--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: On a personal level, I've seen a lot in…" description: "\"On a personal level, I've seen a lot in my time as attorney general, but few things have affected me as greatly as my visit to Ferguson. I had the chan..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/694/eric-holder-7429_affected_on-a-personal-level-i-ve-seen-a-lot-in-m_361307.jpg" --- # On a personal level, I've seen a lot in my time as… ![“On a personal level, I've seen a lot in my time as attorney general, but few things have affected me as greatly as my visit to Ferguson. I had the chance to meet with the family of Michael Brown. I spoke to them not just as attorney general but as a father of a teenage son myself.” quote by Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/694/eric-holder-7429_affected_on-a-personal-level-i-ve-seen-a-lot-in-m_361307.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/694/eric-holder-7429_affected_on-a-personal-level-i-ve-seen-a-lot-in-m_361307.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/694/eric-holder-7429_affected_on-a-personal-level-i-ve-seen-a-lot-in-m_361307.jpg) > “On a personal level, I've seen a lot in my time as attorney general, but few things have affected me as greatly as my visit to Ferguson. I had the chance to meet with the family of Michael Brown. I spoke to them not just as attorney general but as a father of a teenage son myself.” [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) ## 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 reflects on how meeting a victim’s family humanized a high‑profile role, emphasizing empathy and personal connection beyond professional duties. **In simple terms:** Personal encounters with tragedy deepen empathy in leadership. Key Takeaway Seek personal stories to inform policy decisions. Themes empathy justice leadership Mood thoughtful somber Type reflective leadership When to use this quote - policy meetings - community outreach - counseling sessions Key Concepts human connection public service personal loss Questions to Reflect On - How does personal empathy affect policy? - Can leaders balance empathy with impartiality? A Different Perspective Emotional involvement may bias objective decision‑making. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affected/) [Attorney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attorney/) [Attorney general](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attorney-general/) [Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brown/) [Brown Spoke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brown-spoke-3316187/) [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Family Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family-michael-1034645/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Ferguson Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ferguson-chance-3316186/) [Few](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/few/) [Few things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/few-things/) [General](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/general/) [Greatly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatly/) [Had](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/had/) [Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just/) [Level](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/level/) [Lot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lot/) [Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) [Meet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meet/) [Meet Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meet-family-425760/) [Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/michael/) [My time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-time/) [Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myself/) [Personal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal/) [Personal level](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-level/) [Seen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seen/) [Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/son/) [Spoke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spoke/) [Teenage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teenage/) [Teenage Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teenage-son/) [Them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/them/) [Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Visit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/visit/) [Visit Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/visit-ferguson-3316185/) ## Related quotes > [A family of three had become, in Michael Arroyo's young mind, an army of two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-lupica/a-family-of-three-had-become-in-michael-arroyo-s-young-mind-an-army/) [Mike Lupica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-lupica/) > [Sean Tuohy: We were wondering if you would like to become a part of this family. Michael Oher: I kinda thought I already was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-blind-side/sean-tuohy-we-were-wondering-if-you-would-like-to-become-a-part-of/) [The Blind Side](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-blind-side/) > [I was allowed to meet my family every two weeks for a half hour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordechai-vanunu/i-was-allowed-to-meet-my-family-every-two-weeks-for-a-half-hour/) [Mordechai Vanunu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordechai-vanunu/) > [I have no intention of going back to France, except for yearly visits to meet my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-gautier/i-have-no-intention-of-going-back-to-france-except-for-yearly-visits/) [Francois Gautier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-gautier/) > [Ive always wanted you to meet my whole family. But Im not gonna let someone who doesnt stick around meet the most important people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/ive-always-wanted-you-to-meet-my-whole-family-but-im-not-gonna-let/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Women want to get to know Sarah Palin. And they want to meet her family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-breitbart/women-want-to-get-to-know-sarah-palin-and-they-want-to-meet-her-family/) [Andrew Breitbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-breitbart/) > [I invited President Trump twice now to come meet my family and my community because he seems to have a lot of opinions about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilhan-omar/i-invited-president-trump-twice-now-to-come-meet-my-family-and-my/) [Ilhan Omar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilhan-omar/) > [My parents don't like that I don't bring guys home but I don't want a guy to know or meet my family if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-parents-don-t-like-that-i-don-t-bring-guys-home-but-i-don-t-want-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“So where’s your house at?” I ask, swinging our hands between us. “I want to properly Google Maps creeper-stalk you before agreeing to meet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-zappia/so-where-s-your-house-at-i-ask-swinging-our-hands-between-us-i-want/) [Francesca Zappia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-zappia/) > [We met in April of 2000, and we weren't really an official couple until June or July. His family has a fishing trip they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mullally/we-met-in-april-of-2000-and-we-weren-t-really-an-official-couple/) [Megan Mullally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mullally/) > [“I can’t believe you gave me twenty minutes notice to meet your family! I could kill you right now!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-mcguire/i-can-t-believe-you-gave-me-twenty-minutes-notice-to-meet-your-family/) [Jamie McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-mcguire/) > [“-Are you nervous to meet my family? -No, not really.They're either going to like me or they won't. All I can do is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-chance/are-you-nervous-to-meet-my-family-no-not-really-they-re-either-going/) [Jacob Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-chance/) > [“This world is to be passed through, shieldmaiden. It is a waypoint on the journey. We meet our family on the way, but we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-fanetti/this-world-is-to-be-passed-through-shieldmaiden-it-is-a-waypoint-on/) [Susan Fanetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-fanetti/) > [Like the guy I was dating. White, liberal, educated. I went to meet his family and I think that they probably didn't know they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanaa-lathan/like-the-guy-i-was-dating-white-liberal-educated-i-went-to-meet-his/) [Sanaa Lathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanaa-lathan/) > [“Another night then,' Mom said. 'Maybe on the weekend we can have a barbecue and invite your sister.' 'Or,' I said turning to Rafe,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/another-night-then-mom-said-maybe-on-the-weekend-we-can-have-a/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) ## More by Eric Holder > [Though this nation has proudly thought of itself as an ethnic melting pot, in things racial we have always been and I believe continue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/though-this-nation-has-proudly-thought-of-itself-as-an-ethnic-melting/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [The full resources of the Department of Justice have been committed to the investigation into Michael Brown's death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/the-full-resources-of-the-department-of-justice-have-been-committed/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [Ferguson and St. Louis County are not the first places that we have become engaged to ensure fair and equitable policing, and they will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/ferguson-and-st-louis-county-are-not-the-first-places-that-we-have/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [Some have argued that the President is required to get permission from a federal court before taking action against a United States citizen who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/some-have-argued-that-the-president-is-required-to-get-permission/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [I look forward to working with the NRA to come up with ways in which we can use common sense approaches to reduce the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/i-look-forward-to-working-with-the-nra-to-come-up-with-ways-in-which/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [This is going to be a very transparent Justice Department. But I'm not gonna sacrifice the safety of the American people or our ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/this-is-going-to-be-a-very-transparent-justice-department-but-i-m-not/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [I have loved the Department of Justice ever since, as a young boy, I watched Robert Kennedy prove during the Civil Rights Movement how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/i-have-loved-the-department-of-justice-ever-since-as-a-young-boy-i/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [You constantly hear about voter fraud... but you don't see huge amounts of vote fraud out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/you-constantly-hear-about-voter-fraud-but-you-don-t-see-huge-amounts/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [I'm a 21st-century guy, secure in who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/i-m-a-21st-century-guy-secure-in-who-i-am/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [I'll leave here with my head held high and with confidence that history will judge my time here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/i-ll-leave-here-with-my-head-held-high-and-with-confidence-that/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [It is the thing that keeps me up at night - the notion that you have individuals in the United States who are looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/it-is-the-thing-that-keeps-me-up-at-night-the-notion-that-you-have/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [Guantanamo is a chief recruiting tool for al-Qaida. It has put a wedge between the United States and at least some of its allies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/guantanamo-is-a-chief-recruiting-tool-for-al-qaida-it-has-put-a-wedge/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [I don't have any intention of resigning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/i-don-t-have-any-intention-of-resigning/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [Michael Brown's tragic death has revealed a deep distrust between some in the Ferguson community and its police force. It also developed a need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/michael-brown-s-tragic-death-has-revealed-a-deep-distrust-between/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [It's time to question laws that senselessly expand the concept of self-defense and sow dangerous conflict in our neighborhoods. These laws try to fix…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/it-s-time-to-question-laws-that-senselessly-expand-the-concept-of/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) [Explore all 91 Eric Holder quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) ## More Affected quotes > [To tell you the truth I am hard put to think of anyone who's career was affected significantly by making all those phone calls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dabney-coleman/to-tell-you-the-truth-i-am-hard-put-to-think-of-anyone-who-s-career/) [Dabney Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dabney-coleman/) > [First, climate change is the greatest long-term threat faced by humanity. It could cause more human and financial suffering than the two world wars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-miliband/first-climate-change-is-the-greatest-long-term-threat-faced-by/) [David Miliband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-miliband/) > [Be a pattern to others, and then all will go well; for as a whole city is affected by the licentious passions and vices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/be-a-pattern-to-others-and-then-all-will-go-well-for-as-a-whole-city/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [At first I thought I would have to put on an English accent and try a sort of affected Shakespeare thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/at-first-i-thought-i-would-have-to-put-on-an-english-accent-and-try-a/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [Every culture, if its natural development is not too much affected by political restrictions, experiences a perpetual renewal of the formative urge, and out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-rocker/every-culture-if-its-natural-development-is-not-too-much-affected-by/) [Rudolf Rocker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-rocker/) > [Don't show them that you are affected.. Instead, show them that you are happy even without them.. To put a sad face on your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharlene05/don-t-show-them-that-you-are-affected-instead-show-them-that-you-are/) [Sharlene05](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharlene05/) > [I wish we could go back to the time when the private lives of our public figures were relevant only if they directly affected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-wish-we-could-go-back-to-the-time-when-the-private-lives-of-our/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [Don't be intimidated by people who seem to be experts. Hear their points of view and get their judgements. But at the end of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/don-t-be-intimidated-by-people-who-seem-to-be-experts-hear-their/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [Who what am I? My answer: I am the sum total of everything that went before me, of all I have been seen done,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/who-what-am-i-my-answer-i-am-the-sum-total-of-everything-that-went/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [I have wondered why is it that some people are less affected and torn by the verities of life and death that others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-have-wondered-why-is-it-that-some-people-are-less-affected-and-torn/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [Then, the other thing that affected my interest in choices growing up was the fact that I was going blind and that meant that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/then-the-other-thing-that-affected-my-interest-in-choices-growing-up/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [I don't think Wayne Rooney would be affected if you booed him, that's just how he is, but others go under. They really suffer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lampard/i-don-t-think-wayne-rooney-would-be-affected-if-you-booed-him-that-s/) [Frank Lampard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lampard/) > [I'm not good at standing on platforms and persuading people to my political point of view. Nor would I seek to. My gift is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hare/i-m-not-good-at-standing-on-platforms-and-persuading-people-to-my/) [David Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hare/) > [I was trying to hold up a mirror to this country, to reflect the past years or so, and the varying degrees in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/said-sayrafiezadeh/i-was-trying-to-hold-up-a-mirror-to-this-country-to-reflect-the-past/) [Said Sayrafiezadeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/said-sayrafiezadeh/) > [We know COVID-19 hasn't affected communities equally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-cooper/we-know-covid-19-hasn-t-affected-communities-equally/) [Roy Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-cooper/) [Browse all 1,050 Affected quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affected/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "On a personal level, I've seen a lot in my time as attorney general, but few things have affected me as greatly as my visit to Ferguson. 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