--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You have the right to be offended or not…" description: "\"You have the right to be offended or not to be offended.\" — John Bartlett" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3be/john-bartlett-49569_offended_you-have-the-right-to-be-offended-or-not_1908623.jpg" --- # You have the right to be offended or not to be offended. ![“You have the right to be offended or not to be offended.” quote by John Bartlett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3be/john-bartlett-49569_offended_you-have-the-right-to-be-offended-or-not_1908623.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3be/john-bartlett-49569_offended_you-have-the-right-to-be-offended-or-not_1908623.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3be/john-bartlett-49569_offended_you-have-the-right-to-be-offended-or-not_1908623.jpg) > “You have the right to be offended or not to be offended.” [John Bartlett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bartlett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. States that individuals can choose whether to feel offended. **In simple terms:** Offense is a personal choice. Key Takeaway Practice emotional autonomy. Themes freedom emotion choice Mood reflective neutral Type philosophical statement When to use this quote - social media - political speeches - advertising - personal interactions Key Concepts psychology ethics social norms rights Questions to Reflect On - Why do we feel offended? - How can we manage offense? A Different Perspective External events can still cause genuine harm. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“I felt offended. So offended that I planned to ignore for the next few weeks the "friends" who'd sent me those pictures. (I'm very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabourey-sidibe/i-felt-offended-so-offended-that-i-planned-to-ignore-for-the-next-few/) [Gabourey Sidibe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabourey-sidibe/) > [Be offended by everything or be offended by nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hardwick/be-offended-by-everything-or-be-offended-by-nothing/) [Chris Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hardwick/) > [When it comes to ideas - and religions are, among other things, ideas - there is no right not to be offended. ... In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/when-it-comes-to-ideas-and-religions-are-among-other-things-ideas/) [Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/) > [There is no right to not be offended, nor should there be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-fisher/there-is-no-right-to-not-be-offended-nor-should-there-be/) [Mark Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-fisher/) > [“just because it offends you doesn't mean it violates your rights. You don't have a right to not be offended”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-sexton/just-because-it-offends-you-doesn-t-mean-it-violates-your-rights-you/) [Marie Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-sexton/) > [I like offending people, because I think people who get offended should be offended.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-torvalds/i-like-offending-people-because-i-think-people-who-get-offended/) [Linus Torvalds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-torvalds/) > [The only right we do not and should not have in a liberal democracy is a right not to be offended.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flemming-rose/the-only-right-we-do-not-and-should-not-have-in-a-liberal-democracy/) [Flemming Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flemming-rose/) > [“Nobody has the right to not be offended. That right doesn't exist in any declaration I have ever read. If you are offended it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/nobody-has-the-right-to-not-be-offended-that-right-doesn-t-exist-in-2/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [I understand that we should never lose our right to be offended, so I accept it. But for me it was always a study…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-pierce/i-understand-that-we-should-never-lose-our-right-to-be-offended-so-i/) [Wendell Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-pierce/) > [“If you are easily offended it proves one thing: You don't have a relationship with the Comforter, because He can kiss you and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-cooke/if-you-are-easily-offended-it-proves-one-thing-you-don-t-have-a/) [Graham Cooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-cooke/) > [“Nobody has the right to not be offended. That right doesn't exist in any declaration I have ever read. If you are offended it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/nobody-has-the-right-to-not-be-offended-that-right-doesn-t-exist-in/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [People have every right to be offended -- but that doesn't mean they get to take away your right to offend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leiren-young/people-have-every-right-to-be-offended-but-that-doesn-t-mean-they-get/) Mark Leiren-Young > [“Right now, anyone who is offended about anything--whether it's the fact that a book about racism was assigned in a university class, or that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-manson/right-now-anyone-who-is-offended-about-anything-whether-it-s-the-fact/) [Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-manson/) > [Being offended is a choice. I believe that. You don't have - you don't hear a word and you have to be offended.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bartlett/being-offended-is-a-choice-i-believe-that-you-don-t-have-you-don-t/) [John Bartlett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bartlett/) > [“Rose is like a woman love;when love odorous but gets offended when bony..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonnaville/rose-is-like-a-woman-love-when-love-odorous-but-gets-offended-when/) Jonnaville ## More by John Bartlett > [To resist him that is set in authority is evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bartlett/to-resist-him-that-is-set-in-authority-is-evil/) [John Bartlett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bartlett/) > [Being offended is a choice. I believe that. You don't have - you don't hear a word and you have to be offended.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bartlett/being-offended-is-a-choice-i-believe-that-you-don-t-have-you-don-t/) [John Bartlett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bartlett/) > [Oh, nice one, honey. Yes. Clever. That's becoming quite a familiar quotation in its own right, isn't it? Maybe I should just add it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bartlett/oh-nice-one-honey-yes-clever-that-s-becoming-quite-a-familiar/) [John Bartlett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bartlett/) > [Reservation should be under 'Bartlett.' Right, that's two T's. Yes. 'Bart-let-et.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bartlett/reservation-should-be-under-bartlett-right-that-s-two-t-s-yes-bart/) [John Bartlett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bartlett/) > [An antique is anything old with class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bartlett/an-antique-is-anything-old-with-class/) [John Bartlett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bartlett/) > [“I have gathered a posy of other men's flowers and nothing but the thread that binds them is mine own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bartlett/i-have-gathered-a-posy-of-other-men-s-flowers-and-nothing-but-the/) [John Bartlett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bartlett/) [Explore all 7 John Bartlett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bartlett/) ## More Offended quotes > [“Rose is like a woman love;when love odorous but gets offended when bony..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonnaville/rose-is-like-a-woman-love-when-love-odorous-but-gets-offended-when/) Jonnaville > [“Claiming to be offended is a great way to elevate yourself at the expense of others: “Look at me! I'm a much better person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/claiming-to-be-offended-is-a-great-way-to-elevate-yourself-at-the/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [Henry Kissinger may have wished I had presented him as a combination of Charles DeGaulle and Disraeli, but I didn't…out of respect for DeGaulle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oriana-fallaci/henry-kissinger-may-have-wished-i-had-presented-him-as-a-combination/) [Oriana Fallaci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oriana-fallaci/) > [“Rather than being incensed by the nature of the bruise, maybe we should be inspired by the possibilities in the bruise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/rather-than-being-incensed-by-the-nature-of-the-bruise-maybe-we/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [People who wish to be offended will always find some occasion for taking offense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/people-who-wish-to-be-offended-will-always-find-some-occasion-for/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) > [If you take the the insults of your fellow human beings personally, you will be offended for the rest of your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/if-you-take-the-the-insults-of-your-fellow-human-beings-personally/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [I would like to publicly apologize to anyone I have NOT offended¦I will get to you shortly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-would-like-to-publicly-apologize-to-anyone-i-have-not-offended-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In a certain reign there was a lady not of the first rank whom the emperor loved more than any of the others. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murasaki-shikibu/in-a-certain-reign-there-was-a-lady-not-of-the-first-rank-whom-the/) [Murasaki Shikibu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murasaki-shikibu/) > [I feel offended when people bring up my four marriages. I was 19 when I first got married and I thought it would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosanna-arquette/i-feel-offended-when-people-bring-up-my-four-marriages-i-was-19-when/) [Rosanna Arquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosanna-arquette/) > [“Certainly clumsy, embarrassing, unprincipled, and mean spirited things do occur in our interactions with other people that would allow us to take offense. However,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-bednar/certainly-clumsy-embarrassing-unprincipled-and-mean-spirited-things/) [David A. Bednar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-bednar/) > [God's wrath is not an implacable, blind rage. However emotional it may be, it is an entirely reasonable and willed response to offenses against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/god-s-wrath-is-not-an-implacable-blind-rage-however-emotional-it-may/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Satire is a sort of glass wherein beholders do generally discover everybody’s face but their own; which is the chief reason for that kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/satire-is-a-sort-of-glass-wherein-beholders-do-generally-discover/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [I had a very well-respected writer ask me point blank to my face whether it actually mattered to me. Now, without wanting to reach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-furyk/i-had-a-very-well-respected-writer-ask-me-point-blank-to-my-face/) [Jim Furyk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-furyk/) > [Kicking a police car? Really?' Caleb shrugged. 'Car offended me. It was sitting right where I wanted to stand. What would you do?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/kicking-a-police-car-really-caleb-shrugged-car-offended-me-it-was/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [a diplomat ... is not worthy of the name unless he can say 'no' and make the other person like it - or at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margery-wilson/a-diplomat-is-not-worthy-of-the-name-unless-he-can-say-no-and-make/) [Margery Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-wilson/) Browse all 880 Offended quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You have the right to be offended or not to be offended.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Bartlett" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bartlett/you-have-the-right-to-be-offended-or-not-to-be-offended/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Offended" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bartlett/you-have-the-right-to-be-offended-or-not-to-be-offended/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3be/john-bartlett-49569_offended_you-have-the-right-to-be-offended-or-not_1908623.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3be/john-bartlett-49569_offended_you-have-the-right-to-be-offended-or-not_1908623.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3be/john-bartlett-49569_offended_you-have-the-right-to-be-offended-or-not_1908623.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You have the right to be offended or not to be offended.” — John Bartlett", "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 Bartlett", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bartlett/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You have the right to be...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bartlett/you-have-the-right-to-be-offended-or-not-to-be-offended/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bartlett/you-have-the-right-to-be-offended-or-not-to-be-offended/#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 } } ] } ```