--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Washington knows that it is not safe to…" description: "\"Washington knows that it is not safe to kick people who are down until you find out what their next stop will be.\" — Judith Martin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb7/judith-martin-1927_kicks_washington-knows-that-it-is-not-safe-to_2831266.png" --- # Washington knows that it is not safe to kick people who… ![“Washington knows that it is not safe to kick people who are down until you find out what their next stop will be.” quote by Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb7/judith-martin-1927_kicks_washington-knows-that-it-is-not-safe-to_2831266.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb7/judith-martin-1927_kicks_washington-knows-that-it-is-not-safe-to_2831266.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb7/judith-martin-1927_kicks_washington-knows-that-it-is-not-safe-to_2831266.png) > “Washington knows that it is not safe to kick people who are down until you find out what their next stop will be.” [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Avoid harming vulnerable people until you understand their future plans. **In simple terms:** Don't kick downed people before knowing their next move. Key Takeaway Practice empathy and patience. Themes empathy respect justice humility Mood reflective cautious Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - conflict resolution - leadership - team management Key Concepts ethical behavior social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can you assess when to intervene? - What signs indicate someone is ready to rise? A Different Perspective May be overly cautious, delaying necessary action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Kicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kicks/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/washington/) ## Related quotes > [We need someone in Washington who knows how to build jobs from the ground up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-pagliuca/we-need-someone-in-washington-who-knows-how-to-build-jobs-from-the/) [Stephen Pagliuca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-pagliuca/) > [None of us here in Washington knows all or even half of the answers ... If you love your country, don't depend on handouts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/none-of-us-here-in-washington-knows-all-or-even-half-of-the-answers/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Every single company knows that there is more that they can do to keep themselves safe from cyber-crime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dido-harding/every-single-company-knows-that-there-is-more-that-they-can-do-to/) [Dido Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dido-harding/) > [“Where everyone knows your name, and a safe place to raise a family.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terri-haynes-roach/where-everyone-knows-your-name-and-a-safe-place-to-raise-a-family/) [Terri Haynes Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terri-haynes-roach/) > [I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, I don’t do drugs. I kick people in the face for a living. So, if that’s something you’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cm-punk/i-don-t-drink-i-don-t-smoke-i-don-t-do-drugs-i-kick-people-in-the/) [CM Punk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cm-punk/) > [I think if you were known for playing something other than being a nice guy then people might be a little less likely to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-think-if-you-were-known-for-playing-something-other-than-being-a/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [We live in a society that likes to kick people when they’re down. Don’t be a fair-weather friend. Stick with people. They need you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/we-live-in-a-society-that-likes-to-kick-people-when-they-re-down-don/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [Isn't that what you really want in a jean? The ability to kick people in the face in them? I don't wanna have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/isn-t-that-what-you-really-want-in-a-jean-the-ability-to-kick-people/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [I get a kick out of people saying I was funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cavett/i-get-a-kick-out-of-people-saying-i-was-funny/) [Dick Cavett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cavett/) > [Washington knows how to spend money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-brady/washington-knows-how-to-spend-money/) [Kevin Brady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-brady/) > [The essence of democracy is that you can kick people out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gyles-brandreth/the-essence-of-democracy-is-that-you-can-kick-people-out/) [Gyles Brandreth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gyles-brandreth/) > [God grant me the strength to accept things I cannot change. And kick people who won't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-grant-me-the-strength-to-accept-things-i-cannot-change-and-kick/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Mai? Asian chick? Likes to kick people? Yeah, last time I saw her, she was at the bottom of an elevator shaft with an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcclane/mai-asian-chick-likes-to-kick-people-yeah-last-time-i-saw-her-she-was/) [John Mcclane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcclane/) > [This is a mean world, and everyone likes to jump in and kick people when they're down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/urijah-faber/this-is-a-mean-world-and-everyone-likes-to-jump-in-and-kick-people/) [Urijah Faber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/urijah-faber/) > [“You have to kick people out of your head as forcefully as you'd kick someone out of your house.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-amoruso/you-have-to-kick-people-out-of-your-head-as-forcefully-as-you-d-kick/) [Sophia Amoruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-amoruso/) ## More by Judith Martin > [Smart people duck when they hear the dread announcement 'I'm going to be perfectly honest with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/smart-people-duck-when-they-hear-the-dread-announcement-i-m-going-to/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [If you put together all the ingredients that naturally attract children - sex, violence, revenge, spectacle and vigorous noise - what you have is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/if-you-put-together-all-the-ingredients-that-naturally-attract/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [The one prediction that never comes true is, 'You'll thank me for telling you this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/the-one-prediction-that-never-comes-true-is-you-ll-thank-me-for/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Chaperons, even in their days of glory, were almost never able to enforce morality; what they did was to force immorality to be discreet.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/chaperons-even-in-their-days-of-glory-were-almost-never-able-to/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [There are always proper responses, even to rude questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/there-are-always-proper-responses-even-to-rude-questions/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Perhaps the greatest rudenesses of our time come not from the callousness of strangers, but from the solicitousness of intimates who believe that their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/perhaps-the-greatest-rudenesses-of-our-time-come-not-from-the/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [We are all entitled to our little harmless habits, but we are not entitled to demand approval for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/we-are-all-entitled-to-our-little-harmless-habits-but-we-are-not/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [“Lady” is not used before the lady’s first name unless she is the daughter of a duke, marquess or earl; those who come by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/lady-is-not-used-before-the-lady-s-first-name-unless-she-is-the/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Greece is a good place for rebirths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/greece-is-a-good-place-for-rebirths/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Adorable children are considered to be the general property of the human race. Rude children belong to their mothers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/adorable-children-are-considered-to-be-the-general-property-of-the/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [I have always believed that the key to a happy marriage was the ability to say with a straight face, 'Why, I don't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/i-have-always-believed-that-the-key-to-a-happy-marriage-was-the/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [It is, indeed, a trial to maintain the virtue of humility when one can't help being right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/it-is-indeed-a-trial-to-maintain-the-virtue-of-humility-when-one-can/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Honesty is a virtue, but not the only one. If you're in a courtroom you need the whole truth and nothing but the truth;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/honesty-is-a-virtue-but-not-the-only-one-if-you-re-in-a-courtroom-you/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Only a person who considers himself too good for you is good enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/only-a-person-who-considers-himself-too-good-for-you-is-good-enough/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Society cannot exist without etiquette ... It never has, and until our own century, everybody knew that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/society-cannot-exist-without-etiquette-it-never-has-and-until-our-own/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) [Explore all 197 Judith Martin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) ## More Kicks quotes > [I train my muscles, and I do a lot of stretching, and try to kick higher. But for me, practicing kung-fu is a way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chow/i-train-my-muscles-and-i-do-a-lot-of-stretching-and-try-to-kick/) [Stephen Chow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chow/) > [No nation being under another nation can accept gifts, and kick at the responsibility attached to those gifts, imposed by the conquering nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-nation-being-under-another-nation-can-accept-gifts-and-kick-at-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [There are times when we can feel destiny close around us like a fist around a doorknob. Sure, we can resist. But a knob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/there-are-times-when-we-can-feel-destiny-close-around-us-like-a-fist/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Some article called me the most feared man in Silicon Valley. Good Lord! Why? My teenage boys got a kick out of it: 'Dad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/some-article-called-me-the-most-feared-man-in-silicon-valley-good/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [Whoa. He had ghouls on speed dial. My lawyer kicks so much ass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hearne/whoa-he-had-ghouls-on-speed-dial-my-lawyer-kicks-so-much-ass/) [Kevin Hearne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hearne/) > [I'm neurotic in the sense that I can have a crowd of 300 people cheering you, applauding you, standing O, but one guy come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-white/i-m-neurotic-in-the-sense-that-i-can-have-a-crowd-of-300-people/) [Wayne White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-white/) > [If I stop to kick every barking dog I am not going to get where I'm going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-joyner-kersee/if-i-stop-to-kick-every-barking-dog-i-am-not-going-to-get-where-i-m/) [Jackie Joyner-Kersee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-joyner-kersee/) > [I think it is important for all those young out there - who someday hope to play real football, where you throw it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kemp/i-think-it-is-important-for-all-those-young-out-there-who-someday/) [Jack Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kemp/) > [It is the night-black Massachusetts legendry which packs the really macabre "kick". Here is material for a really profound study in group-neuroticism; for certainly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-p-lovecraft/it-is-the-night-black-massachusetts-legendry-which-packs-the-really/) [H. P. Lovecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-p-lovecraft/) > [One thing I know is that it is a bad idea to marry someone who had bad parents. If they hated their mother, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-gilchrist/one-thing-i-know-is-that-it-is-a-bad-idea-to-marry-someone-who-had/) [Ellen Gilchrist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-gilchrist/) > [ It's hard for me to be serious. I can't really rub oil on me and go all the way with it \[laughs\]. I hear… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/it-s-hard-for-me-to-be-serious-i-can-t-really-rub-oil-on-me-and-go/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [Rock and roll just used to be for kicks, now a days it's politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/rock-and-roll-just-used-to-be-for-kicks-now-a-days-it-s-politics/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [Sometimes Queens' music is dark, but somehow it's ok to deliver it with a smile on your face because thing's are still going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-queens-music-is-dark-but-somehow-it-s-ok-to-deliver-it-with/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A good compilation tape, like breaking up, is hard to do and takes ages longer than it might seem. You've got to kick off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/a-good-compilation-tape-like-breaking-up-is-hard-to-do-and-takes-ages/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [Maybe if I'd not been able to kick a ball it would have been different, but I doubt it because all my mates are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robbie-fowler/maybe-if-i-d-not-been-able-to-kick-a-ball-it-would-have-been/) [Robbie Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robbie-fowler/) [Browse all 1,264 Kicks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kicks/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Washington knows that it is not safe to kick people who are down until you find out what their next stop will be.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Judith Martin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/washington-knows-that-it-is-not-safe-to-kick-people-who-are-down/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Kicks" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/washington-knows-that-it-is-not-safe-to-kick-people-who-are-down/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb7/judith-martin-1927_kicks_washington-knows-that-it-is-not-safe-to_2831266.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb7/judith-martin-1927_kicks_washington-knows-that-it-is-not-safe-to_2831266.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb7/judith-martin-1927_kicks_washington-knows-that-it-is-not-safe-to_2831266.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Washington knows that it is not safe to kick people who are down until you find out what their next stop…” — Judith Martin", "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": "Judith Martin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Washington knows that it is not...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/washington-knows-that-it-is-not-safe-to-kick-people-who-are-down/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/washington-knows-that-it-is-not-safe-to-kick-people-who-are-down/#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 } } ] } ```