--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The language has changed. When I grew up…" description: "\"The language has changed. When I grew up and watched the campaigns of John Kennedy, even with Richard Nixon, there was a lot higher level of civility. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a8/emanuel-cleaver-21307_attack_the-language-has-changed-when-i-grew-up_1132598.jpg" --- # The language has changed. When I grew up and watched the… ![“The language has changed. When I grew up and watched the campaigns of John Kennedy, even with Richard Nixon, there was a lot higher level of civility. Now we describe a disagreement as an attack.” quote by Emanuel Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a8/emanuel-cleaver-21307_attack_the-language-has-changed-when-i-grew-up_1132598.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a8/emanuel-cleaver-21307_attack_the-language-has-changed-when-i-grew-up_1132598.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a8/emanuel-cleaver-21307_attack_the-language-has-changed-when-i-grew-up_1132598.jpg) > “The language has changed. When I grew up and watched the campaigns of John Kennedy, even with Richard Nixon, there was a lot higher level of civility. Now we describe a disagreement as an attack.” [Emanuel Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-cleaver/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He notes a decline in civil discourse compared to past political eras, where disagreements were less hostile. **In simple terms:** Political conversation used to be more civil. Key Takeaway Promote respectful dialogue. Themes civility politics history Mood concerned thoughtful Type political reflective When to use this quote - political debates - social media - public forums Key Concepts public discourse media influence Questions to Reflect On - What steps can restore civility? - How does media shape our view of disagreement? A Different Perspective Changing media landscapes may affect perceptions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attack/) [Civility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civility/) [Civility Disagreement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civility-disagreement-3118877/) [Disagreement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disagreement/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Language Changed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language-changed-986791/) [Level Civility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/level-civility-3118878/) [Now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/now/) [Up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/up/) ## Related quotes > [“During the period of the Renaissance, the English language changed very swiftly in keeping with rapid social, economic and political changes. However, writers in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-carter/during-the-period-of-the-renaissance-the-english-language-changed/) [Ronald Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-carter/) > [John Stuart Mill, in his wonderful 1859 book On Liberty, talks about civility. And this is why you should always be concerned about calls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-lukianoff/john-stuart-mill-in-his-wonderful-1859-book-on-liberty-talks-about/) [Greg Lukianoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-lukianoff/) > [“Now, you may think this is all kindergarten ethics, right down to the time-out for naught kids. If so, you are correct. … Civility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-wales/now-you-may-think-this-is-all-kindergarten-ethics-right-down-to-the/) [Jimmy Wales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-wales/) > [We can be fervent in our disagreements without being factitious with our beliefs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-cleaver/we-can-be-fervent-in-our-disagreements-without-being-factitious-with/) [Emanuel Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-cleaver/) > [A good word is an easy obligation; but not to speak ill requires only our silence, which costs us nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tillotson/a-good-word-is-an-easy-obligation-but-not-to-speak-ill-requires-only/) [John Tillotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tillotson/) > [The insolent civility of a proud man is, if possible, more shocking than his rudeness could be; because he shows you, by his manner,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/the-insolent-civility-of-a-proud-man-is-if-possible-more-shocking/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [“Never in England were there so many gentlemen and so little gentleness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-sansom/never-in-england-were-there-so-many-gentlemen-and-so-little-gentleness/) [C.J. Sansom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-sansom/) > [“Elizabeth received them with all the forbearance of civility”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/elizabeth-received-them-with-all-the-forbearance-of-civility/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [“When someone has wronged you, continue to treat them with civility. It’s the ultimate mark of a mensch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruna-martinuzzi/when-someone-has-wronged-you-continue-to-treat-them-with-civility-it/) [Bruna Martinuzzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruna-martinuzzi/) > [They parted at last with mutual civility, and possibly a mutual desire of never meeting again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/they-parted-at-last-with-mutual-civility-and-possibly-a-mutual-desire/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [How much wit, good-nature, indulgences, how many good offices and civilities, are required among friends to accomplish in some years what a lovely face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/how-much-wit-good-nature-indulgences-how-many-good-offices-and/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [The Second World War had a precipitating effect in that it discredited the empires, as well as bankrupting them. Not only could you no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-judt/the-second-world-war-had-a-precipitating-effect-in-that-it/) [Tony Judt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-judt/) > [Martha Stewart contributes more to our civility than the Baptist Church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-hickey/martha-stewart-contributes-more-to-our-civility-than-the-baptist/) [Dave Hickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-hickey/) > [Most adults would not dream of belittling, humiliating, or bullying (verbally or physically) another adult. But many of the same adults think nothing of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-steinberg/most-adults-would-not-dream-of-belittling-humiliating-or-bullying/) [Laurence Steinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-steinberg/) > [There is nothing that we can properly call our own but our time, and yet everybody fools us out of it who has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/there-is-nothing-that-we-can-properly-call-our-own-but-our-time-and/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) ## More by Emanuel Cleaver > [Let's do more than say the 'Pledge of Allegiance.' Let us live it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-cleaver/let-s-do-more-than-say-the-pledge-of-allegiance-let-us-live-it/) [Emanuel Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-cleaver/) > [Social Security is a covenant that should not be broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-cleaver/social-security-is-a-covenant-that-should-not-be-broken/) [Emanuel Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-cleaver/) > [We have Democrats saying dumb things every single day, and Republicans as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-cleaver/we-have-democrats-saying-dumb-things-every-single-day-and-republicans/) [Emanuel Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-cleaver/) > [First of all, do I think there's some racists in the Tea Party? Yeah. I'm an ordained United Methodist pastor; there's some racists in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-cleaver/first-of-all-do-i-think-there-s-some-racists-in-the-tea-party-yeah-i/) [Emanuel Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-cleaver/) > [I have, with great intentionality, a demeanor that I hope is welcoming for people to not be afraid to talk to me or, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-cleaver/i-have-with-great-intentionality-a-demeanor-that-i-hope-is-welcoming/) [Emanuel Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-cleaver/) > [One thing I've learned - and I've said this to Republicans and Democrats - is, bees cannot sting and make honey at the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-cleaver/one-thing-i-ve-learned-and-i-ve-said-this-to-republicans-and/) [Emanuel Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-cleaver/) > [I'm not going to vote for Donald Trump. There's no way I would vote for him under any circumstance. However, I think that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-cleaver/i-m-not-going-to-vote-for-donald-trump-there-s-no-way-i-would-vote/) [Emanuel Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-cleaver/) > [We've gotten to the point now where Republicans and Democrats have nothing in common besides being members of the 'caustic caucus,' and we can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-cleaver/we-ve-gotten-to-the-point-now-where-republicans-and-democrats-have/) [Emanuel Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-cleaver/) > [Community colleges need to be upgraded. We got to have training for real jobs. We've got a lot of jobs that are going unfilled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-cleaver/community-colleges-need-to-be-upgraded-we-got-to-have-training-for/) [Emanuel Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-cleaver/) > [There are people walking around the streets of Kansas City who are unemployed, while one of our largest employers is not only sending jobs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-cleaver/there-are-people-walking-around-the-streets-of-kansas-city-who-are/) [Emanuel Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-cleaver/) > [We talk about the '68 Democratic Convention. I was too young to really know a lot about it, but - and didn't even watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-cleaver/we-talk-about-the-68-democratic-convention-i-was-too-young-to-really/) [Emanuel Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-cleaver/) > [You would think that if any group in America had 20% to 25% unemployment, it would generate all kinds of attention. The Labor Department…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-cleaver/you-would-think-that-if-any-group-in-america-had-20-to-25/) [Emanuel Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-cleaver/) > [Hope is the motivation that empowers the unemployed, enabling them to get out of bed every single morning with unbounded enthusiasm as they look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-cleaver/hope-is-the-motivation-that-empowers-the-unemployed-enabling-them-to/) [Emanuel Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-cleaver/) > [There is more power in unity than division.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-cleaver/there-is-more-power-in-unity-than-division/) [Emanuel Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-cleaver/) > [What we don't need to work toward is polarizing America any greater than it is. Look, I'm up here in Washington, D.C., in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-cleaver/what-we-don-t-need-to-work-toward-is-polarizing-america-any-greater/) [Emanuel Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-cleaver/) [Explore all 29 Emanuel Cleaver quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-cleaver/) ## More Attack quotes > [British Forces should be in a position to give back in a ten fold measure any attack that the Germans may attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-banting/british-forces-should-be-in-a-position-to-give-back-in-a-ten-fold/) [Frederick Banting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-banting/) > [“THE UNFORGIVEN Tell me if you've ever had to deal with these kinds of people: The kind who take and don't give. The kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/the-unforgiven-tell-me-if-you-ve-ever-had-to-deal-with-these-kinds-of/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [When I hit bottom, I can attack the problem and get to where I want to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-rodman/when-i-hit-bottom-i-can-attack-the-problem-and-get-to-where-i-want-to/) [Dennis Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-rodman/) > [It was both necessary and desirable for us to be so strong at sea that no Sea Power could attack us without risk, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-von-bulow/it-was-both-necessary-and-desirable-for-us-to-be-so-strong-at-sea/) [Bernhard von Bulow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-von-bulow/) > [The best way to counter-attack a hater is to make it blatantly obvious that their attack has had no impact on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-ferriss/the-best-way-to-counter-attack-a-hater-is-to-make-it-blatantly/) [Tim Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-ferriss/) > [President Obama has never summarized the Obama Doctrine with such clarity, but here is what it would look like: 'I will undertake any military…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/president-obama-has-never-summarized-the-obama-doctrine-with-such/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [Everything has got a place in my house. If something is moved I get a panic attack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rylan-clark-neal/everything-has-got-a-place-in-my-house-if-something-is-moved-i-get-a/) [Rylan Clark-Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rylan-clark-neal/) > [I mean, it's not just the rappers, you know what i'm saying? People want to attack anybody that's a large figure, you know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-notorious-b-i-g/i-mean-it-s-not-just-the-rappers-you-know-what-i-m-saying-people-want/) [The Notorious B.I.G](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-notorious-b-i-g/) > [Sometimes when you take a tough action against one side in the conflict, they see you as part of the conflict and they attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/sometimes-when-you-take-a-tough-action-against-one-side-in-the/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [“Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/hence-when-able-to-attack-we-must-seem-unable-when-using-our-forces/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [Free speech has a very small constituency on the modern campus, particularly if the speaker under attack is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-leo/free-speech-has-a-very-small-constituency-on-the-modern-campus/) [John Leo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-leo/) > [Daniil is a player who will not give you many chances to attack. If I have enough power and choose the right moment, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrey-rublev/daniil-is-a-player-who-will-not-give-you-many-chances-to-attack-if-i/) [Andrey Rublev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrey-rublev/) > [Distributed ledgers are inherently harder to attack because instead of a single database, there are multiple shared copies of the same database, so a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-walport/distributed-ledgers-are-inherently-harder-to-attack-because-instead/) [Mark Walport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-walport/) > [Attack life. It's going to kill you anyways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/attack-life-it-s-going-to-kill-you-anyways/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For those of us in the political business, generally, it's been pretty much an unwritten but understood rule that family and children are out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-nutter/for-those-of-us-in-the-political-business-generally-it-s-been-pretty/) [Michael Nutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-nutter/) [Browse all 1,074 Attack quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attack/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The language has changed. When I grew up and watched the campaigns of John Kennedy, even with Richard Nixon, there was a lot higher level of civility. Now we describe a disagreement as an attack.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Emanuel Cleaver" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-cleaver/the-language-has-changed-when-i-grew-up-and-watched-the-campaigns-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Attack" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-cleaver/the-language-has-changed-when-i-grew-up-and-watched-the-campaigns-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a8/emanuel-cleaver-21307_attack_the-language-has-changed-when-i-grew-up_1132598.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a8/emanuel-cleaver-21307_attack_the-language-has-changed-when-i-grew-up_1132598.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a8/emanuel-cleaver-21307_attack_the-language-has-changed-when-i-grew-up_1132598.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The language has changed. When I grew up and watched the campaigns of John Kennedy, even with Richard Nixon…” — Emanuel Cleaver", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Emanuel Cleaver", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-cleaver/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The language has changed. When I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-cleaver/the-language-has-changed-when-i-grew-up-and-watched-the-campaigns-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-cleaver/the-language-has-changed-when-i-grew-up-and-watched-the-campaigns-of/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```