--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People don't think about the fact that…" description: "\"People don't think about the fact that when Barack Obama's parents had him - it was illegal for them to be married in several states in this country. S..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/kerry-washington-7918_about_people-don-t-think-about-the-fact-that-w_2585858.jpg" --- # People don't think about the fact that when Barack Obama's… ![“People don't think about the fact that when Barack Obama's parents had him - it was illegal for them to be married in several states in this country. So if we start making it okay that certain people can marry and other people can't, it's a slippery slope of civil rights. Who knows who is going to…” quote by Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/kerry-washington-7918_about_people-don-t-think-about-the-fact-that-w_2585858.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/kerry-washington-7918_about_people-don-t-think-about-the-fact-that-w_2585858.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/kerry-washington-7918_about_people-don-t-think-about-the-fact-that-w_2585858.jpg) > “People don't think about the fact that when Barack Obama's parents had him - it was illegal for them to be married in several states in this country. So if we start making it okay that certain people can marry and other people can't, it's a slippery slope of civil rights. Who knows who is going to be allowed to marry or not marry next.” [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights how past illegal marriage restrictions foreshadow current debates on marriage equality, suggesting a slippery slope in civil rights. **In simple terms:** Past marriage bans warn about current marriage rights debates. Key Takeaway Recognize how past injustices shape present rights discussions. Themes civil rights marriage equality slippery slope Mood reflective concerned Type political social When to use this quote - policy debates - activism - legal challenges - public opinion Key Concepts legal history social justice precedent Questions to Reflect On - How do historical injustices inform current policy? - What safeguards prevent rights erosion? A Different Perspective The analogy may oversimplify complex legal and cultural differences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-making/) [Civil Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-right/) [Civil rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-rights/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Slippery slope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slippery-slope/) ## Related quotes > [People don't think about the fact that when Barack Obama's parents had him it was illegal for them to be married in several states…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/people-don-t-think-about-the-fact-that-when-barack-obama-s-parents/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) > [People do not marry people, not real ones anyway; they marry what they think the person is; they marry illusions and images. The exciting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-framo/people-do-not-marry-people-not-real-ones-anyway-they-marry-what-they/) James Framo > [We live in a society where we don't want to commit to another person for life. We do at the moment that we marry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-yalom/we-live-in-a-society-where-we-don-t-want-to-commit-to-another-person/) [Marilyn Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-yalom/) > [When two divorced people marry, four people get into bed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jewish-proverb/when-two-divorced-people-marry-four-people-get-into-bed/) Jewish Proverb > [Whatever their relative valuation of the single and married states, most societies in history made sharp distinctions between those who married and those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-coontz/whatever-their-relative-valuation-of-the-single-and-married-states/) [Stephanie Coontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-coontz/) > [I think everyone should be with who they love. I don't want to be controversial or stir up a bunch of trouble but people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-think-everyone-should-be-with-who-they-love-i-don-t-want-to-be/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [“I will love you if you don’t marry me. I will love you if you marry someone else your co-star, perhaps, or Y., or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/i-will-love-you-if-you-don-t-marry-me-i-will-love-you-if-you-marry/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“That she didn’t get too mad at him when he informed her that she could go on her first date after she was finally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-young/that-she-didn-t-get-too-mad-at-him-when-he-informed-her-that-she/) [D.A. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-young/) > [People should be allowed to marry, and gay marriage should be out there. If a man or a woman has a good partner and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brosnan/people-should-be-allowed-to-marry-and-gay-marriage-should-be-out/) [Pierce Brosnan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brosnan/) > [Everyone ought to wish to marry; some ought to be allowed to marry; and others ought to marry twice - to make the average…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-bailey-aldrich/everyone-ought-to-wish-to-marry-some-ought-to-be-allowed-to-marry-and/) [Thomas Bailey Aldrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-bailey-aldrich/) > [“You really told them you wanted to marry me?” I asked. The smile had taken over his whole face now. “I told you before:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eilis-o-neal/you-really-told-them-you-wanted-to-marry-me-i-asked-the-smile-had-2/) [Eilis O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eilis-o-neal/) > [It's my strong belief that when people love each other and are desirous of creating a committed relationship with each other that they should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-davis/it-s-my-strong-belief-that-when-people-love-each-other-and-are/) [Wendy Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-davis/) > [If priests were allowed to marry, if this would be an optional thing, and if he could have wife and children, he would certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-kung/if-priests-were-allowed-to-marry-if-this-would-be-an-optional-thing/) [Hans Kung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-kung/) > [I'm not convinced about marriage. Divorce is so easy, and that fact that gay people are not allowed to marry takes much of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-portman/i-m-not-convinced-about-marriage-divorce-is-so-easy-and-that-fact/) [Natalie Portman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-portman/) > [I think gay couples should be allowed to marry. They should suffer just like us heterosexuals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-think-gay-couples-should-be-allowed-to-marry-they-should-suffer/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) ## More by Kerry Washington > [Making the unbelievable believable is different on a set with 'Fantastic Four,' where it's like, 'Wind machines! Because the airship is coming in and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/making-the-unbelievable-believable-is-different-on-a-set-with/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) > [I wouldn't just come home from school and watch TV everyday, they had me involved in lots of local theatre. I was a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/i-wouldn-t-just-come-home-from-school-and-watch-tv-everyday-they-had/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) > [I'd figure out ways to use role-playing in the healing of people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/i-d-figure-out-ways-to-use-role-playing-in-the-healing-of-people/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) > [People don't think about the fact that when Barack Obama's parents had him it was illegal for them to be married in several states…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/people-don-t-think-about-the-fact-that-when-barack-obama-s-parents/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) > [Your life is your story, and the adventure ahead of you is the journey to fulfill your own purpose and potential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/your-life-is-your-story-and-the-adventure-ahead-of-you-is-the-journey/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) > [I'll be honest with you. I'm a little bit of a loner. It's been a big part of my maturing process to learn to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/i-ll-be-honest-with-you-i-m-a-little-bit-of-a-loner-it-s-been-a-big/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) > [I think everything in life happens for a reason. I always think there's room for me to improve as a person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/i-think-everything-in-life-happens-for-a-reason-i-always-think-there/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) > [My brain and my heart are really important to me. I don't know why I wouldn't seek help to have those things be as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/my-brain-and-my-heart-are-really-important-to-me-i-don-t-know-why-i/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) > [Because having your story told as a woman, as a person of color, as a lesbian, as a trans person, or as any member…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/because-having-your-story-told-as-a-woman-as-a-person-of-color-as-a/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) > [Black community, I think as a whole America is dealing with the issue of homophobia. We got to be really honest about whether we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/black-community-i-think-as-a-whole-america-is-dealing-with-the-issue/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) > [I've always been a writer because I've always been a student. My mom's a retired professor, so I come from a very academic background.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/i-ve-always-been-a-writer-because-i-ve-always-been-a-student-my-mom-s/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) > [I always prided myself on the fact that I could live out of milk crates forever. It was kind of my way of detaching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/i-always-prided-myself-on-the-fact-that-i-could-live-out-of-milk/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) > [When somebody shows up at your job and jeopardizes your job, yelling and screaming, that's financial abuse. It threatens your ability to take care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/when-somebody-shows-up-at-your-job-and-jeopardizes-your-job-yelling/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) > [I don't gravitate toward any one designer because I think of fashion as the costume of the everyday woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/i-don-t-gravitate-toward-any-one-designer-because-i-think-of-fashion/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) > [I think that the best day will be when we no longer talk about being gay or straight - it's not a 'gay wedding,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/i-think-that-the-best-day-will-be-when-we-no-longer-talk-about-being/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) [Explore all 86 Kerry Washington quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) Browse all 26,122 About quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People don't think about the fact that when Barack Obama's parents had him - it was illegal for them to be married in several states in this country. So if we start making it okay that certain people can marry and other people can't, it's a slippery slope of civil rights. Who knows who is going to be allowed to marry or not marry next.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kerry Washington" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/people-don-t-think-about-the-fact-that-when-barack-obama-s-parents-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/people-don-t-think-about-the-fact-that-when-barack-obama-s-parents-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/kerry-washington-7918_about_people-don-t-think-about-the-fact-that-w_2585858.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/kerry-washington-7918_about_people-don-t-think-about-the-fact-that-w_2585858.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/kerry-washington-7918_about_people-don-t-think-about-the-fact-that-w_2585858.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“People don't think about the fact that when Barack Obama's parents had him - it was illegal for them to be…” — Kerry Washington", "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": "Kerry Washington", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "People don't think about the fact...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/people-don-t-think-about-the-fact-that-when-barack-obama-s-parents-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/people-don-t-think-about-the-fact-that-when-barack-obama-s-parents-2/#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 } } ] } ```