--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When people are hungry, when a mother or…" description: "\"When people are hungry, when a mother or father is facing a child that they can't feed, you can't ask that family to lay down their arms.\" — Ertharin C..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/ertharin-cousin-35163_arms_when-people-are-hungry-when-a-mother-or_311713.jpg" --- # When people are hungry, when a mother or father is facing… ![“When people are hungry, when a mother or father is facing a child that they can't feed, you can't ask that family to lay down their arms.” quote by Ertharin Cousin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/ertharin-cousin-35163_arms_when-people-are-hungry-when-a-mother-or_311713.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/ertharin-cousin-35163_arms_when-people-are-hungry-when-a-mother-or_311713.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/ertharin-cousin-35163_arms_when-people-are-hungry-when-a-mother-or_311713.jpg) > “When people are hungry, when a mother or father is facing a child that they can't feed, you can't ask that family to lay down their arms.” [Ertharin Cousin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ertharin-cousin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When basic needs are unmet, demanding peace is unrealistic; survival overrides conflict resolution. **In simple terms:** People can't fight when they lack food. Key Takeaway Address basic needs first. Themes conflict poverty humanitarian aid survival justice Mood urgent compassionate realistic Type policy humanitarian When to use this quote - humanitarian missions - policy planning - community support Key Concepts resource scarcity social stability ethical responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How can aid reduce conflict? - What policies prioritize basic needs? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [Always unwillingly pregnant and hungry, the mother went tobed saying that God would sendher dreams about food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacobusmaximus/always-unwillingly-pregnant-and-hungry-the-mother-went-tobed-saying/) Jacobusmaximus > [“Something wrong with your child? Feed them and put them to bed. Something wrong with your man? Feed him and take him to bed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cartwright/something-wrong-with-your-child-feed-them-and-put-them-to-bed/) Susan Cartwright > [I have a child to feed and a spirit that can't be crushed, so I'm able to move ahead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carnie-wilson/i-have-a-child-to-feed-and-a-spirit-that-can-t-be-crushed-so-i-m-able/) [Carnie Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carnie-wilson/) > [“Don't be afraid of generous people when they are hungry, but be afraid of mean people when they are full.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamaran-ihsan-salih/don-t-be-afraid-of-generous-people-when-they-are-hungry-but-be-afraid/) [Kamaran Ihsan Salih](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamaran-ihsan-salih/) > [People are hungry for community. They're hungry for meaning in a society that is oriented around the production and consumption of consumer goods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-kapor/people-are-hungry-for-community-they-re-hungry-for-meaning-in-a/) [Mitch Kapor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-kapor/) > [Simply because my people are hungry, that is no justification to give them poison, to give them genetically modified food that is intrinsically dangerous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/levy-mwanawasa/simply-because-my-people-are-hungry-that-is-no-justification-to-give/) Levy Mwanawasa > [People are hungry for something more beautiful, for something greater than people round about can give. There is a great hunger for God in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/people-are-hungry-for-something-more-beautiful-for-something-greater/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Too many people are hungry not because there is dearth of food. It is because there is dearth of love and care in human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/too-many-people-are-hungry-not-because-there-is-dearth-of-food-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People are hungry for stories of faith. People are hungry for hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roma-downey/people-are-hungry-for-stories-of-faith-people-are-hungry-for-hope/) [Roma Downey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roma-downey/) > [Human beings need stories, and we're looking for them in all kinds of places; whether it's television, whether it's comic books or movies, radio…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-auster/human-beings-need-stories-and-we-re-looking-for-them-in-all-kinds-of/) [Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-auster/) > [I'm a fan of leaving people hungry; I don't like leaving people satisfied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-reyez/i-m-a-fan-of-leaving-people-hungry-i-don-t-like-leaving-people/) [Jessie Reyez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-reyez/) > [That global poverty would end. That people would be able to eat. It's the worst shame in the world that people go hungry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/that-global-poverty-would-end-that-people-would-be-able-to-eat-it-s/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [If people are hungry, ill-clad, unsheltered or diseased, nothing is so important as to remedy their condition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/if-people-are-hungry-ill-clad-unsheltered-or-diseased-nothing-is-so/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [I don't want to see that two-tier Senegal, that two-tier Africa, when you have those at the top and those at the bottom, people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/youssou-n-dour/i-don-t-want-to-see-that-two-tier-senegal-that-two-tier-africa-when/) [Youssou N'Dour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/youssou-n-dour/) > [People are hungry in these communities. They don't know how they are going to get food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keiji-fukuda/people-are-hungry-in-these-communities-they-don-t-know-how-they-are/) Keiji Fukuda ## More by Ertharin Cousin > [Unfortunately, the world pays attention when the media shines a light on those in need, which is why it's so important that we maintain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ertharin-cousin/unfortunately-the-world-pays-attention-when-the-media-shines-a-light/) [Ertharin Cousin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ertharin-cousin/) > [The majority of small-holder farmers in Africa are women and, in urban areas, you're primarily looking at women-led households. So we can't solve hunger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ertharin-cousin/the-majority-of-small-holder-farmers-in-africa-are-women-and-in-urban/) [Ertharin Cousin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ertharin-cousin/) > [One of my strengths is my ability to talk and communicate with people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ertharin-cousin/one-of-my-strengths-is-my-ability-to-talk-and-communicate-with-people/) [Ertharin Cousin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ertharin-cousin/) > [I consider myself a persuasive person. With the ability to persuade comes a certain level of power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ertharin-cousin/i-consider-myself-a-persuasive-person-with-the-ability-to-persuade/) [Ertharin Cousin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ertharin-cousin/) > [Don't ever take a seven-year-old with you to a campaign dinner - they will embarrass you no end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ertharin-cousin/don-t-ever-take-a-seven-year-old-with-you-to-a-campaign-dinner-they/) [Ertharin Cousin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ertharin-cousin/) > [When you're providing emergency aid, you're fighting hunger; you're filling stomachs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ertharin-cousin/when-you-re-providing-emergency-aid-you-re-fighting-hunger-you-re/) [Ertharin Cousin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ertharin-cousin/) > [I'm lucky. As soon as I open my mouth, people see I know what I'm talking about, and when I leave the room, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ertharin-cousin/i-m-lucky-as-soon-as-i-open-my-mouth-people-see-i-know-what-i-m/) [Ertharin Cousin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ertharin-cousin/) > [Too often, as a global community of humanitarians, we meet the needs of the same families, the same individuals, the same communities crisis after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ertharin-cousin/too-often-as-a-global-community-of-humanitarians-we-meet-the-needs-of/) [Ertharin Cousin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ertharin-cousin/) > [The people in the United States are some of the most generous people in the world. We saw it in Haiti. We saw it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ertharin-cousin/the-people-in-the-united-states-are-some-of-the-most-generous-people/) [Ertharin Cousin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ertharin-cousin/) > [If we're afraid to stand in our own skin with those we work with, then how do we lead those who have no voice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ertharin-cousin/if-we-re-afraid-to-stand-in-our-own-skin-with-those-we-work-with-then/) [Ertharin Cousin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ertharin-cousin/) > [Our goals and what we hope to achieve by moving to food assistance is even in supporting the crisis needs of the most vulnerable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ertharin-cousin/our-goals-and-what-we-hope-to-achieve-by-moving-to-food-assistance-is/) [Ertharin Cousin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ertharin-cousin/) > [We recognize that the majority of people who are food-insecure or hungry in the world live in rural areas. And most of them are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ertharin-cousin/we-recognize-that-the-majority-of-people-who-are-food-insecure-or/) [Ertharin Cousin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ertharin-cousin/) [Explore all 13 Ertharin Cousin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ertharin-cousin/) ## More Arms quotes > [I genuinely did not expect more than half our nation to choose to walk away from our long-term allies into the arms of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-reade/i-genuinely-did-not-expect-more-than-half-our-nation-to-choose-to/) Brian Reade > [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. So if somebody asks me what time it is, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-wear-a-watch-because-i-want-my-arms-to-weigh-the-same-so-if/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Are we fighting?" I asked Morelli. "No. Were discussing." "Are you sure?" "Am I yelling?" Morelli asked. "Is my face purple? Are the cords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/are-we-fighting-i-asked-morelli-no-were-discussing-are-you-sure-am-i/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [A home isn't just a roof over our heads. A home is a place where we feel loved and where we love others. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/a-home-isn-t-just-a-roof-over-our-heads-a-home-is-a-place-where-we/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Comerado, this is no book,Who touches this, touches a man,(Is it night? Are we here alone?)It is I you hold, and who holds you,I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/comerado-this-is-no-book-who-touches-this-touches-a-man-is-it-night/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [Even the stove and the refrigerator looked human, I mean good human - they seemed to have arms and voices and they said, hang…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/even-the-stove-and-the-refrigerator-looked-human-i-mean-good-human/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [I separated the joints, the arm joints, the leg joints, and had to do two boilings. I think I used four boxes of Soilex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-dahmer/i-separated-the-joints-the-arm-joints-the-leg-joints-and-had-to-do/) [Jeffrey Dahmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-dahmer/) > [More courage is required to forgive than is required to take up arms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ramos-horta/more-courage-is-required-to-forgive-than-is-required-to-take-up-arms/) [Jose Ramos-Horta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ramos-horta/) > [It's been a long time since I asked anything of heaven, and my arms still haven't come down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/it-s-been-a-long-time-since-i-asked-anything-of-heaven-and-my-arms/) [Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/) > [With those who are willing to join, let us cooperate to reduce the burden of arms, to strengthen the structure of peace, to lift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/with-those-who-are-willing-to-join-let-us-cooperate-to-reduce-the/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [How shall freedom be defended? By arms when it is attacked by arms, by truth when it is attacked by lies, by faith when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-macleish/how-shall-freedom-be-defended-by-arms-when-it-is-attacked-by-arms-by/) [Archibald MacLeish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-macleish/) > [You don't have to say it out loud. I already know why you like me.' 'You do, huh?' 'Yep.' He wrapped his arms around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/you-don-t-have-to-say-it-out-loud-i-already-know-why-you-like-me-you/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [Another step had her backed up against the wall, and he braced his arms on both sides of her. "I'm beginning to look forward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-lindsey/another-step-had-her-backed-up-against-the-wall-and-he-braced-his/) [Johanna Lindsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-lindsey/) Browse all 4,470 Arms quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When people are hungry, when a mother or father is facing a child that they can't feed, you can't ask that family to lay down their arms.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ertharin Cousin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ertharin-cousin/when-people-are-hungry-when-a-mother-or-father-is-facing-a-child-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Arms" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ertharin-cousin/when-people-are-hungry-when-a-mother-or-father-is-facing-a-child-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/ertharin-cousin-35163_arms_when-people-are-hungry-when-a-mother-or_311713.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/ertharin-cousin-35163_arms_when-people-are-hungry-when-a-mother-or_311713.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/ertharin-cousin-35163_arms_when-people-are-hungry-when-a-mother-or_311713.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When people are hungry, when a mother or father is facing a child that they can't feed, you can't ask that…” — Ertharin Cousin", "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": "Ertharin Cousin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ertharin-cousin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When people are hungry, when a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ertharin-cousin/when-people-are-hungry-when-a-mother-or-father-is-facing-a-child-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ertharin-cousin/when-people-are-hungry-when-a-mother-or-father-is-facing-a-child-that/#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 } } ] } ```