--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: True liberty acknowledges and defends the…" description: "\"True liberty acknowledges and defends the equal rights of all men, and all nations.\" — Gerrit Smith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc0/gerrit-smith-18986_acknowledge_true-liberty-acknowledges-and-defends-th_285135.png" --- # True liberty acknowledges and defends the equal rights of… ![“True liberty acknowledges and defends the equal rights of all men, and all nations.” quote by Gerrit Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc0/gerrit-smith-18986_acknowledge_true-liberty-acknowledges-and-defends-th_285135.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc0/gerrit-smith-18986_acknowledge_true-liberty-acknowledges-and-defends-th_285135.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc0/gerrit-smith-18986_acknowledge_true-liberty-acknowledges-and-defends-th_285135.png) > “True liberty acknowledges and defends the equal rights of all men, and all nations.” [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. True freedom means protecting equal rights for every individual and nation, not just a select few. **In simple terms:** Freedom includes equal rights for all. Key Takeaway Advocate universal equality. Themes human rights politics justice Mood determined hopeful Type political inspirational When to use this quote - law reform - international policy - community activism - education curricula Key Concepts egalitarianism civil liberty Questions to Reflect On - What does equality mean in practice? - How can societies ensure universal rights? A Different Perspective Implementation faces entrenched inequality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Equal rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equal-rights/) [Equality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equality/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) ## Related quotes > [“We must beware of any attempt to make hatred in any form the basis of action. Most emphatically each of us needs to stand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/we-must-beware-of-any-attempt-to-make-hatred-in-any-form-the-basis-of/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [“Far am I from denying in theory, full as far is my heart from withholding in practice, (if I were of power to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/far-am-i-from-denying-in-theory-full-as-far-is-my-heart-from/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [It is sad to see women fight to have equal rights to men while their destinies are to be far more superior to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-sad-to-see-women-fight-to-have-equal-rights-to-men-while-their/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Women should have equal rights to men, every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farrah-abraham/women-should-have-equal-rights-to-men-every-day/) [Farrah Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farrah-abraham/) > [Women have rights (over against men) equal to the rights (they owe men) but men have precedence over them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afica-child/women-have-rights-over-against-men-equal-to-the-rights-they-owe-men/) Afica Child > [Workers in the bourgeois countries must fight for equal rights for men and women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadezhda-krupskaya/workers-in-the-bourgeois-countries-must-fight-for-equal-rights-for/) Nadezhda Krupskaya > [The revolutionists did not succeed in establishing human freedom; they poured the new wine of belief in equal rights for all men into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-la-follette/the-revolutionists-did-not-succeed-in-establishing-human-freedom-they/) [Suzanne La Follette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-la-follette/) > [A man will fight harder for his interests than for his rights. Men are moved by only two mechanisms: fear and self-interest. Victory belongs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/a-man-will-fight-harder-for-his-interests-than-for-his-rights-men-are/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [“The rights of men, that is to say, the natural rights of mankind, are indeed sacred things; and if any public measure is proved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/the-rights-of-men-that-is-to-say-the-natural-rights-of-mankind-are/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [“Then that little man in black there, he says women can't have as much rights as men, 'cause Christ wasn't a woman! Where did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soujourner-truth/then-that-little-man-in-black-there-he-says-women-can-t-have-as-much/) Soujourner Truth > [We have enshrined in our founding documents and promoted the fundamental truth, all around the world, that the rights of all men, women and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/we-have-enshrined-in-our-founding-documents-and-promoted-the/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [As a man develops, he places a greater value upon his own rights. Liberty becomes a grander and diviner thing. As he values his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-a-man-develops-he-places-a-greater-value-upon-his-own-rights/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ \[A ruler is merely\] the trustee of the rights of other men and he must always stand in dread of having in some way… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/a-ruler-is-merely-the-trustee-of-the-rights-of-other-men-and-he-must/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [Women today should have the same rights as men. And all citizens should have the right to speak their minds without fear of imprisonment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamal-khashoggi/women-today-should-have-the-same-rights-as-men-and-all-citizens/) [Jamal Khashoggi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-khashoggi/) > [“The pretended rights of these theorists are all extremes: and in proportion as they are metaphysically true, they are morally and politically false. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/the-pretended-rights-of-these-theorists-are-all-extremes-and-in/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) ## 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/) > [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/) > [I do not subscribe to the doctrine that the people are the slaves and property of their government. I believe that government is for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerrit-smith/i-do-not-subscribe-to-the-doctrine-that-the-people-are-the-slaves-and/) [Gerrit Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerrit-smith/) [Explore all 33 Gerrit Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerrit-smith/) ## More Acknowledge quotes > [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/) Frank B. Wilderson III > [I'm a Christian because Christianity names and addresses sin. It acknowledges the reality that the evil we observe in the world is also present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/i-m-a-christian-because-christianity-names-and-addresses-sin-it/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [The only way to ease our fear and be truly happy is to acknowledge our fear and look deeply at its source. Instead of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-way-to-ease-our-fear-and-be-truly-happy-is-to-acknowledge/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [On Thanksgiving Day we acknowledge our dependence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-jennings-bryan/on-thanksgiving-day-we-acknowledge-our-dependence/) [William Jennings Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-jennings-bryan/) > [You can't go into games with any fear. You can acknowledge a good team but you can't go in worrying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-james/you-can-t-go-into-games-with-any-fear-you-can-acknowledge-a-good-team/) [Reece James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-james/) > [Conservative feminism is such an artificial term that doesn't mean much to me. For me conservatism means accepting reality. I acknowledge that there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristina-schroder/conservative-feminism-is-such-an-artificial-term-that-doesn-t-mean/) [Kristina Schroder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristina-schroder/) > [We must acknowledge that bearing and raising children is not some pesky, peripheral activity that we engage in, but the whole point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-maushart/we-must-acknowledge-that-bearing-and-raising-children-is-not-some/) [Susan Maushart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-maushart/) > [When we pray, we must begin by conceiving God in full and vigorous images, but we must go on to acknowledge the inadequacy of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-farrer/when-we-pray-we-must-begin-by-conceiving-god-in-full-and-vigorous/) [Austin Farrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-farrer/) > [Acknowledging foolishness is a very powerful and important experience. We could almost say that being willing to be a fool is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/acknowledging-foolishness-is-a-very-powerful-and-important-experience/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [Actually, when I look at my old notebooks, I think I have been a bit self-indulgent and have given myself too much time to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-goldberg/actually-when-i-look-at-my-old-notebooks-i-think-i-have-been-a-bit/) [Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) > [I would like, then, to end by putting in a good word for the non-industrious poor. At least they aren’t hurting anyone. Insofar as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-graeber/i-would-like-then-to-end-by-putting-in-a-good-word-for-the-non/) [David Graeber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-graeber/) > [No one seriously doubts Socrates' maxim: The unexamined life isn't worth living. Self-assessment and attempts at self-improvement are essential aspects of "the good life."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-burton/no-one-seriously-doubts-socrates-maxim-the-unexamined-life-isn-t/) [Robert A. Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-burton/) > [As objects of contemplation, images of the atrocious can answer to several different needs. To steel oneself against weakness. To make oneself more numb.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/as-objects-of-contemplation-images-of-the-atrocious-can-answer-to/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [It is in the measure that special methods acknowledge their common core in transcendental method, that norms common to all the sciences will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-lonergan/it-is-in-the-measure-that-special-methods-acknowledge-their-common/) [Bernard Lonergan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-lonergan/) > [I can hear of the brilliant accomplishments of any of my sex with pleasure and rejoice in that liberality of sentiment which acknowledges them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/i-can-hear-of-the-brilliant-accomplishments-of-any-of-my-sex-with/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) Browse all 1,475 Acknowledge quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "True liberty acknowledges and defends the equal rights of all men, and all nations.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gerrit Smith" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerrit-smith/true-liberty-acknowledges-and-defends-the-equal-rights-of-all-men-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acknowledge" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerrit-smith/true-liberty-acknowledges-and-defends-the-equal-rights-of-all-men-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc0/gerrit-smith-18986_acknowledge_true-liberty-acknowledges-and-defends-th_285135.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc0/gerrit-smith-18986_acknowledge_true-liberty-acknowledges-and-defends-th_285135.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc0/gerrit-smith-18986_acknowledge_true-liberty-acknowledges-and-defends-th_285135.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“True liberty acknowledges and defends the equal rights of all men, and all nations.” — Gerrit Smith", "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": "Gerrit Smith", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerrit-smith/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "True liberty acknowledges and defends the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerrit-smith/true-liberty-acknowledges-and-defends-the-equal-rights-of-all-men-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerrit-smith/true-liberty-acknowledges-and-defends-the-equal-rights-of-all-men-and/#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 } } ] } ```