--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Telling people not to have children is…" description: "\"Telling people not to have children is unthinkable and inhumane.\" — Gary Ackerman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f37/gary-ackerman-19373_children_telling-people-not-to-have-children-is-u_1576903.png" --- # Telling people not to have children is unthinkable and… ![“Telling people not to have children is unthinkable and inhumane.” quote by Gary Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f37/gary-ackerman-19373_children_telling-people-not-to-have-children-is-u_1576903.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f37/gary-ackerman-19373_children_telling-people-not-to-have-children-is-u_1576903.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f37/gary-ackerman-19373_children_telling-people-not-to-have-children-is-u_1576903.png) > “Telling people not to have children is unthinkable and inhumane.” [Gary Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ackerman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocates that denying people the choice to have children is morally unacceptable. **In simple terms:** Opposing forced childlessness is ethical. Key Takeaway Support reproductive freedom. Themes ethics human rights family Mood serious thoughtful Type statement opinion When to use this quote - policy debate - healthcare - personal decisions Key Concepts autonomy morality social justice Questions to Reflect On - What responsibilities accompany reproductive choices? - How can societies balance rights and resources? A Different Perspective May ignore complex socioeconomic factors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Children Unthinkable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children-unthinkable-5948758/) [Inhumane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inhumane/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-children-480714/) [Unthinkable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unthinkable/) [Unthinkable Inhumane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unthinkable-inhumane-5948757/) ## Related quotes > [Other people can have all the children they want. Some people ask for no-smoking sections. I ask for no children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercedes-lackey/other-people-can-have-all-the-children-they-want-some-people-ask-for/) [Mercedes Lackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercedes-lackey/) > [“I am convinced that an immense number of people who have children should not have them, and do not particularly want them, except as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/i-am-convinced-that-an-immense-number-of-people-who-have-children/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [I have spent so much time and so much energy making other people's children stars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-lee-miller/i-have-spent-so-much-time-and-so-much-energy-making-other-people-s/) [Abby Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-lee-miller/) > [“In the jaundiced light of a streetlamp, Sarina realizes why people have children: to see the face of the one they love at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-helene-bertino/in-the-jaundiced-light-of-a-streetlamp-sarina-realizes-why-people/) [Marie-Helene Bertino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-helene-bertino/) > [If you ask me, most people have children just as their own enthusiasm about life begins to wane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/if-you-ask-me-most-people-have-children-just-as-their-own-enthusiasm/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [There's no such thing as other people's children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/there-s-no-such-thing-as-other-people-s-children/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [When you don't have kids and you're in a Catholic family - one of my sisters had 10 children in 11 years - she's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marge-schott/when-you-don-t-have-kids-and-you-re-in-a-catholic-family-one-of-my/) [Marge Schott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marge-schott/) > [Some people seem as if they can never have been children, and others seem as if they could never be anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-people-seem-as-if-they-can-never-have-been-children-and-others/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I always try to see things with children's eyes. Are they happy? Sad? What do they need? Everywhere I went, I realized that children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nana-mouskouri/i-always-try-to-see-things-with-children-s-eyes-are-they-happy-sad/) [Nana Mouskouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nana-mouskouri/) > [Vimes's lack of interest in other people's children was limitless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/vimes-s-lack-of-interest-in-other-people-s-children-was-limitless/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Mine is an unarmed people, whose children have never seen a fighter or a tank or a warship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scar-arias/mine-is-an-unarmed-people-whose-children-have-never-seen-a-fighter-or/) [Óscar Arias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scar-arias/) > [“Some people have children. I have books. Much more interesting and they never ask me for money.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-lincoln-fenn/some-people-have-children-i-have-books-much-more-interesting-and-they/) [J. Lincoln Fenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-lincoln-fenn/) > [I have said to people I have six children, one son, four daughters, and a church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-schuller/i-have-said-to-people-i-have-six-children-one-son-four-daughters-and/) [Robert H. Schuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-schuller/) > [People who have children, by and large, want children. People who don't want children are people who, by and large, don't want to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-deaton/people-who-have-children-by-and-large-want-children-people-who-don-t/) [Angus Deaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-deaton/) > [I don't know why some people have children at all if they know that they can only take a few weeks off work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mem-fox/i-don-t-know-why-some-people-have-children-at-all-if-they-know-that/) [Mem Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mem-fox/) ## More by Gary Ackerman > [For some reason, the military seems more afraid of gay people than they are against terrorists, but they're very brave with the terrorists... 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People get confused and think there is no difference between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ackerman/the-media-has-changed-we-now-give-broadcast-licenses-to-philosophies/) [Gary Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ackerman/) > [People more than ever since I can remember are concerned about being out of step and out of line with their political party and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ackerman/people-more-than-ever-since-i-can-remember-are-concerned-about-being/) [Gary Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ackerman/) > [I just thought it was unconscionable for the Congress to insert itself into this debate. We are particularly unqualified to make that decision and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ackerman/i-just-thought-it-was-unconscionable-for-the-congress-to-insert/) [Gary Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ackerman/) > [No, you can't call your vote in. 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But you can't compromise between good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ackerman/you-can-compromise-between-good-better-and-best-and-you-can/) [Gary Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ackerman/) > [Without a musket to raise, a barricade to storm, a flag to wave, the question hit me in the face like the cold air:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ackerman/without-a-musket-to-raise-a-barricade-to-storm-a-flag-to-wave-the/) [Gary Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ackerman/) > [I am always fascinated by India.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ackerman/i-am-always-fascinated-by-india/) [Gary Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ackerman/) > [We have some Jewish members of Congress, not a lot but there's a bunch of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ackerman/we-have-some-jewish-members-of-congress-not-a-lot-but-there-s-a-bunch/) [Gary Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ackerman/) > [From the U.S. Capitol Building to the White House, our national symbols that represent freedom to so many of us, were built by people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ackerman/from-the-u-s-capitol-building-to-the-white-house-our-national-symbols/) [Gary Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ackerman/) > [And it's absolutely hypocritical for the political party that talks about states rights, to suddenly ignore states rights, that say that the federal government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ackerman/and-it-s-absolutely-hypocritical-for-the-political-party-that-talks/) [Gary Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ackerman/) > [Sometimes people who are Jewish are held to a higher standard which sometimes we take great pride in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ackerman/sometimes-people-who-are-jewish-are-held-to-a-higher-standard-which/) [Gary Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ackerman/) > [Whether rich people make money or lose money, they get no sympathy from the public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ackerman/whether-rich-people-make-money-or-lose-money-they-get-no-sympathy/) [Gary Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ackerman/) > [It used to be you had real friends on the other side of the aisle. Its not like that anymore. Society has changed. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ackerman/it-used-to-be-you-had-real-friends-on-the-other-side-of-the-aisle-its/) [Gary Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ackerman/) [Explore all 32 Gary Ackerman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ackerman/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? 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