--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's a strange sort of attack, to be…" description: "\"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 to ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f99/hendrik-hertzberg-35818_accepted_it-s-a-strange-sort-of-attack-to-be-sure_2321682.jpg" --- # It's a strange sort of attack, to be sure: a wonderfully… ![“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 to cause harm, consisting, as it does, of the earnest wish of certain loving couples to join themselves to that very institution and thus to feel…” quote by Hendrik Hertzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f99/hendrik-hertzberg-35818_accepted_it-s-a-strange-sort-of-attack-to-be-sure_2321682.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f99/hendrik-hertzberg-35818_accepted_it-s-a-strange-sort-of-attack-to-be-sure_2321682.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f99/hendrik-hertzberg-35818_accepted_it-s-a-strange-sort-of-attack-to-be-sure_2321682.jpg) > “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 to cause harm, consisting, as it does, of the earnest wish of certain loving couples to join themselves to that very institution and thus to feel themselves, and be accepted as, full members of the American (and human) family.” [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. A seemingly gentle, supportive criticism aimed at encouraging inclusion and unity, despite lacking forceful intent. **In simple terms:** Gentle criticism promotes unity. Key Takeaway Embrace inclusive dialogue. Themes inclusion unity criticism politics family Mood thoughtful hopeful reflective Type political social inspirational When to use this quote - community building - political discourse - social activism - interpersonal relationships Key Concepts social cohesion soft power collective identity Questions to Reflect On - How can gentle persuasion be made more effective? - When is a soft approach preferable? A Different Perspective May be perceived as insufficiently forceful to drive change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accepted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accepted/) [Attack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attack/) [Attack Attack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attack-attack-596953/) [Attack Supportive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attack-supportive-5551794/) [Capacity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capacity/) [Causes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/causes/) [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Couple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/couple/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Earnest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earnest/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay/) [Gay marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay-marriage/) [Harm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harm/) [Human family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-family/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Institutions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/institutions/) [Intention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intention/) [Members](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/members/) [Pacific](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pacific/) [Pacific Attack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pacific-attack-5551795/) [Strange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strange/) [Supportive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supportive/) [Supportive Attack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supportive-attack-5551793/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [May we now all rise and sing the eternal school hymn: "Attack. Attack. Attack Attack Attack!"](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-baker/may-we-now-all-rise-and-sing-the-eternal-school-hymn-attack-attack/) [Danny Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-baker/) > [“Attack me, I do this myself, but attack me rather than the path I follow and which I point out to anyone who asks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/attack-me-i-do-this-myself-but-attack-me-rather-than-the-path-i/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Never abandon the possibility of attack. Attack even from a position of inferiority, to disrupt the enemy's plans. This often results in improving one's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-galland/never-abandon-the-possibility-of-attack-attack-even-from-a-position/) [Adolf Galland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-galland/) > [My strategy is just to attack, attack and attack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-frye/my-strategy-is-just-to-attack-attack-and-attack/) [Don Frye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-frye/) > [If you want to attack someone you attack their family. That is easy. You don't have to say directly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-gaubert/if-you-want-to-attack-someone-you-attack-their-family-that-is-easy/) [Patrick Gaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-gaubert/) > [If we attack, we all attack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casemiro/if-we-attack-we-all-attack/) [Casemiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casemiro/) > [The third person allows characters to really attack themselves. We all do this - attack ourselves - every hour of our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/the-third-person-allows-characters-to-really-attack-themselves-we-all/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [An attack on one is an attack on all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/an-attack-on-one-is-an-attack-on-all/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Defense is attack, attack is defense, each being the cause and result of the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lee/defense-is-attack-attack-is-defense-each-being-the-cause-and-result/) [Bruce Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lee/) > [“In Aikido we never attack. An attack is proof that one is out of control. Never run away from any kind of challenge, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morihei-ueshiba/in-aikido-we-never-attack-an-attack-is-proof-that-one-is-out-of/) [Morihei Ueshiba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morihei-ueshiba/) > [Without a plan, there's no attack. Without attack, no victory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-armstrong/without-a-plan-there-s-no-attack-without-attack-no-victory/) [Curtis Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-armstrong/) > [Attack! Always Attack!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-anderssen/attack-always-attack/) [Adolf Anderssen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-anderssen/) > [To beat opposing teams, you have to attack, and to attack, you have to take risks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-scholes/to-beat-opposing-teams-you-have-to-attack-and-to-attack-you-have-to/) [Paul Scholes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-scholes/) > [The first essential for an attack is the will to attack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/savielly-tartakower/the-first-essential-for-an-attack-is-the-will-to-attack/) [Savielly Tartakower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/savielly-tartakower/) > [80 percent of any gang is not there to attack someone. They're there so no one will attack them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/80-percent-of-any-gang-is-not-there-to-attack-someone-they-re-there/) [Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/) ## 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/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hendrik-hertzberg/i-don-t-think-that-the-freedom-movement-is-a-racist-movement-as-such/) [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/) > [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 Accepted quotes > [Merkel has realized that the euro is not working, but she cannot change the narrative she has created because that narrative has caught the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/merkel-has-realized-that-the-euro-is-not-working-but-she-cannot/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [I started off playing by ear, and being around a bunch of musicians and playing in the streets and in the different parades and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-andrews/i-started-off-playing-by-ear-and-being-around-a-bunch-of-musicians/) [Troy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-andrews/) > [Greatness is not guarding yourself from people. Greatness is being accepted by the people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/greatness-is-not-guarding-yourself-from-people-greatness-is-being/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [The idea that this world is a playground instead of a battleground has now been accepted in practice by the vast majority of Christians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/the-idea-that-this-world-is-a-playground-instead-of-a-battleground/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [Bruce Katz is a spectacular talent! He's a brilliant composer and arranger who uses uncommon and unique musical intelligence to redefine jazz and blues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-coryell/bruce-katz-is-a-spectacular-talent-he-s-a-brilliant-composer-and/) [Larry Coryell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-coryell/) > [wishes for sons by Lucille Clifton i wish them cramps. i wish them a strange town and the last tampon. I wish them no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucille-clifton/wishes-for-sons-by-lucille-clifton-i-wish-them-cramps-i-wish-them-a/) [Lucille Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucille-clifton/) > [What our species needs, above all else, is a generally accepted ethical system that is compatible with the scientific knowledge we now possess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-our-species-needs-above-all-else-is-a-generally-accepted-ethical/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There are a lot of movies about misfits that are quite cool, that kind of glamorize it on some level. I think there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-hall/there-are-a-lot-of-movies-about-misfits-that-are-quite-cool-that-kind/) [Rebecca Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-hall/) > [In Quebec City many Muslims have said that they hide their faith because they know that if they don't, if they show that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-pratte/in-quebec-city-many-muslims-have-said-that-they-hide-their-faith/) [Andre Pratte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-pratte/) > [The rules and principles of case law have never been treated as final truths but as working hypotheses, continually retested in those great laboratories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-n-cardozo/the-rules-and-principles-of-case-law-have-never-been-treated-as-final/) [Benjamin N. Cardozo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-n-cardozo/) > [ We have reached a situation where a theory has been accepted as fact by some, and possible contrary evidence is shunted aside. \[This is\]… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-shapiro/we-have-reached-a-situation-where-a-theory-has-been-accepted-as-fact/) [Robert Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-shapiro/) > [And if all others accepted the lie which the Party imposed—if all records told the same tale—then the lie passed into history and became…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/and-if-all-others-accepted-the-lie-which-the-party-imposed-if-all/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [I was in a conversation and someone said: "You know, we were talking about the whole issue of transgender and how it has become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-was-in-a-conversation-and-someone-said-you-know-we-were-talking/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [Divorce is so common and accepted in America that beating myself up over it may sound ridiculous. But I was raised to believe that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trisha-yearwood/divorce-is-so-common-and-accepted-in-america-that-beating-myself-up/) [Trisha Yearwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trisha-yearwood/) > [Handicaps can be converted into stepping stones on which one may climb toward some worthy goal, unless they are accepted as obstacles, and used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/handicaps-can-be-converted-into-stepping-stones-on-which-one-may/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) [Browse all 2,128 Accepted quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accepted/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "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 to cause harm, consisting, as it does, of the earnest wish of certain loving couples to join themselves to that very institution and thus to feel themselves, and be accepted as, full members of the American (and human) family.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Hendrik Hertzberg" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hendrik-hertzberg/it-s-a-strange-sort-of-attack-to-be-sure-a-wonderfully-pacific-attack/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accepted" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hendrik-hertzberg/it-s-a-strange-sort-of-attack-to-be-sure-a-wonderfully-pacific-attack/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f99/hendrik-hertzberg-35818_accepted_it-s-a-strange-sort-of-attack-to-be-sure_2321682.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f99/hendrik-hertzberg-35818_accepted_it-s-a-strange-sort-of-attack-to-be-sure_2321682.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f99/hendrik-hertzberg-35818_accepted_it-s-a-strange-sort-of-attack-to-be-sure_2321682.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's a strange sort of attack, to be sure: a wonderfully pacific attack, a supportive attack, an attack…” — 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": "It's a strange sort of attack,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hendrik-hertzberg/it-s-a-strange-sort-of-attack-to-be-sure-a-wonderfully-pacific-attack/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hendrik-hertzberg/it-s-a-strange-sort-of-attack-to-be-sure-a-wonderfully-pacific-attack/#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 } } ] } ```