--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is one class of men, whom it…" description: "\"There is one class of men, whom it especially behoves to be tenacious of the right of free discussion. I mean the poor.\" — Gerrit Smith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ac/gerrit-smith-18986_class_there-is-one-class-of-men-whom-it-especi_3122863.png" --- # There is one class of men, whom it especially behoves to… ![“There is one class of men, whom it especially behoves to be tenacious of the right of free discussion. I mean the poor.” quote by Gerrit Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ac/gerrit-smith-18986_class_there-is-one-class-of-men-whom-it-especi_3122863.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ac/gerrit-smith-18986_class_there-is-one-class-of-men-whom-it-especi_3122863.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ac/gerrit-smith-18986_class_there-is-one-class-of-men-whom-it-especi_3122863.png) > “There is one class of men, whom it especially behoves to be tenacious of the right of free discussion. I mean the poor.” [Gerrit Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerrit-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The poor must defend their right to speak freely, even when society resists. **In simple terms:** The poor need free speech. Key Takeaway Support marginalized voices. Themes justice free speech poverty Mood determined empathetic Type political inspirational When to use this quote - community meetings - legal advocacy - online forums Key Concepts civil rights activism equity Questions to Reflect On - What barriers prevent the poor from speaking? - How can allies amplify their voices? A Different Perspective Oppressive power structures may silence them. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behoves Tenacious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behoves-tenacious-5490367/) [Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Class Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class-men-729137/) [Discussion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discussion/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Mean Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean-poor-1578307/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men Especially](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-especially-750497/) [Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor/) [Tenacious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tenacious/) ## Related quotes > [If I ever get rich, I hope I'm not real mean to poor people, like I am now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/if-i-ever-get-rich-i-hope-i-m-not-real-mean-to-poor-people-like-i-am/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Just because you broke it doesn't mean you poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-mond/just-because-you-broke-it-doesn-t-mean-you-poor/) [London Mond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-mond/) > [If I ever get real rich, I hope I'm not real mean to poor people, like I am now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handy/if-i-ever-get-real-rich-i-hope-i-m-not-real-mean-to-poor-people-like-2/) [Jack Handy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handy/) > [If I ever get real rich, I hope I'm not real mean to poor people, like now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handy/if-i-ever-get-real-rich-i-hope-i-m-not-real-mean-to-poor-people-like/) [Jack Handy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handy/) > [Hard times don't necessarily mean being poor all the time. 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S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“God's grace is available to all men especially those who seek Him with all their heart, soul, and mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/god-s-grace-is-available-to-all-men-especially-those-who-seek-him/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Men are especially intolerant of serving and being ruled by, their equals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/men-are-especially-intolerant-of-serving-and-being-ruled-by-their/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [The great majority of men, especially in France, both desire and possess a fashionable woman, much in the way one might own a fine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stendhal/the-great-majority-of-men-especially-in-france-both-desire-and/) [Stendhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stendhal/) > [Men are not amusing during the shooting season; but, after all, my dear, men were not especially designed to amuse women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-atherton/men-are-not-amusing-during-the-shooting-season-but-after-all-my-dear/) [Gertrude Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-atherton/) ## More by Gerrit Smith > [The only ground on which a neutral State can claim respect at the hands of belligerents is, that, so far as she is concerned,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerrit-smith/the-only-ground-on-which-a-neutral-state-can-claim-respect-at-the/) [Gerrit Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerrit-smith/) > [God cannot approve of a system of servitude, in which the master is guilty of assuming absolute power - of assuming God's place and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerrit-smith/god-cannot-approve-of-a-system-of-servitude-in-which-the-master-is/) [Gerrit Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerrit-smith/) > [It is manifestly vital to the success of the anti-slavery cause, that the authority and influence of proslavery, especially of slaveholding, ministers should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerrit-smith/it-is-manifestly-vital-to-the-success-of-the-anti-slavery-cause-that/) [Gerrit Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerrit-smith/) > [True liberty acknowledges and defends the equal rights of all men, and all nations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerrit-smith/true-liberty-acknowledges-and-defends-the-equal-rights-of-all-men-and/) [Gerrit Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerrit-smith/) > [It, sometimes, suits the slaveholders to claim, that their slavery is an exclusively State concern; and that the North has, therefore, nothing to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerrit-smith/it-sometimes-suits-the-slaveholders-to-claim-that-their-slavery-is-an/) [Gerrit Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerrit-smith/) > [To no human charter am I indebted for my rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerrit-smith/to-no-human-charter-am-i-indebted-for-my-rights/) [Gerrit Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerrit-smith/) > [I welcomed the organization of the Anti-slavery Society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerrit-smith/i-welcomed-the-organization-of-the-anti-slavery-society/) [Gerrit Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerrit-smith/) > [When a good man lends himself to the advocacy of slavery, he must, at least for a time, feel himself to be any where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerrit-smith/when-a-good-man-lends-himself-to-the-advocacy-of-slavery-he-must-at/) [Gerrit Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerrit-smith/) > [My rights all spring front an infinitely nobler source - from favor and grace of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerrit-smith/my-rights-all-spring-front-an-infinitely-nobler-source-from-favor-and/) [Gerrit Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerrit-smith/) > [I need say no more, to prove that slavery is entirely unlike the servitude in the patriarchal families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerrit-smith/i-need-say-no-more-to-prove-that-slavery-is-entirely-unlike-the/) [Gerrit Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerrit-smith/) > [I trust, that your readers will not construe my words to mean, that I would not have gone to a 3 o'clock in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerrit-smith/i-trust-that-your-readers-will-not-construe-my-words-to-mean-that-i/) [Gerrit Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerrit-smith/) > [I prefer, in a word, the republican system, because it comes up more nearly to God's system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerrit-smith/i-prefer-in-a-word-the-republican-system-because-it-comes-up-more/) [Gerrit Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerrit-smith/) > [Our concern, however, is with slavery as it is, and not with any theory of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerrit-smith/our-concern-however-is-with-slavery-as-it-is-and-not-with-any-theory/) [Gerrit Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerrit-smith/) > [We must continue to judge of slavery by what it is, and not by what you tell us it will, or may be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerrit-smith/we-must-continue-to-judge-of-slavery-by-what-it-is-and-not-by-what/) [Gerrit Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerrit-smith/) > [But, although America cannot be justly charged with violating the rights of Turkey, Turkey nevertheless can be justly charged with violating the rights of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerrit-smith/but-although-america-cannot-be-justly-charged-with-violating-the/) [Gerrit Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerrit-smith/) [Explore all 33 Gerrit Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerrit-smith/) ## More Class quotes > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. 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It doesn't mean that race doesn't matter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/right-now-for-many-americans-class-is-being-foregrounded-like-never/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [But I don't think the Democratic Party is at eye level with the middle class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-i-don-t-think-the-democratic-party-is-at-eye-level-with-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm not a dancer. Never took a dance class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrishell-stause/i-m-not-a-dancer-never-took-a-dance-class/) [Chrishell Stause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrishell-stause/) > [Most startups are not just built for the person who is using them. 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