--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was just really appalled, and I really…" description: "\"I was just really appalled, and I really kept quiet until I saw the governor [Rick Perry] get on and repeat the same words that the prosecution had use..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45a/elizabeth-gilbert-131_appalled_i-was-just-really-appalled-and-i-really_3201356.jpg" --- # I was just really appalled, and I really kept quiet until… ![“I was just really appalled, and I really kept quiet until I saw the governor [Rick Perry] get on and repeat the same words that the prosecution had used in the penalty phase: that he [Todd Willingham] was a monster. And that got me to get on to the computer and connect with some of the media and…” quote by Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45a/elizabeth-gilbert-131_appalled_i-was-just-really-appalled-and-i-really_3201356.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45a/elizabeth-gilbert-131_appalled_i-was-just-really-appalled-and-i-really_3201356.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45a/elizabeth-gilbert-131_appalled_i-was-just-really-appalled-and-i-really_3201356.jpg) > “I was just really appalled, and I really kept quiet until I saw the governor \[Rick Perry\] get on and repeat the same words that the prosecution had used in the penalty phase: that he \[Todd Willingham\] was a monster. And that got me to get on to the computer and connect with some of the media and say: "I have his letters. He wasn't a monster. He was a caring individual." Let them see another side.” [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker felt compelled to defend a condemned man by sharing his humanity against dehumanizing rhetoric. **In simple terms:** Defend the accused by showing his humanity. Key Takeaway Speak up for truth. Themes justice compassion media advocacy Mood determined empathetic Type advocacy defensive When to use this quote - courtroom - social media activism - public discourse - family discussions Key Concepts dehumanization public perception legal ethics Questions to Reflect On - How can we humanize those labeled as monsters? - What role does media play in shaping perceptions? A Different Perspective Counterpoint: Public opinion may resist changing entrenched narratives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Appalled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appalled/) [Appalled Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appalled-really-5945288/) [Caring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caring/) [Computer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computer/) [Governor Rick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/governor-rick-5945289/) [Governors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/governors/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Letters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/letters/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) [Monsters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monsters/) [Penalties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/penalties/) [Phases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phases/) [Prosecution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prosecution/) [Quiet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quiet/) [Really Appalled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-appalled-5752586/) [Repeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repeats/) [Rick Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rick-perry/) [Saws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saws/) [Sides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sides/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) ## Related quotes > [Stripe really did come about because we were really appalled by how hard it was to charge for things online.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-collison/stripe-really-did-come-about-because-we-were-really-appalled-by-how/) [John Collison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-collison/) > [When Rick Perry was told about Kim Jong Il, he said, 'I never heard of him, but then again, I don't listen to that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/when-rick-perry-was-told-about-kim-jong-il-he-said-i-never-heard-of/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [I take risks, if you want to call it a risk. 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When asked what went wrong, Perry said, I guess America is not ready to elect a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/rick-perry-dropped-out-of-the-presidential-race-when-asked-what-went/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [“My eyes went as crazy as Michelle Bachman and Rick Perry's love-child.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-schweizer/my-eyes-went-as-crazy-as-michelle-bachman-and-rick-perry-s-love-child/) [Mark Schweizer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-schweizer/) > [I worry about Rick Perry. One, he's too conservative, Two, his debating skills. And three ... Oh crap, what was three?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/i-worry-about-rick-perry-one-he-s-too-conservative-two-his-debating/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [Texas Governor Rick Perry distanced himself from George W. Bush by saying, 'I went to Texas A&M. He went to Yale.' In other words,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/texas-governor-rick-perry-distanced-himself-from-george-w-bush-by/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [Personally, I hope he doesn't get out of the campaign. I need Rick Perry. I don't want to spend the next year trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/personally-i-hope-he-doesn-t-get-out-of-the-campaign-i-need-rick/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [Mitt Romney said that he liked to fire people. Well, there's a pretty good message to send to Middle America. 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He's adding advisers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/rick-perry-started-out-like-a-ball-of-fire-from-texas-and-then-he/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [Texas governor Rick Perry has been in the race only three days, and he's already blowing away the competition like it is a trespassing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/texas-governor-rick-perry-has-been-in-the-race-only-three-days-and-he/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [Rick Perry said Obama's suggestions for gun control disgust him. He said the real answer to this problem isn't laws, it's prayer. You know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/rick-perry-said-obama-s-suggestions-for-gun-control-disgust-him-he/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) ## More by Elizabeth Gilbert > [That's your friend. My husband is my best friend. He's not the mirror that holds up my flaws. 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You cease being an obstacle, not only to yourself but to anyone else.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/clearing-out-all-your-misery-gets-you-out-of-the-way-you-cease-being/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [The ingredients of both darkness and light are equally present in all of us,...The madness of this planet is largely a result of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/the-ingredients-of-both-darkness-and-light-are-equally-present-in-all/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [I was full of a hot, powerful sadness and would have loved to burst into the comfort of tears, but tried hard not to,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-was-full-of-a-hot-powerful-sadness-and-would-have-loved-to-burst/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“I live in nature where everything is connected, circular. 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She was, in her own way,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-abbott/i-think-gypsy-rose-lee-would-be-appalled-at-today-s-rawer-more/) [Karen Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-abbott/) > [We are now paying the cost of people who move jobs overseas as taxpayers, and people are appalled when they hear that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-stabenow/we-are-now-paying-the-cost-of-people-who-move-jobs-overseas-as/) [Debbie Stabenow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-stabenow/) > [When people say 'love to hate', they actually mean 'love to be appalled by' - if they truly hated them, they'd never repeat a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-morris/when-people-say-love-to-hate-they-actually-mean-love-to-be-appalled/) [Chris Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-morris/) > [“A month or two before, I would have been appalled at the idea of any murder at all. But that Sunday afternoon, as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-tartt/a-month-or-two-before-i-would-have-been-appalled-at-the-idea-of-any/) [Donna Tartt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-tartt/) > [I went from rotary phone to Twitter. And was appalled at the notion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-perry/i-went-from-rotary-phone-to-twitter-and-was-appalled-at-the-notion/) [Jeff Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-perry/) > [I have always been appalled by the depiction of female CIA operatives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/i-have-always-been-appalled-by-the-depiction-of-female-cia-operatives/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) > [I made no pretense of doing balanced reporting about murder. 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Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [“More shouts, and then my father was there, staring down at me in horror: the minor pagan god, appalled at what his worshiper had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-brennan/more-shouts-and-then-my-father-was-there-staring-down-at-me-in-horror/) [Marie Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-brennan/) > [You have to let kids live their own lives and make their mistakes, but it is difficult now because there are so many things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-french/you-have-to-let-kids-live-their-own-lives-and-make-their-mistakes-but/) [Dawn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-french/) > [If you met me in London, you might be appalled at how English I sounded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pollyanna-mcintosh/if-you-met-me-in-london-you-might-be-appalled-at-how-english-i-sounded/) [Pollyanna McIntosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pollyanna-mcintosh/) > [After the events of last week, I'm appalled at the standard Australia seems to be willing to accept in regards to its own behaviour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clementine-ford/after-the-events-of-last-week-i-m-appalled-at-the-standard-australia/) [Clementine Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clementine-ford/) > [Stripe really did come about because we were really appalled by how hard it was to charge for things online.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-collison/stripe-really-did-come-about-because-we-were-really-appalled-by-how/) [John Collison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-collison/) > [If someone was to tally the number of human hours wasted in business by people trying to accomplish objectives without being given the authority…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-beth-jones/if-someone-was-to-tally-the-number-of-human-hours-wasted-in-business/) [Laurie Beth Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-beth-jones/) [Browse all 70 Appalled quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appalled/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was just really appalled, and I really kept quiet until I saw the governor [Rick Perry] get on and repeat the same words that the prosecution had used in the penalty phase: that he [Todd Willingham] was a monster. 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