--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You keep the rights that you fight for…" description: "\"You keep the rights that you fight for and lose the rest;\" — Inderpal" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b53/inderpal-62330_civil-rights_you-keep-the-rights-that-you-fight-for-a_498393.jpg" --- # You keep the rights that you fight for and lose the rest; ![“You keep the rights that you fight for and lose the rest;” quote by Inderpal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b53/inderpal-62330_civil-rights_you-keep-the-rights-that-you-fight-for-a_498393.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b53/inderpal-62330_civil-rights_you-keep-the-rights-that-you-fight-for-a_498393.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b53/inderpal-62330_civil-rights_you-keep-the-rights-that-you-fight-for-a_498393.jpg) > “You keep the rights that you fight for and lose the rest;” [Inderpal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inderpal/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. You retain the rights you defend, but lose those you neglect. **In simple terms:** Defending rights costs other freedoms. Key Takeaway Protect all rights, not just favored ones. Themes rights responsibility trade-offs Mood reflective critical Type ethical political When to use this quote - political activism - legal advocacy - personal decision-making - community organizing Key Concepts ethical trade-offs civil liberty Questions to Reflect On - Which rights are you willing to sacrifice? - How can you balance defending and preserving rights? A Different Perspective Neglecting some rights can undermine overall liberty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civil rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-rights/) [Human rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-rights/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Sleep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sleep/) ## Related quotes > [Quit trying to be the best what ever you say u'll probably be liein and ull lose the rest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-watt/quit-trying-to-be-the-best-what-ever-you-say-u-ll-probably-be-liein/) Chris Watt > [To fight for voting rights is to fight for human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-warnock/to-fight-for-voting-rights-is-to-fight-for-human-rights/) [Raphael Warnock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-warnock/) > [I used to always fight for human rights. I still fight for Leonard Peltier, who's spent 35 years in jail for a crime he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivienne-westwood/i-used-to-always-fight-for-human-rights-i-still-fight-for-leonard/) [Vivienne Westwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivienne-westwood/) > [I think women are sick of the men in office telling us they are going to protect our rights and fight for us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mj-hegar/i-think-women-are-sick-of-the-men-in-office-telling-us-they-are-going/) [MJ Hegar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mj-hegar/) > [“As a black man Al, who went through the Civil rights fight in the 60s just like you did, and saw the first freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-hutcherson/as-a-black-man-al-who-went-through-the-civil-rights-fight-in-the-60s/) [Ken Hutcherson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-hutcherson/) > [Women are very powerful! That's why I believe in women's rights and why I fight for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenza-fourati/women-are-very-powerful-that-s-why-i-believe-in-women-s-rights-and/) [Kenza Fourati](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenza-fourati/) > [Racism is a human problem and a crime that is absolutely so ghastly that a person who is fighting racism is well within his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/racism-is-a-human-problem-and-a-crime-that-is-absolutely-so-ghastly/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [The civil rights fight was a very important fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cronkite/the-civil-rights-fight-was-a-very-important-fight/) [Walter Cronkite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cronkite/) > [Nine people out of ten (in Germany and England, perhaps ten people) would rather wait for their rights than fight for their rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-townsend-warner/nine-people-out-of-ten-in-germany-and-england-perhaps-ten-people/) [Sylvia Townsend Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-townsend-warner/) > [People for fight for rights, fight for life, fight for their loved ones, It could be mental or physical but everyone fights for something](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/levita-brahz/people-for-fight-for-rights-fight-for-life-fight-for-their-loved-ones/) [Levita BRAHZ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/levita-brahz/) > [The bottom line is that you only have the rights you fight for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-bottom-line-is-that-you-only-have-the-rights-you-fight-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The fight for women's rights is all our fight. It always has been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-capehart/the-fight-for-women-s-rights-is-all-our-fight-it-always-has-been/) [Jonathan Capehart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-capehart/) > [Shall we longer bear these cruelties which have been heaped upon us for the last ten years in the face of heaven, and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-smith-jr/shall-we-longer-bear-these-cruelties-which-have-been-heaped-upon-us/) [Joseph Smith, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-smith-jr/) > [We fight to great disadvantage when we fight with those who have nothing to lose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesco-guicciardini/we-fight-to-great-disadvantage-when-we-fight-with-those-who-have/) [Francesco Guicciardini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesco-guicciardini/) > [The only fight you can't lose is the one you don't have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-fight-you-can-t-lose-is-the-one-you-don-t-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Inderpal > [Start every day off with a smile, At least its a good start.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inderpal/start-every-day-off-with-a-smile-at-least-its-a-good-start/) [Inderpal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inderpal/) > [Be rich in things money can't buy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inderpal/be-rich-in-things-money-can-t-buy/) [Inderpal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inderpal/) > [Some of your problems are caused by you. Accept it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inderpal/some-of-your-problems-are-caused-by-you-accept-it/) [Inderpal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inderpal/) > [I miss the time when photos were taken for memories not for social networking sites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inderpal/i-miss-the-time-when-photos-were-taken-for-memories-not-for-social/) [Inderpal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inderpal/) [Explore all 5 Inderpal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inderpal/) ## More Civil rights quotes > [Every one knows that the exercise of military power is forever dangerous to civil rights; and we have had recent instances of violences that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/every-one-knows-that-the-exercise-of-military-power-is-forever/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [I am for freedom of religion, and against all maneuvers to bring about a legal ascendency of one sect over another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-am-for-freedom-of-religion-and-against-all-maneuvers-to-bring-about/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [I speak not for myself, but so those without a voice can be heard. Those who have fought for their rights. Their right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/i-speak-not-for-myself-but-so-those-without-a-voice-can-be-heard/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [The Patriot Act is certainly a concern; all of those things are dangerous. I think more important than me preaching is that we as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/the-patriot-act-is-certainly-a-concern-all-of-those-things-are/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [American civil rights leader, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? Lynching is a murder. For the past four hundred years our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/american-civil-rights-leader-where-do-we-go-from-here-chaos-or/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [“Why do we apologize for advocating for ourselves? Why do we apologize for taking up space that we are entitled to? Why do we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-tambascio/why-do-we-apologize-for-advocating-for-ourselves-why-do-we-apologize/) Elizabeth Tambascio > [We are a nation of innovators and problem-solvers who sparked revolutions in democratic government, civil rights, communications, flight, rural electrification and technology. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-a-mcchrystal/we-are-a-nation-of-innovators-and-problem-solvers-who-sparked/) [Stanley A. McChrystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-a-mcchrystal/) > [“Mental illness is not something you misunderstand in this era. Get educated because bias is no different than racism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/mental-illness-is-not-something-you-misunderstand-in-this-era-get/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [Civil rights leaders are involved in helping poor people. That's what I've been doing all my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-young/civil-rights-leaders-are-involved-in-helping-poor-people-that-s-what/) [Andrew Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-young/) > [I grew up in the early '60s, and there was a lot of civil rights, a lot of unrest in our country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herm-edwards/i-grew-up-in-the-early-60s-and-there-was-a-lot-of-civil-rights-a-lot/) [Herm Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herm-edwards/) > [The great paradox of the civil rights revolution is that instead of enforcing and expanding equality before the law, the revolution created differential rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-craig-roberts/the-great-paradox-of-the-civil-rights-revolution-is-that-instead-of/) [Paul Craig Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-craig-roberts/) > [The world - and America - has been defined by people who haven't necessarily abided by the laws and the rules. Civil disobedience is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-kennedy/the-world-and-america-has-been-defined-by-people-who-haven-t/) [Rory Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-kennedy/) > [I do not believe that defending traditional marriage between one man and one woman excludes anybody or usurps anybody's civil rights and denies anybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-autry/i-do-not-believe-that-defending-traditional-marriage-between-one-man/) [Alan Autry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-autry/) > [Truth is on the side of the oppressed today, it's against the oppressor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/truth-is-on-the-side-of-the-oppressed-today-it-s-against-the-oppressor/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [The notion of women being written out of history is as old as the Bible, but it always seems more galling when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-thornberry/the-notion-of-women-being-written-out-of-history-is-as-old-as-the/) [Emily Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-thornberry/) [Browse all 1,552 Civil rights quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-rights/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You keep the rights that you fight for and lose the rest;", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Inderpal" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inderpal/you-keep-the-rights-that-you-fight-for-and-lose-the-rest/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Civil rights" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inderpal/you-keep-the-rights-that-you-fight-for-and-lose-the-rest/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b53/inderpal-62330_civil-rights_you-keep-the-rights-that-you-fight-for-a_498393.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b53/inderpal-62330_civil-rights_you-keep-the-rights-that-you-fight-for-a_498393.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b53/inderpal-62330_civil-rights_you-keep-the-rights-that-you-fight-for-a_498393.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You keep the rights that you fight for and lose the rest;” — Inderpal", "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": "Inderpal", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inderpal/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You keep the rights that you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inderpal/you-keep-the-rights-that-you-fight-for-and-lose-the-rest/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inderpal/you-keep-the-rights-that-you-fight-for-and-lose-the-rest/#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 } } ] } ```