--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm going to try and make people realize…" description: "\"I'm going to try and make people realize that in order to live the life they are living, they need to have democracy, and it's being threatened.\" — Eli..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a5/elijah-cummings-16981_democracy_i-m-going-to-try-and-make-people-realize_3100585.png" --- # I'm going to try and make people realize that in order to… ![“I'm going to try and make people realize that in order to live the life they are living, they need to have democracy, and it's being threatened.” quote by Elijah Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a5/elijah-cummings-16981_democracy_i-m-going-to-try-and-make-people-realize_3100585.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a5/elijah-cummings-16981_democracy_i-m-going-to-try-and-make-people-realize_3100585.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a5/elijah-cummings-16981_democracy_i-m-going-to-try-and-make-people-realize_3100585.png) > “I'm going to try and make people realize that in order to live the life they are living, they need to have democracy, and it's being threatened.” [Elijah Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elijah-cummings/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He urges people to recognize that democracy is essential for a fulfilling life and is currently under threat. **In simple terms:** Democracy is needed for a good life and is being threatened. Key Takeaway Protect democratic institutions. Themes politics citizenship freedom Mood concerned motivational Type call to action persuasive When to use this quote - voting - community organizing - policy advocacy - education campaigns Key Concepts Democratic theory civic responsibility Questions to Reflect On - What steps can individuals take to safeguard democracy? - How does democratic health affect personal well‑being? A Different Perspective Democracy can be fragile and requires active defense. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democracy Threatened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-threatened-1920176/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live/) [Living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living/) [Need Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need-democracy-2612816/) [People Realize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-realize/) [Threatened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/threatened/) [Try](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/try/) ## Related quotes > [We are living through an epochal shift. If we aren't careful, the elementary foundations of our pluralistic democracy will be threatened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/we-are-living-through-an-epochal-shift-if-we-aren-t-careful-the/) [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) > [“we also need to understand how and why our country has gone so thoroughly wrong. We need a plan to put us back on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/we-also-need-to-understand-how-and-why-our-country-has-gone-so-2/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [“We need democracy and meritocracy, not mockracy and hypocrisy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thekeyauthor/we-need-democracy-and-meritocracy-not-mockracy-and-hypocrisy/) [TheKeyAuthor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thekeyauthor/) > [We need democracy - but right now democracy needs us! It needs self-assured citizens who have confidence and drive, common sense and decency, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-walter-steinmeier/we-need-democracy-but-right-now-democracy-needs-us-it-needs-self/) [Frank-Walter Steinmeier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-walter-steinmeier/) > [All the more reason we need to stand up for our democracy now. 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They Are Going To MAXIMIZE Every Fraction Of A Second To Be Happy Whenever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/if-only-people-realize-how-short-life-time-is-maybe-they-are-going-to/) [Pacifiersucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pacifiersucker/) > [I'm a big game show fan. When you're a poor person, you watch game shows. I don't think people realize that. Maybe everybody watches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-anderson/i-m-a-big-game-show-fan-when-you-re-a-poor-person-you-watch-game/) [Louie Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-anderson/) ## More by Elijah Cummings > [Today House Republicans are doing what they always do - using taxpayers' money to continue investigating claims that have already been debunked just to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elijah-cummings/today-house-republicans-are-doing-what-they-always-do-using-taxpayers/) [Elijah Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elijah-cummings/) > [I don't want anybody to be confused that the issue of police and community is one part of a broader set of issues. Our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elijah-cummings/i-don-t-want-anybody-to-be-confused-that-the-issue-of-police-and/) [Elijah Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elijah-cummings/) > [Many of these Americans who are struggling to survive are Americans of color, .. Their cries for assistance confront America with a test of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elijah-cummings/many-of-these-americans-who-are-struggling-to-survive-are-americans/) [Elijah Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elijah-cummings/) > [You have to understand - I come from a neighborhood where 'The Wire' was filmed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elijah-cummings/you-have-to-understand-i-come-from-a-neighborhood-where-the-wire-was/) [Elijah Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elijah-cummings/) > [My mom and dad, although they may not have had a lot of formal education, they were two of the most brilliant people that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elijah-cummings/my-mom-and-dad-although-they-may-not-have-had-a-lot-of-formal/) [Elijah Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elijah-cummings/) > [Every time something bad happens to me, I don't ask the question, 'Why did it happen to me?' The question I ask is, 'Why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elijah-cummings/every-time-something-bad-happens-to-me-i-don-t-ask-the-question-why/) [Elijah Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elijah-cummings/) > [Voting is crucial, and I don't give a damn how you look at it: there are efforts to stop people from voting. That's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elijah-cummings/voting-is-crucial-and-i-don-t-give-a-damn-how-you-look-at-it-there/) [Elijah Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elijah-cummings/) > [It was to carry the American democratic journey beyond these failings that Black citizens and civil rights workers risked unemployment, violence and death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elijah-cummings/it-was-to-carry-the-american-democratic-journey-beyond-these-failings/) [Elijah Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elijah-cummings/) > [When I became a lawyer, no one asked me if I had spent some time in special ed. All they wanted was a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elijah-cummings/when-i-became-a-lawyer-no-one-asked-me-if-i-had-spent-some-time-in/) [Elijah Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elijah-cummings/) > [The long-standing, non-partisan and publicly-declared foreign policy commitment of the United States is clear. We will do whatever is required to prevent Iran from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elijah-cummings/the-long-standing-non-partisan-and-publicly-declared-foreign-policy/) [Elijah Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elijah-cummings/) > [The American people have a right to know that, when Donald Trump's making decisions, they are being made in their best interests without him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elijah-cummings/the-american-people-have-a-right-to-know-that-when-donald-trump-s/) [Elijah Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elijah-cummings/) > [There are two Baltimores. There are clearly two Baltimores.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elijah-cummings/there-are-two-baltimores-there-are-clearly-two-baltimores/) [Elijah Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elijah-cummings/) > [By providing students in our Nation with such an education, we help save our children from the clutches of poverty, crime, drugs, and hopelessness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elijah-cummings/by-providing-students-in-our-nation-with-such-an-education-we-help/) [Elijah Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elijah-cummings/) > [The question is always whether all of Baltimore will rise together or whether we will leave some behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elijah-cummings/the-question-is-always-whether-all-of-baltimore-will-rise-together-or/) [Elijah Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elijah-cummings/) > [I'm going to do what feeds my soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elijah-cummings/i-m-going-to-do-what-feeds-my-soul/) [Elijah Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elijah-cummings/) [Explore all 38 Elijah Cummings quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elijah-cummings/) ## More Democracy quotes > [Elections belong to the people. 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But right now, as of October 17, 2014, the Republican Senate candidates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-continetti/there-is-plenty-of-time-for-republicans-to-have-a-macaca-moment-but/) [Matthew Continetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-continetti/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [ Vote for Donald Trump. You're going to see something and you'll be so happy, you'll be so thrilled. This \[presidential\] election is about every… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/vote-for-donald-trump-you-re-going-to-see-something-and-you-ll-be-so/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Failure to find a way to incorporate political Islam in democracy, however uncomfortable its ideology is for secular liberals, will mean we have given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crispin-blunt/failure-to-find-a-way-to-incorporate-political-islam-in-democracy/) [Crispin Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crispin-blunt/) > [In a democratic nation, power must be linked with responsibility, and obliged to defend and justify itself within the framework of the general good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/in-a-democratic-nation-power-must-be-linked-with-responsibility-and/) [Franklin D. 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