--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I believe that the far-right and the…" description: "\"I believe that the far-right and the far-left can be equally insane - but there's no question that in the first years of the Obama administration, the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/john-avlon-23372_activist_i-believe-that-the-far-right-and-the-far_3132275.png" --- # I believe that the far-right and the far-left can be… ![“I believe that the far-right and the far-left can be equally insane - but there's no question that in the first years of the Obama administration, the far-right has been far crazier. In part, this comes from parties being out of power - without the responsibility of governing to ground them, the…” quote by John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/john-avlon-23372_activist_i-believe-that-the-far-right-and-the-far_3132275.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/john-avlon-23372_activist_i-believe-that-the-far-right-and-the-far_3132275.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/john-avlon-23372_activist_i-believe-that-the-far-right-and-the-far_3132275.png) > “I believe that the far-right and the far-left can be equally insane - but there's no question that in the first years of the Obama administration, the far-right has been far crazier. In part, this comes from parties being out of power - without the responsibility of governing to ground them, the activists and the ideologues take over.” [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When parties lose power, their members can become more radical, especially on the far‑right during early Obama years. **In simple terms:** Loss of power can fuel extreme activism. Key Takeaway Monitor extremist rhetoric and encourage responsible discourse. Themes politics extremism power dynamics Mood cautious analytical Type political commentary observational When to use this quote - election cycles - policy debates - grassroots activism Key Concepts radicalization group psychology media influence Questions to Reflect On - How does loss of authority affect political behavior? - What safeguards reduce radicalization? A Different Perspective Extremism can also arise from far‑left groups, not just right. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Activist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activist/) [Activists Ideologues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activists-ideologues-5545043/) [Administration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/administration/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Equally Insane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equally-insane-3753384/) [Far Crazier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/far-crazier-5545044/) [Far Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/far-left/) [Far right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/far-right/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Governing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/governing/) [I believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-believe/) [Ideologues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideologues/) [Insane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insane/) [Party](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/party/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [The far-right and far-left can be equally insane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/the-far-right-and-far-left-can-be-equally-insane/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [The far right and the far left can be equally insane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/the-far-right-and-the-far-left-can-be-equally-insane/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [“Far left and far right, where is the body that holds them?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beta-metani-marashi/far-left-and-far-right-where-is-the-body-that-holds-them/) [Beta Metani' Marashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beta-metani-marashi/) > [We are hammered 24/7 with the "far left" and "far right" points of view, pounding us, beating us upside the head with purely political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-mcdonald/we-are-hammered-24-7-with-the-far-left-and-far-right-points-of-view/) [Bruce McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-mcdonald/) > [The so-called 'far right' defends the working class far more than the left does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matteo-salvini/the-so-called-far-right-defends-the-working-class-far-more-than-the/) [Matteo Salvini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matteo-salvini/) > [As a university student and activist, I was attacked from all quarters from the far right to the far left.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciana-berger/as-a-university-student-and-activist-i-was-attacked-from-all-quarters/) [Luciana Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luciana-berger/) > [We need to tell the far-right and the far-left to go away and have people in the center solve the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-tillis/we-need-to-tell-the-far-right-and-the-far-left-to-go-away-and-have/) [Thom Tillis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-tillis/) > [In any society, there will be the whole spectrum of views. You will get the extremists on the far right and also the far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/najib-razak/in-any-society-there-will-be-the-whole-spectrum-of-views-you-will-get/) [Najib Razak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/najib-razak/) > [When the far left and the far right agree on something, you don't want to be in the middle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-bessent/when-the-far-left-and-the-far-right-agree-on-something-you-don-t-want/) [Scott Bessent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-bessent/) > [I listen to the far left which informs the far right. Somewhere in the middle is where we end up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-tedder/i-listen-to-the-far-left-which-informs-the-far-right-somewhere-in-the/) [Ryan Tedder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-tedder/) > [I'm not going to be the rock star of the far right and frankly on the rock star of the far left.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-barrett/i-m-not-going-to-be-the-rock-star-of-the-far-right-and-frankly-on-the/) [Tom Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-barrett/) > [On the far left, just as there is on the far right there is a dislike of Israel, not just a dislike, a hatred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-neil/on-the-far-left-just-as-there-is-on-the-far-right-there-is-a-dislike/) [Andrew Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-neil/) > [We find just as many things to rip on the left as we do on the right. People on the far-left and the far-right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trey-parker/we-find-just-as-many-things-to-rip-on-the-left-as-we-do-on-the-right/) [Trey Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trey-parker/) > [“It was then, in that cramped theater, that I suddenly realized how little difference there was between the far far right and the far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-yates-sexton/it-was-then-in-that-cramped-theater-that-i-suddenly-realized-how/) [Jared Yates Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-yates-sexton/) > [A wingnut is someone on the far-right wing or far-left wing of the political spectrum - the professional partisans, the unhinged activists and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/a-wingnut-is-someone-on-the-far-right-wing-or-far-left-wing-of-the/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) ## More by John Avlon > [What's different now is that while political leaders used to give talking points to talk radio, now talk-radio hosts are giving talking points to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/what-s-different-now-is-that-while-political-leaders-used-to-give/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [First, I think more Americans need to declare their independence from partisan politics on both sides. The more that Americans declare their independence, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/first-i-think-more-americans-need-to-declare-their-independence-from/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [The far-right and far-left can be equally insane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/the-far-right-and-far-left-can-be-equally-insane/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [We cannot hope to change human nature. There will always be cranks and conspiracy theorists among us. But we can try to improve things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/we-cannot-hope-to-change-human-nature-there-will-always-be-cranks-and/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [If you only take offense when the president of your party is compared to Hitler, then you're part of the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/if-you-only-take-offense-when-the-president-of-your-party-is-compared/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [Politics follows the lines of physics: every action creates an equal and opposite reaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/politics-follows-the-lines-of-physics-every-action-creates-an-equal/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [“Madison’s response is famously expressed in Federalist 10, “The Utility of the Union as a Safeguard against Domestic Faction and Insurrection”—arguing that tyranny of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/madison-s-response-is-famously-expressed-in-federalist-10-the-utility/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [Right now, politics follows the rules of talk radio - using conflict, tension, fear, and resentment to find new recruits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/right-now-politics-follows-the-rules-of-talk-radio-using-conflict/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [Demagogues always do well in economic downturns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/demagogues-always-do-well-in-economic-downturns/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [But in his Farewell Address, George Washington made it clear that he perceived no greater threat to the American experiment than a partisan demagogue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/but-in-his-farewell-address-george-washington-made-it-clear-that-he/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [Politics is history in the present tense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/politics-is-history-in-the-present-tense/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [When people tap into this politics of resentment, it usually ends ugly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/when-people-tap-into-this-politics-of-resentment-it-usually-ends-ugly/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [What might be good for ratings can be bad for the country. The hard-core partisans are self-segregating themselves into separate political realities. But the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/what-might-be-good-for-ratings-can-be-bad-for-the-country-the-hard/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [One tell-tale sign of a Wingnut: they always confuse partisanship with patriotism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/one-tell-tale-sign-of-a-wingnut-they-always-confuse-partisanship-with/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [A wingnut is someone on the far-right wing or far-left wing of the political spectrum - the professional partisans, the unhinged activists and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/a-wingnut-is-someone-on-the-far-right-wing-or-far-left-wing-of-the/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) [Explore all 26 John Avlon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) ## More Activist quotes > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [“God has a way of picking a “nobody” and turning their world upside down, in order to create a “somebody” that will remove the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/god-has-a-way-of-picking-a-nobody-and-turning-their-world-upside-down/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [Social media is not just another way to connect feminist and activist voices - it amplifies our messages as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-valenti/social-media-is-not-just-another-way-to-connect-feminist-and-activist/) [Jessica Valenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-valenti/) > [We must always refill and ensure there is a critical mass of leaders and activists committed to nonviolence and racial and economic justice who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-wright-edelman/we-must-always-refill-and-ensure-there-is-a-critical-mass-of-leaders/) [Marian Wright Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-wright-edelman/) > [I have never been an activist for anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-parsons/i-have-never-been-an-activist-for-anything/) [Jim Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-parsons/) > [When we criticize in Iran the actions of the government, the fundamentalists say that we and the Bush Administration are in the same camp.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-ebadi/when-we-criticize-in-iran-the-actions-of-the-government-the/) [Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/) > [Because my graduate academic training at law school was not one that included most of the intellectual traditions I find useful for understanding the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-spade/because-my-graduate-academic-training-at-law-school-was-not-one-that/) [Dean Spade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-spade/) > [I've been an activist in the LGBT community for a long time. I think nothing's changed, I'm just a little bit more focused on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaz-bono/i-ve-been-an-activist-in-the-lgbt-community-for-a-long-time-i-think/) [Chaz Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaz-bono/) > [I've been an activist since I was a teenager. I was always curious about what we would now call social justice. I remember just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrisse-cullors/i-ve-been-an-activist-since-i-was-a-teenager-i-was-always-curious/) [Patrisse Cullors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrisse-cullors/) > [I think that compared to other politicians who have been put in jail in the past, compared to the human-rights activists in history who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/i-think-that-compared-to-other-politicians-who-have-been-put-in-jail/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [Some kinds of activists are more willing to try stuff out, see if works and think on their feet, but some of the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-green/some-kinds-of-activists-are-more-willing-to-try-stuff-out-see-if/) [Duncan Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-green/) > [Black gay activists should try to build coalitions of people for the elimination of all injustice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bayard-rustin/black-gay-activists-should-try-to-build-coalitions-of-people-for-the/) [Bayard Rustin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bayard-rustin/) > [You do what you know is good, because it's good, and then you have a certain peace of mind, saying, you've been an activist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-mcgovern/you-do-what-you-know-is-good-because-it-s-good-and-then-you-have-a/) [Ray McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-mcgovern/) > [Obviously the transgender movement has not progressed in the way that the gay and lesbian movement has. But Im an activist - thats just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaz-bono/obviously-the-transgender-movement-has-not-progressed-in-the-way-that/) [Chaz Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaz-bono/) > [“If you teach your children how to bully, or do nothing to stop them, teach them also how to die for their cause.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darnell-lamont-walker/if-you-teach-your-children-how-to-bully-or-do-nothing-to-stop-them/) [Darnell Lamont Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darnell-lamont-walker/) [Browse all 773 Activist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activist/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I believe that the far-right and the far-left can be equally insane - but there's no question that in the first years of the Obama administration, the far-right has been far crazier. In part, this comes from parties being out of power - without the responsibility of governing to ground them, the activists and the ideologues take over.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Avlon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/i-believe-that-the-far-right-and-the-far-left-can-be-equally-insane/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Activist" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/i-believe-that-the-far-right-and-the-far-left-can-be-equally-insane/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/john-avlon-23372_activist_i-believe-that-the-far-right-and-the-far_3132275.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/john-avlon-23372_activist_i-believe-that-the-far-right-and-the-far_3132275.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/john-avlon-23372_activist_i-believe-that-the-far-right-and-the-far_3132275.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I believe that the far-right and the far-left can be equally insane - but there's no question that in the…” — John Avlon", "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": "John Avlon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I believe that the far-right and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/i-believe-that-the-far-right-and-the-far-left-can-be-equally-insane/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/i-believe-that-the-far-right-and-the-far-left-can-be-equally-insane/#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 } } ] } ```