--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't think that the \"freedom movement\"…" description: "\"I don't think that the \"freedom movement\" is a racist movement as such. But it's a virulent example of identity politics. \"Whiteness\" is part of the id..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/023/hendrik-hertzberg-35818_example_i-don-t-think-that-the-freedom-movement_866542.png" --- # I don't think that the "freedom movement" is a racist… ![“I don't think that the "freedom movement" is a racist movement as such. But it's a virulent example of identity politics. "Whiteness" is part of the identity, but not the most important part.” quote by Hendrik Hertzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/023/hendrik-hertzberg-35818_example_i-don-t-think-that-the-freedom-movement_866542.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/023/hendrik-hertzberg-35818_example_i-don-t-think-that-the-freedom-movement_866542.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/023/hendrik-hertzberg-35818_example_i-don-t-think-that-the-freedom-movement_866542.png) > “I don't think that the "freedom movement" is a racist movement as such. But it's a virulent example of identity politics. "Whiteness" is part of the identity, but not the most important part.” [Hendrik Hertzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hendrik-hertzberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues that the “freedom movement” is not inherently racist but is co-opted by identity politics. **In simple terms:** Freedom movement is co-opted by identity politics. Key Takeaway Critically assess movements. Themes politics identity racism freedom movement Mood analytical critical thoughtful Type journalistic political When to use this quote - public discourse - policy debates - activism Key Concepts critical theory social analysis Questions to Reflect On - How does identity politics affect freedom narratives? - Can movements stay pure? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Identity politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity-politics/) [Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movement/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Racist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racist/) [Whiteness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whiteness/) ## Related quotes > [I believe that also it should be stressed and made clear that our antagonistic position is not to say "I don't like whites" for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bocafloja/i-believe-that-also-it-should-be-stressed-and-made-clear-that-our/) [Bocafloja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bocafloja/) > [The only tactic liberals have is to try to intimidate people into thinking that the Tea Party is racist. The Tea Party is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-cain/the-only-tactic-liberals-have-is-to-try-to-intimidate-people-into/) [Herman Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-cain/) > [Yup, the whole birther movement was racist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/yup-the-whole-birther-movement-was-racist/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [What the left ends up missing is that politics have always been at the heart of American culture; it's been a white identity that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/what-the-left-ends-up-missing-is-that-politics-have-always-been-at/) [Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) > [I believe in the universality of freedom and therefore want to be involved in the freedom movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-believe-in-the-universality-of-freedom-and-therefore-want-to-be/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [But it could be that we, as early as spring, will need to embark on a new policy in order to save one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-gentiloni/but-it-could-be-that-we-as-early-as-spring-will-need-to-embark-on-a/) [Paolo Gentiloni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-gentiloni/) > [The Polish freedom movement of 1968 lost its confrontation with police violence; the Prague Spring was crushed by the armies of five Warsaw Pact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-michnik/the-polish-freedom-movement-of-1968-lost-its-confrontation-with/) [Adam Michnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-michnik/) > [“Hollywood, Woodstock, nor the hippie culture was the source of power of the 1960's freedom movement. God was.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/hollywood-woodstock-nor-the-hippie-culture-was-the-source-of-power-of/) [Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/) > [If it's in the German interest to have good trans-Atlantic relations, well, the task is also to look ahead, but our personal - that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/if-it-s-in-the-german-interest-to-have-good-trans-atlantic-relations/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [An O'Toole government will pass a Freedom of Movement Act that will make it a criminal offence to block a railway, airport, port, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-o-toole/an-o-toole-government-will-pass-a-freedom-of-movement-act-that-will/) [Erin O'Toole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-o-toole/) > [The freedom movement transformed the status of women. Women fought along with men as comrades. In the process, the shackles that had bound them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajiv-gandhi/the-freedom-movement-transformed-the-status-of-women-women-fought/) [Rajiv Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajiv-gandhi/) > [The fact is that in my prep school, I went to a boarding school, 39 young men graduated from that prep school. Five years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ayers/the-fact-is-that-in-my-prep-school-i-went-to-a-boarding-school-39/) [Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ayers/) > [I have a recurring daymare that when the Glorious People's SWAT Teams smash their way in, most of us - by which I mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/i-have-a-recurring-daymare-that-when-the-glorious-people-s-swat-teams/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [ \[Lyndon \] Johnson was responding to a black freedom movement that was tearing the country open and he did what he had to do… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ayers/lyndon-johnson-was-responding-to-a-black-freedom-movement-that-was/) [Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ayers/) > [I love the freedom of movement that my phone gives me. That has definitely transformed my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-love-the-freedom-of-movement-that-my-phone-gives-me-that-has/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) ## More by Hendrik Hertzberg > [Where is it written that if you don't like religion you are somehow disqualified from being a legitimate American? What was Mark Twain, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hendrik-hertzberg/where-is-it-written-that-if-you-don-t-like-religion-you-are-somehow/) [Hendrik Hertzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hendrik-hertzberg/) > [The filibuster is an affront to commonly understood democratic norms, but then so is the Senate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hendrik-hertzberg/the-filibuster-is-an-affront-to-commonly-understood-democratic-norms/) [Hendrik Hertzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hendrik-hertzberg/) > [I can't agree that what we're seeing is a matter of the American bourgeoisie confronting workers everywhere. It's more like the international plutocracy eliminating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hendrik-hertzberg/i-can-t-agree-that-what-we-re-seeing-is-a-matter-of-the-american/) [Hendrik Hertzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hendrik-hertzberg/) > [Marriage should be between a spouse and a spouse, not a gender and a gender.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hendrik-hertzberg/marriage-should-be-between-a-spouse-and-a-spouse-not-a-gender-and-a/) [Hendrik Hertzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hendrik-hertzberg/) > [Unfair in practice is not the same thing as wrong in principle, but sometimes it has to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hendrik-hertzberg/unfair-in-practice-is-not-the-same-thing-as-wrong-in-principle-but/) [Hendrik Hertzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hendrik-hertzberg/) > [ \[If the Democratic nominee turns out to be\] Walter Mondale, I hope he picks Representative Geraldine Ferraro as his running mate. It would be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hendrik-hertzberg/if-the-democratic-nominee-turns-out-to-be-walter-mondale-i-hope-he/) [Hendrik Hertzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hendrik-hertzberg/) > [The dismaying truth is that birtherism is part of a larger pattern of rejection of reality that has taken hold of intimidating segments of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hendrik-hertzberg/the-dismaying-truth-is-that-birtherism-is-part-of-a-larger-pattern-of/) [Hendrik Hertzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hendrik-hertzberg/) > [A political ideology is a very handy thing to have. It's a real time-saver, because it tells you what you think about things you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hendrik-hertzberg/a-political-ideology-is-a-very-handy-thing-to-have-it-s-a-real-time/) [Hendrik Hertzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hendrik-hertzberg/) > [I'm pretty sure there is no such thing as God,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hendrik-hertzberg/i-m-pretty-sure-there-is-no-such-thing-as-god/) [Hendrik Hertzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hendrik-hertzberg/) > [It's a strange sort of attack, to be sure: a wonderfully pacific attack, a supportive attack, an attack without the slightest intention or capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hendrik-hertzberg/it-s-a-strange-sort-of-attack-to-be-sure-a-wonderfully-pacific-attack/) [Hendrik Hertzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hendrik-hertzberg/) > [A person's character is what it is. It's a little like a marriage - only without the option of divorce. You can work on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hendrik-hertzberg/a-person-s-character-is-what-it-is-it-s-a-little-like-a-marriage-only/) [Hendrik Hertzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hendrik-hertzberg/) > [A "communist/socialist/progressive" is an oxymoron, like an "atheist/evangelical Christian/Muslim."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hendrik-hertzberg/a-communist-socialist-progressive-is-an-oxymoron-like-an-atheist/) [Hendrik Hertzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hendrik-hertzberg/) [Explore all 13 Hendrik Hertzberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hendrik-hertzberg/) ## More Example quotes > [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I think leading by example is important, as I know the next generation is watching us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-skolnik/i-think-leading-by-example-is-important-as-i-know-the-next-generation/) [Michael Skolnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-skolnik/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [Men trust rather to their eyes than to their ears; the effect of precepts is therefore slow and tedious, whilst that of examples is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/men-trust-rather-to-their-eyes-than-to-their-ears-the-effect-of/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Popular culture as a whole is popular, but in today's fragmented market it's a jostle of competing unpopular popular cultures. As the critic Stanley…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-steyn/popular-culture-as-a-whole-is-popular-but-in-today-s-fragmented/) [Mark Steyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-steyn/) > [You can have examples of reasons to hate people, but if you analyze those reasons it's like, Oh, I'm hating that person based on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlyne-yi/you-can-have-examples-of-reasons-to-hate-people-but-if-you-analyze/) [Charlyne Yi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlyne-yi/) > [The protestant world is in great need of examples (like these) that will beckon us to the fullness of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-bickle/the-protestant-world-is-in-great-need-of-examples-like-these-that/) [Mike Bickle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-bickle/) > [If it comes to a question of law, the charges they brought against me - the Espionage Act - is called the quintessential political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-it-comes-to-a-question-of-law-the-charges-they-brought-against-me/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [I'm not the most vocal guy, but I try to lead by example every single day with how I work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-ingram/i-m-not-the-most-vocal-guy-but-i-try-to-lead-by-example-every-single/) [Brandon Ingram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-ingram/) > [But actually theory is very practical. Gravity is a theory, for example. It allows you to predict that if you step off a cliff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-christensen/but-actually-theory-is-very-practical-gravity-is-a-theory-for-example/) [Clayton Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-christensen/) > [I had the best example set by my parents for what a couple can - and, in my opinion, should - be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-young/i-had-the-best-example-set-by-my-parents-for-what-a-couple-can-and-in/) [Brett Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-young/) > [Once an activity has been socialized, it is impossible to point out, by concrete example, how men in a free market could better conduct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-read/once-an-activity-has-been-socialized-it-is-impossible-to-point-out-by/) [Leonard Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-read/) > [I don't join the New Atheists. So, for example, I wouldn't have the arrogance to lecture some mother who hopes to see her dying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-don-t-join-the-new-atheists-so-for-example-i-wouldn-t-have-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [America's freedom is the example to which the world expires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/america-s-freedom-is-the-example-to-which-the-world-expires/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) Browse all 5,618 Example quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't think that the \"freedom movement\" is a racist movement as such. But it's a virulent example of identity politics. \"Whiteness\" is part of the identity, but not the most important part.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Hendrik Hertzberg" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hendrik-hertzberg/i-don-t-think-that-the-freedom-movement-is-a-racist-movement-as-such/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Example" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hendrik-hertzberg/i-don-t-think-that-the-freedom-movement-is-a-racist-movement-as-such/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/023/hendrik-hertzberg-35818_example_i-don-t-think-that-the-freedom-movement_866542.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/023/hendrik-hertzberg-35818_example_i-don-t-think-that-the-freedom-movement_866542.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/023/hendrik-hertzberg-35818_example_i-don-t-think-that-the-freedom-movement_866542.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't think that the \"freedom movement\" is a racist movement as such. But it's a virulent example of…” — Hendrik Hertzberg", "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": "Hendrik Hertzberg", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hendrik-hertzberg/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I don't think that the \"freedom...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hendrik-hertzberg/i-don-t-think-that-the-freedom-movement-is-a-racist-movement-as-such/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hendrik-hertzberg/i-don-t-think-that-the-freedom-movement-is-a-racist-movement-as-such/#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 } } ] } ```