--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's a nastiness out there that wants…" description: "\"There's a nastiness out there that wants to harm me with words. These are my enemies - the ideologues, the populists, the columnists who don't like the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f59/ed-koch-7928_coins_there-s-a-nastiness-out-there-that-wants_718465.jpg" --- # There's a nastiness out there that wants to harm me with… ![“There's a nastiness out there that wants to harm me with words. These are my enemies - the ideologues, the populists, the columnists who don't like the fact that I take them on toe-to-toe. What I try to do is tell the truth. It's not the coin of the realm in politics.” quote by Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f59/ed-koch-7928_coins_there-s-a-nastiness-out-there-that-wants_718465.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f59/ed-koch-7928_coins_there-s-a-nastiness-out-there-that-wants_718465.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f59/ed-koch-7928_coins_there-s-a-nastiness-out-there-that-wants_718465.jpg) > “There's a nastiness out there that wants to harm me with words. These are my enemies - the ideologues, the populists, the columnists who don't like the fact that I take them on toe-to-toe. What I try to do is tell the truth. It's not the coin of the realm in politics.” [Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Critics attack with harsh words, but speaking truth is essential despite political backlash. **In simple terms:** Truthful speech invites opposition. Key Takeaway Speak truth despite criticism. Themes courage truth politics Mood defiant reflective Type political motivational When to use this quote - political debates - media interviews - public speaking Key Concepts public discourse media criticism Questions to Reflect On - What strategies protect truth-tellers? - How do you respond to personal attacks? A Different Perspective Truth may be ignored or politicized. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Harm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harm/) [Ideologues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideologues/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Populist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/populist/) [Realms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realms/) [Telling the truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telling-the-truth/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [“Words alone can effect great good as well as evil. A few apt words have swept candidates into office, ended as well as started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodier/words-alone-can-effect-great-good-as-well-as-evil-a-few-apt-words/) [Steve Goodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodier/) > [“I couldn’t figure out if it was fate or faith that had brought me there. How funny those two words sounded when paired together.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-grewal/i-couldn-t-figure-out-if-it-was-fate-or-faith-that-had-brought-me/) [Jay Grewal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-grewal/) > [At the end, we won't remember the words of our enemies , we will remember the silence of our friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silvija/at-the-end-we-won-t-remember-the-words-of-our-enemies-we-will/) [Silvija](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silvija/) > [“In the end we will remember not the words of our enemies...but the silence of our friends. - Martin Luther King, Jr.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-long/in-the-end-we-will-remember-not-the-words-of-our-enemies-but-the/) Mark Long > [Sometimes the most hurtful thing is the silence of friends, not the words of enemies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-vanderpump/sometimes-the-most-hurtful-thing-is-the-silence-of-friends-not-the/) [Lisa Vanderpump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-vanderpump/) > [“Jesus sure seemed to have a good set of enemies, and some of them even wanted to kill Him. Why? He was nowhere near…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-cahill/jesus-sure-seemed-to-have-a-good-set-of-enemies-and-some-of-them-even/) [Mark Cahill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-cahill/) > [What upset me the most was not the words from my enemies , but the silence from my friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/what-upset-me-the-most-was-not-the-words-from-my-enemies-but-the/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [Hurtful words, From my enemies of the last five years, What's it like to die alone?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/escape-the-fate/hurtful-words-from-my-enemies-of-the-last-five-years-what-s-it-like/) [Escape The Fate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/escape-the-fate/) > [Some medical beast had revived tar-water in those days as a fine medicine, and Mrs. Joe always kept a supply of it in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/some-medical-beast-had-revived-tar-water-in-those-days-as-a-fine/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [And what is an authentic madman? It is a man who preferred to become mad, in the socially accepted sense of the word, rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-artaud/and-what-is-an-authentic-madman-it-is-a-man-who-preferred-to-become/) [Antonin Artaud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-artaud/) > [I don't like any nastiness on tv unless it's coming from me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-kindler/i-don-t-like-any-nastiness-on-tv-unless-it-s-coming-from-me/) [Andy Kindler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-kindler/) > [On one level, I am a total softie, sort of depressed and afraid of losing the people I love or failing them. To disguise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/on-one-level-i-am-a-total-softie-sort-of-depressed-and-afraid-of/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [ \[Christianity\] neither enjoins the nastiness of the Cynic, nor the insensibility of the Stoic. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-berkeley/christianity-neither-enjoins-the-nastiness-of-the-cynic-nor-the/) [George Berkeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-berkeley/) > [The basic project of art is always to make the world whole and comprehensible, to restore it to us in all its glory and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hughes/the-basic-project-of-art-is-always-to-make-the-world-whole-and/) [Robert Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hughes/) > [The insolence of base minds in success is boundless; and would scarce admit of a comparison, did not they themselves furnish us with one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/the-insolence-of-base-minds-in-success-is-boundless-and-would-scarce/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) ## More by Ed Koch > [I love being the mayor. I want to be the mayor forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/i-love-being-the-mayor-i-want-to-be-the-mayor-forever/) [Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) > [I have a social life. But I don't discuss it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/i-have-a-social-life-but-i-don-t-discuss-it/) [Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) > [The Chinese describe themselves as political refugees. Many base that claim on China's strict population laws, which allow them to have only one child.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/the-chinese-describe-themselves-as-political-refugees-many-base-that/) [Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) > [Citizens, thank you for all your birthday wishes. I am 88 years old today and still lucky to live in the greatest city in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/citizens-thank-you-for-all-your-birthday-wishes-i-am-88-years-old/) [Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) > [The person who is bent on killing you will follow you wherever you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/the-person-who-is-bent-on-killing-you-will-follow-you-wherever-you-are/) [Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) > [I injured myself politically when I took on Jesse Jackson' in the 1988 presidential campaign. I was too strident. I didn't recognize the emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/i-injured-myself-politically-when-i-took-on-jesse-jackson-in-the-1988/) [Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) > [Don't tell me this is a difficult problem. If it weren't difficult, it wouldn't be a problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/don-t-tell-me-this-is-a-difficult-problem-if-it-weren-t-difficult-it/) [Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) > [I'm just a simple Jewish boy from the Bronx.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/i-m-just-a-simple-jewish-boy-from-the-bronx/) [Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) > [...what about the millions of poor in this country who desperately need assistance and services to help bring them out of poverty? Shall they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/what-about-the-millions-of-poor-in-this-country-who-desperately-need/) [Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) > [I never doubted that I would be a good mayor. I never did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/i-never-doubted-that-i-would-be-a-good-mayor-i-never-did/) [Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) > [It is not possible to remake the world. You can fix parts, but you can't remake the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/it-is-not-possible-to-remake-the-world-you-can-fix-parts-but-you-can/) [Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) > [“The city is the size of a country, but has been operated like a candy store.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/the-city-is-the-size-of-a-country-but-has-been-operated-like-a-candy/) [Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) > [When I came in, the city was on the edge of bankruptcy. I'm proud of what I did. I built the foundation that mayors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/when-i-came-in-the-city-was-on-the-edge-of-bankruptcy-i-m-proud-of/) [Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) > [The fireworks begin today. Each diploma is a lighted match. Each one of you is a fuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/the-fireworks-begin-today-each-diploma-is-a-lighted-match-each-one-of/) [Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) > [Life is indeed precious, and I believe the death penalty helps affirm this fact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/life-is-indeed-precious-and-i-believe-the-death-penalty-helps-affirm/) [Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) [Explore all 85 Ed Koch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) ## More Coins quotes > [Money doesn't spend in hell… The devil deals in a different coin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/money-doesn-t-spend-in-hell-the-devil-deals-in-a-different-coin/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Money is made at Christmas out of holly and mistletoe, but who save the vendors would greatly care if no green branch were procurable?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gissing/money-is-made-at-christmas-out-of-holly-and-mistletoe-but-who-save/) [George Gissing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gissing/) > [The man who confers a favour would rather not be repaid in the same coin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/the-man-who-confers-a-favour-would-rather-not-be-repaid-in-the-same/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [Confidentiality and transparency are not mutually exclusive, but rather two sides of the same coin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-de-maiziere/confidentiality-and-transparency-are-not-mutually-exclusive-but/) [Thomas de Maiziere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-de-maiziere/) > [“Spare a copper for our cause?" the girl with the coin cup asks, her voice weary. "I can spare more than that," I say.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/spare-a-copper-for-our-cause-the-girl-with-the-coin-cup-asks-her/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [Under the gold standard gold is money and money is gold. It is immaterial whether or not the laws assign legal tender quality only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/under-the-gold-standard-gold-is-money-and-money-is-gold-it-is/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Girls are not machines that you put kindness coins into until sex falls out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/girls-are-not-machines-that-you-put-kindness-coins-into-until-sex/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [I collect dice and I collect coins. I travel the world so I love dice, I always have dice on me. I collect magnets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellan-lutz/i-collect-dice-and-i-collect-coins-i-travel-the-world-so-i-love-dice/) [Kellan Lutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellan-lutz/) > [It's a double-headed coin, because technology is a convenience but it's stifled our attention spans. At one time, albums had songs that were like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cee-lo-green/it-s-a-double-headed-coin-because-technology-is-a-convenience-but-it/) [Cee Lo Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cee-lo-green/) > [No nation can be strong except in the strength of God, or safe except in His defense. The trust of our people in God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salmon-p-chase/no-nation-can-be-strong-except-in-the-strength-of-god-or-safe-except/) [Salmon P. Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salmon-p-chase/) > [Greatness is a two-faced coin - and the reverse is humility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marguerite-steen/greatness-is-a-two-faced-coin-and-the-reverse-is-humility/) Marguerite Steen > [Sight is one of the most easily deceived senses. I could make a coin disappear and your eyes would believe it gone, even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-chance/sight-is-one-of-the-most-easily-deceived-senses-i-could-make-a-coin/) [Megan Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-chance/) > [That human existence should repeat itself, well and good, but that it should repeat itself like a hackneyed tune, or a record a drunkard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-lem/that-human-existence-should-repeat-itself-well-and-good-but-that-it/) [Stanislaw Lem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-lem/) > [Melancholy and utopia are heads and tails of the same coin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gunter-grass/melancholy-and-utopia-are-heads-and-tails-of-the-same-coin/) [Gunter Grass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gunter-grass/) > [If all bank loans were paid, there would not be a dollar of coin or currency in circulation. Someone has to borrow every dollar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-w-hemphill/if-all-bank-loans-were-paid-there-would-not-be-a-dollar-of-coin-or/) Robert W. Hemphill Browse all 546 Coins quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There's a nastiness out there that wants to harm me with words. These are my enemies - the ideologues, the populists, the columnists who don't like the fact that I take them on toe-to-toe. What I try to do is tell the truth. 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