > [When you're writing a book, you don't really think about it critically. You don't want to know too well what you're doing. First, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-doctorow/when-you-re-writing-a-book-you-don-t-really-think-about-it-critically/) [E. L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow/) > [A writer's life is so hazardous that anything he does is bad for him. Anything that happens to him is bad: failure's bad, success…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-doctorow/a-writer-s-life-is-so-hazardous-that-anything-he-does-is-bad-for-him/) [E. L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow/) [Explore all 108 E. L. Doctorow quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow/) ## 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 ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Whenever citizens are seen routinely as enemies of their own government, writers are rountinely seen to be the most dangerous enemies.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "E. 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