--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The big issue is this incremental…" description: "\"The big issue is this incremental whittling away of our constitutional rights, our most important constitutional rights, including freedom of speech. T..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e52/john-kiriakou-35426_communication_the-big-issue-is-this-incremental-whittl_2425914.jpg" --- # The big issue is this incremental whittling away of our… ![“The big issue is this incremental whittling away of our constitutional rights, our most important constitutional rights, including freedom of speech. This is something that we really have to put our foot down on, and we have to fight it at every step of the way.” quote by John Kiriakou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e52/john-kiriakou-35426_communication_the-big-issue-is-this-incremental-whittl_2425914.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e52/john-kiriakou-35426_communication_the-big-issue-is-this-incremental-whittl_2425914.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e52/john-kiriakou-35426_communication_the-big-issue-is-this-incremental-whittl_2425914.jpg) > “The big issue is this incremental whittling away of our constitutional rights, our most important constitutional rights, including freedom of speech. This is something that we really have to put our foot down on, and we have to fight it at every step of the way.” [John Kiriakou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kiriakou/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Gradual erosion of constitutional rights, especially speech, must be actively resisted **In simple terms:** Rights are being quietly reduced, requiring vigilance Key Takeaway Defend free speech at every opportunity Themes freedom rights activism Mood determined urgent Type activist motivational When to use this quote - legal challenges - public campaigns - education programs Key Concepts civil liberties government overreach public awareness Questions to Reflect On - What actions can protect speech today? - How to mobilize community against rights erosion? A Different Perspective Resistance may face strong opposition ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Constitutional rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitutional-rights/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Freedom of speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-of-speech/) ## Related quotes > [“was Goldman’s ideas that were dangerous: her ideal of a just and beautiful society inspired struggles for social change, and her uncompromising presence in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-e-ferguson/was-goldman-s-ideas-that-were-dangerous-her-ideal-of-a-just-and/) Kathy E. Ferguson > [I am aware that America is and must always be a land of freedom including freedom of speech. But there is a right time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-lahaye/i-am-aware-that-america-is-and-must-always-be-a-land-of-freedom/) [Beverly LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-lahaye/) > [I'm convinced that our duty to provide advice and consent for justices of the Supreme Court is our most important constitutional responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lautenberg/i-m-convinced-that-our-duty-to-provide-advice-and-consent-for/) [Frank Lautenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lautenberg/) > [The Human Rights Act is a really important constitutional document, it isn't just a villain's charter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keir-starmer/the-human-rights-act-is-a-really-important-constitutional-document-it/) [Keir Starmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keir-starmer/) > [We electors have an important constitutional power placed in our hands: we have a check upon two branches of the legislature, as each branch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/we-electors-have-an-important-constitutional-power-placed-in-our/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [We electors have an important constitutional power placed in our hands; we have a check upon two branches of the legislature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/we-electors-have-an-important-constitutional-power-placed-in-our-2/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [I think that, as Americans, we should never forget that when we tamper with freedom of speech, it is a very sensitive issue that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-b-rangel/i-think-that-as-americans-we-should-never-forget-that-when-we-tamper/) [Charles B. Rangel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-b-rangel/) > [We have the most religious freedom of any country in the world, including the freedom not to believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/we-have-the-most-religious-freedom-of-any-country-in-the-world/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [“you should cultivate freedom, including freedom from your own concepts and ideas.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/you-should-cultivate-freedom-including-freedom-from-your-own-concepts/) [Thich Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [We can demonstrate, by our own example, how E.U. freedoms, including the freedom of nationals of other E.U. countries to come and work here,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bruton/we-can-demonstrate-by-our-own-example-how-e-u-freedoms-including-the/) [John Bruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bruton/) > [God, in the end, gives people what they most want, including freedom from himself. What could be more fair?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/god-in-the-end-gives-people-what-they-most-want-including-freedom/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Women's rights is an important and challenging question for us to be asking. It focuses attention on a global issue that in the wake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-custis-james/women-s-rights-is-an-important-and-challenging-question-for-us-to-be/) [Carolyn Custis James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-custis-james/) > [If we buy into the notion that somehow property rights are less important, or are in conflict with, human or civil rights, we give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/if-we-buy-into-the-notion-that-somehow-property-rights-are-less/) [Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/) > [“While Bigge was trying to turn back the clock, ex-convicts and their sons and daughters were demanding greater rights. Most important, they realized, again…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daron-acemo-lu/while-bigge-was-trying-to-turn-back-the-clock-ex-convicts-and-their/) [Daron Acemoğlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daron-acemo-lu/) > [Defending human rights should be an important objective of foreign policy, and that, too, will sometimes be hard to reconcile with an economic agenda,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrystia-freeland/defending-human-rights-should-be-an-important-objective-of-foreign/) [Chrystia Freeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrystia-freeland/) ## More by John Kiriakou > [Immediately after the September 11th attacks, I volunteered to go to Afghanistan in any capacity that the CIA wanted me. Four months passed before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kiriakou/immediately-after-the-september-11th-attacks-i-volunteered-to-go-to/) [John Kiriakou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kiriakou/) > [It's not up to Google, it's not up to Apple to turn over our personal communications in order to save the country. It's up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kiriakou/it-s-not-up-to-google-it-s-not-up-to-apple-to-turn-over-our-personal/) [John Kiriakou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kiriakou/) > [I can remember only a small handful of instances in which I talked about politics with my parents. I remember my parents telling me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kiriakou/i-can-remember-only-a-small-handful-of-instances-in-which-i-talked/) [John Kiriakou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kiriakou/) > [If the CIA is going to disrupt future terrorist attacks, it needs to recruit spies to infiltrate those groups in order to disrupt the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kiriakou/if-the-cia-is-going-to-disrupt-future-terrorist-attacks-it-needs-to/) [John Kiriakou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kiriakou/) > [The CIA has transformed from an organization created to recruit spies to steal secrets, into a paramilitary organization, a paramilitary force. It's not supposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kiriakou/the-cia-has-transformed-from-an-organization-created-to-recruit-spies/) [John Kiriakou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kiriakou/) > [I've never heard a White House staff say that the president was too stupid or too ill-informed to have broken the law. And that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kiriakou/i-ve-never-heard-a-white-house-staff-say-that-the-president-was-too/) [John Kiriakou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kiriakou/) > [The truth of the matter is, we can certainly fight against terrorism and fight terrorist groups around the world without having to give up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kiriakou/the-truth-of-the-matter-is-we-can-certainly-fight-against-terrorism/) [John Kiriakou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kiriakou/) > [You can't just blurt the information out to the Russian foreign minister and the Russian ambassador. What happens is, the information goes back to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kiriakou/you-can-t-just-blurt-the-information-out-to-the-russian-foreign/) [John Kiriakou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kiriakou/) > [I had never really given any thought to working for the CIA, but graduation was upon me; I was getting married just a week…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kiriakou/i-had-never-really-given-any-thought-to-working-for-the-cia-but/) [John Kiriakou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kiriakou/) > [I think the president, very simply, has never read a copy of the Constitution. I think that that's true. He's just never bothered to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kiriakou/i-think-the-president-very-simply-has-never-read-a-copy-of-the/) [John Kiriakou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kiriakou/) > [It's much less romantic in that you have to go to www.cia.gov and click "Apply Now." For me it was much more clandestine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kiriakou/it-s-much-less-romantic-in-that-you-have-to-go-to-www-cia-gov-and/) [John Kiriakou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kiriakou/) > [Even if torture works, it cannot be tolerated -- not in one case or a thousand or a million. If their efficacy becomes the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kiriakou/even-if-torture-works-it-cannot-be-tolerated-not-in-one-case-or-a/) [John Kiriakou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kiriakou/) [Explore all 13 John Kiriakou quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kiriakou/) ## More Communication quotes > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The problem posed by indirect speech acts is the problem of how it is possible for the speaker to say one thing and mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/the-problem-posed-by-indirect-speech-acts-is-the-problem-of-how-it-is/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [We should have a conversation when we hang up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-cumberbatch/we-should-have-a-conversation-when-we-hang-up/) [Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-cumberbatch/) > [Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/sing-like-no-one-s-listening-love-like-you-ve-never-been-hurt-dance/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [A poet is wounded into speech, and he examines these wounds, meticulously, to discover how to heal them. The bad poet harangues at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/a-poet-is-wounded-into-speech-and-he-examines-these-wounds/) [Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) > [“To engage in dialogue is to serve others via whatever is real inside you; to engage in debate is to ultimately serve the illusions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oli-anderson/to-engage-in-dialogue-is-to-serve-others-via-whatever-is-real-inside/) [Oli Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oli-anderson/) > [What it comes down to for me is this: Will the technologies of communication in our culture, serve to enlighten us and help us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/what-it-comes-down-to-for-me-is-this-will-the-technologies-of/) [Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/) > [In dialogue, there is opposition, yes, but no head-on collision. Smashing heads does not open minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/in-dialogue-there-is-opposition-yes-but-no-head-on-collision-smashing/) [Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I've been in a serious conversation with one of my children, and a fan has come up. I've been in a public bathroom and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-reddy/i-ve-been-in-a-serious-conversation-with-one-of-my-children-and-a-fan/) [Helen Reddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-reddy/) > [Life as we know it is fundamentally unsatisfying. I think most folks feel this to be true. They know that a life of aimless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/life-as-we-know-it-is-fundamentally-unsatisfying-i-think-most-folks/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [Disability, in general, hasn't been included in the conversation about inclusivity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-winston-george/disability-in-general-hasn-t-been-included-in-the-conversation-about/) [Jason Winston George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-winston-george/) > [“Women will be at least 50 percent of the communications community workforce … from executive suite to interns. Why? The “integrated” agency will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoram-wind/women-will-be-at-least-50-percent-of-the-communications-community/) Yoram Wind > [There are certain things you must not say in spite of the fact that supposedly democracy means free speech. No. You are not allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/there-are-certain-things-you-must-not-say-in-spite-of-the-fact-that/) [Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/) [Browse all 21,506 Communication quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The big issue is this incremental whittling away of our constitutional rights, our most important constitutional rights, including freedom of speech. This is something that we really have to put our foot down on, and we have to fight it at every step of the way.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Kiriakou" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kiriakou/the-big-issue-is-this-incremental-whittling-away-of-our/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Communication" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kiriakou/the-big-issue-is-this-incremental-whittling-away-of-our/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e52/john-kiriakou-35426_communication_the-big-issue-is-this-incremental-whittl_2425914.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e52/john-kiriakou-35426_communication_the-big-issue-is-this-incremental-whittl_2425914.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e52/john-kiriakou-35426_communication_the-big-issue-is-this-incremental-whittl_2425914.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The big issue is this incremental whittling away of our constitutional rights, our most important…” — John Kiriakou", "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 Kiriakou", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kiriakou/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The big issue is this incremental...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kiriakou/the-big-issue-is-this-incremental-whittling-away-of-our/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kiriakou/the-big-issue-is-this-incremental-whittling-away-of-our/#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 } } ] } ```