--- 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. So ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d0/kerry-washington-7918_art-making_people-don-t-think-about-the-fact-that-w_147224.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.” quote by Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d0/kerry-washington-7918_art-making_people-don-t-think-about-the-fact-that-w_147224.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d0/kerry-washington-7918_art-making_people-don-t-think-about-the-fact-that-w_147224.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d0/kerry-washington-7918_art-making_people-don-t-think-about-the-fact-that-w_147224.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.” [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 restricting marriage rights for some groups sets a precedent that can erode broader civil liberties. **In simple terms:** Limiting marriage rights threatens overall civil rights. Key Takeaway Protect equal marriage rights for all. Themes civil rights equality slippery slope Mood concerned hopeful Type political advocacy When to use this quote - policy debate - activism - public discourse - court cases - legislative reform Key Concepts legal discrimination social justice Questions to Reflect On - How does restricting one group affect others? - What safeguards prevent a slippery slope? A Different Perspective Legal changes can be slow and face strong opposition. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-making/) [Being married](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-married/) [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/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay/) [Gay marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay-marriage/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parent/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Slippery slope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slippery-slope/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## 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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/people-don-t-think-about-the-fact-that-when-barack-obama-s-parents-2/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) > [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 > [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 > [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/) > [That's why you need the war on drugs to put all these pot smokers in prison so that the prisons remain full and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/that-s-why-you-need-the-war-on-drugs-to-put-all-these-pot-smokers-in/) [Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/) > [Vodka eyeballing sounds great, but it's a slippery slope. Next, you'll be scotch nostriling, tequila nippling and, before you know it, Jager tainting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/vodka-eyeballing-sounds-great-but-it-s-a-slippery-slope-next-you-ll/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [Society really seems to have developed an unquestioning obedience towards spooky types… Did we get to where we are today via a slippery slope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/society-really-seems-to-have-developed-an-unquestioning-obedience/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [I think you’ve got to be very, very careful when you start making blanket statements about what people say and think, as opposed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-cuban/i-think-you-ve-got-to-be-very-very-careful-when-you-start-making/) [Mark Cuban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-cuban/) > [If we can redefine marriage as between two men or two women or any other way based on social pressures as opposed to between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/if-we-can-redefine-marriage-as-between-two-men-or-two-women-or-any/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) > [I think it's a slippery slope to fabricate a different life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/i-think-it-s-a-slippery-slope-to-fabricate-a-different-life/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [I think it would be a mistake for social media companies to try to, on their own, determine or deign what is a fake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivian-schiller/i-think-it-would-be-a-mistake-for-social-media-companies-to-try-to-on/) [Vivian Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivian-schiller/) > [If wrong decisions, both from a governance perspective and ethics, happen, this is a slippery slope that we will go down. Unless and until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyrus-pallonji-mistry/if-wrong-decisions-both-from-a-governance-perspective-and-ethics/) [Cyrus Pallonji Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyrus-pallonji-mistry/) > [Once we start thinking of ourselves as polluted, there is not much incentive to behave well, and the trip down the slippery slope is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/once-we-start-thinking-of-ourselves-as-polluted-there-is-not-much/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [Any departure from fact is the first step on a slippery slope toward unbelievability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-a-henry-iii/any-departure-from-fact-is-the-first-step-on-a-slippery-slope-toward/) [William A. Henry III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-a-henry-iii/) ## 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/) > [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/) > [You know what's funny is that I have this ongoing relationship with the city of Washington D.C. I went to George Washington University, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/you-know-what-s-funny-is-that-i-have-this-ongoing-relationship-with/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) [Explore all 86 Kerry Washington quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) ## More Art making quotes > [Russia and the USA are two largest nuclear powers in the world; it's a really important relationship. How do we start making this work?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rex-w-tillerson/russia-and-the-usa-are-two-largest-nuclear-powers-in-the-world-it-s-a/) [Rex W. Tillerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rex-w-tillerson/) > [“Someone’s coming.” Terry McCaleb looked at his wife and then followed her eyes down to the winding road below. He could see the golf…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-connelly/someone-s-coming-terry-mccaleb-looked-at-his-wife-and-then-followed/) [Michael Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-connelly/) > [“Yeah, I'm just trying to figure out what it means. I've never heard of bonds sharing languages either, and yet...' I pull her even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-messenger/yeah-i-m-just-trying-to-figure-out-what-it-means-i-ve-never-heard-of/) [Shannon Messenger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-messenger/) > [Whenever we start making a 'Devil May Cry' game, one thing we think about is, 'What new weapons are we going to have for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hideaki-itsuno/whenever-we-start-making-a-devil-may-cry-game-one-thing-we-think/) [Hideaki Itsuno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hideaki-itsuno/) > [Before we start making blanket statements about abolishing the IRS, I think it's important to focus on what the tax code for the 21st…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-boustany/before-we-start-making-blanket-statements-about-abolishing-the-irs-i/) [Charles Boustany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-boustany/) > [I grew up watching monster movies and horror movies, which I felt were like fairy tales and I think this always spoke to me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-burton/i-grew-up-watching-monster-movies-and-horror-movies-which-i-felt-were/) [Tim Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-burton/) > [“Should we start making preparations here? (Tory) Punk-ass won’t come to my island! He knows better. You don’t tap on the Devil’s shoulder unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/should-we-start-making-preparations-here-tory-punk-ass-won-t-come-to/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [In a way, to have whatever people talk about as "crossover success," I think it means you start making bad music. I mean, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/in-a-way-to-have-whatever-people-talk-about-as-crossover-success-i/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [“Strong Mercy: My desires are many and my cry is pitiful, but ever didst thou save me by hard refusals; and this strong mercy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/strong-mercy-my-desires-are-many-and-my-cry-is-pitiful-but-ever-didst/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [“Where did this whole thing begin? If what we think of as reality is just a pattern that somebody brought Outside, and the universe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/where-did-this-whole-thing-begin-if-what-we-think-of-as-reality-is/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [We never sit down before we start making a record and talk about this new sonic palette that we are going to try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-gibbard/we-never-sit-down-before-we-start-making-a-record-and-talk-about-this/) [Ben Gibbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-gibbard/) > [I think it killed my sister as the times she was living in were so conformist. This is a subject I really want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nan-goldin/i-think-it-killed-my-sister-as-the-times-she-was-living-in-were-so/) [Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/) > [It's kind of true that they just start making the same movie over and over again. It's also true that the times dictate what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jane/it-s-kind-of-true-that-they-just-start-making-the-same-movie-over-and/) [Thomas Jane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jane/) > [“One of the advantages of no longer being young is that you're expected to start making up your mind about certain things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-teachout/one-of-the-advantages-of-no-longer-being-young-is-that-you-re/) [Terry Teachout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-teachout/) > [The art is not in making money, but in keeping it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proverb/the-art-is-not-in-making-money-but-in-keeping-it/) Proverb [Browse all 415 Art making quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-making/) ```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.", "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/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art making" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/people-don-t-think-about-the-fact-that-when-barack-obama-s-parents/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d0/kerry-washington-7918_art-making_people-don-t-think-about-the-fact-that-w_147224.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d0/kerry-washington-7918_art-making_people-don-t-think-about-the-fact-that-w_147224.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d0/kerry-washington-7918_art-making_people-don-t-think-about-the-fact-that-w_147224.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/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/people-don-t-think-about-the-fact-that-when-barack-obama-s-parents/#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 } } ] } ```