--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In our pugilistic take-no-prisoners era…" description: "\"In our pugilistic take-no-prisoners era, preaching grace toward those on the other side of the political fence is decidedly countercultural.\" — Kirsten..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fb/kirsten-powers-9672_era_in-our-pugilistic-take-no-prisoners-era_739426.jpg" --- # In our pugilistic take-no-prisoners era, preaching grace… ![“In our pugilistic take-no-prisoners era, preaching grace toward those on the other side of the political fence is decidedly countercultural.” quote by Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fb/kirsten-powers-9672_era_in-our-pugilistic-take-no-prisoners-era_739426.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fb/kirsten-powers-9672_era_in-our-pugilistic-take-no-prisoners-era_739426.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fb/kirsten-powers-9672_era_in-our-pugilistic-take-no-prisoners-era_739426.jpg) > “In our pugilistic take-no-prisoners era, preaching grace toward those on the other side of the political fence is decidedly countercultural.” [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocates extending compassion across political divides, challenging prevailing hostile norms. **In simple terms:** Show grace to political opponents. Key Takeaway Practice cross‑political empathy. Themes politics empathy culture Mood thoughtful challenging Type opinion social When to use this quote - debates - community meetings - social media interactions Key Concepts polarization civility Questions to Reflect On - How can you model grace without compromising values? - What benefits arise from civil discourse? A Different Perspective Deep ideological differences can make grace feel unsafe. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Decidedly Countercultural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decidedly-countercultural-5776659/) [Era](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/era/) [Fence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fence/) [Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace/) [Grace Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace-political-5776661/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political Fence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-fence-318666/) [Preaching Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preaching-grace-969631/) [Pugilistic Prisoners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pugilistic-prisoners-5776660/) [Side](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/side/) ## Related quotes > [There is no monopoly on common sense on either side of the political fence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sting/there-is-no-monopoly-on-common-sense-on-either-side-of-the-political/) [Sting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sting/) > [You try to - you want to fly on both sides of the political fence because that's where the - where the comedy is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/you-try-to-you-want-to-fly-on-both-sides-of-the-political-fence/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [The preaching of grace can only be protected by the preaching of repentance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/the-preaching-of-grace-can-only-be-protected-by-the-preaching-of/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Satan, the god of all dissension, stirreth up daily newsects and last of all, which of all other I should never have forseen or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/satan-the-god-of-all-dissension-stirreth-up-daily-newsects-and-last/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [Preaching grace produces fruit. Preaching law produces nuts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-mcvey/preaching-grace-produces-fruit-preaching-law-produces-nuts/) [Steve McVey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-mcvey/) > [But Satan, the god of all dissension, stirreth up daily new sects, and last of all (which of all other I should never have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/but-satan-the-god-of-all-dissension-stirreth-up-daily-new-sects-and/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [Hypocrisy, something Jesus railed against, has become perhaps the most prominent feature of the religious right in the Trump era.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/hypocrisy-something-jesus-railed-against-has-become-perhaps-the-most/) [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) > [In this era, soul is not a sound or a color: it's an intention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/india-arie/in-this-era-soul-is-not-a-sound-or-a-color-it-s-an-intention/) [India Arie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-arie/) > [I must have been 10 or 11, but anything Dana Carvey ever did, I just really loved. He was on for a long time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/i-must-have-been-10-or-11-but-anything-dana-carvey-ever-did-i-just/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [If you want to oppose Trump, the first thing you should do is say, 'I'm not going to do one thing that makes it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-schmidt/if-you-want-to-oppose-trump-the-first-thing-you-should-do-is-say-i-m/) [Steve Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-schmidt/) > [In his musicals with Garland, Rooney was the sparkplug for prodigious entrepreneurship - that era's predecessor of the garage band, but with Gershwin tunes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-corliss/in-his-musicals-with-garland-rooney-was-the-sparkplug-for-prodigious/) [Richard Corliss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-corliss/) > [My life had been defined by the apartheid years. Now we were going into an era of democracy... and I believed that I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athol-fugard/my-life-had-been-defined-by-the-apartheid-years-now-we-were-going/) [Athol Fugard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athol-fugard/) > [He brought a sensibility and a hard-edged reasonableness to operating restaurants that had a lasting impact on me and still affects how I run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-bastianich/he-brought-a-sensibility-and-a-hard-edged-reasonableness-to-operating/) [Joe Bastianich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-bastianich/) > [In the Tea Party era, it is the restless conservative Republican who has become passion's plaything, the toy of impetuous romance, an erotomania only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/in-the-tea-party-era-it-is-the-restless-conservative-republican-who/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [I don't think Joe Louis could take the punches today fighting in this era.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-holmes/i-don-t-think-joe-louis-could-take-the-punches-today-fighting-in-this/) [Larry Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-holmes/) ## More by Kirsten Powers > [Illiberal feminists turn simple ideological disagreements, whether about the federal budget or the Second Amendment or anything else, into excuses to engage in character…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/illiberal-feminists-turn-simple-ideological-disagreements-whether/) [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) > [Within the paradigm of Democratic politics, even though people probably think I'm a centrist, I'm more a liberal, except for abortion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/within-the-paradigm-of-democratic-politics-even-though-people/) [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) > [Trump loves free speech only when he or his supporters are speaking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/trump-loves-free-speech-only-when-he-or-his-supporters-are-speaking/) [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) > [Protesters can't violate First Amendment rights. Only the government can do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/protesters-can-t-violate-first-amendment-rights-only-the-government/) [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) > [Women are often forced to maintain good relations with men who abuse them precisely because those men have power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/women-are-often-forced-to-maintain-good-relations-with-men-who-abuse/) [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) > [If I had a dollar for every time somebody said, 'I don't understand: how can you be a Democrat and be a Christian?' I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-somebody-said-i-don-t-understand-how/) [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) > [It's true that Americans are less than thrilled with President Obama and congressional Democrats. Their approval ratings are nothing to celebrate. But electoral politics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/it-s-true-that-americans-are-less-than-thrilled-with-president-obama/) [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) > [Women likely are rejecting Trump because they know the presidential race isn't just about taxes or ISIL or immigration. It's about their place in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/women-likely-are-rejecting-trump-because-they-know-the-presidential/) [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) > [Bernie is a problem Hillary can't figure out how to solve, perhaps because he's not the problem. She is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/bernie-is-a-problem-hillary-can-t-figure-out-how-to-solve-perhaps/) [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) > [Perhaps all of our anxiety is not caused by broken brains but by working nonstop, missing out on time with our friends and families…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/perhaps-all-of-our-anxiety-is-not-caused-by-broken-brains-but-by/) [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) > [I've been harassed or on the receiving end of sexist and inappropriate behavior almost every place I've ever worked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/i-ve-been-harassed-or-on-the-receiving-end-of-sexist-and/) [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) > [Trump may not like the fact that 20-plus anonymous sources provided the 'Times' with an unflattering portrait of his campaign, but that doesn't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/trump-may-not-like-the-fact-that-20-plus-anonymous-sources-provided/) [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) > [Donald Trump has a curious understanding of what freedom of speech means.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/donald-trump-has-a-curious-understanding-of-what-freedom-of-speech/) [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) > [I know I deal with it, I'm sure a lot of other people deal with it: you have that little funny dig you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/i-know-i-deal-with-it-i-m-sure-a-lot-of-other-people-deal-with-it-you/) [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) > [People are really nice at Fox.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/people-are-really-nice-at-fox/) [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) [Explore all 71 Kirsten Powers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) ## More Era quotes > [I don't think Joe Louis could take the punches today fighting in this era.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-holmes/i-don-t-think-joe-louis-could-take-the-punches-today-fighting-in-this/) [Larry Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-holmes/) > [In the Tea Party era, it is the restless conservative Republican who has become passion's plaything, the toy of impetuous romance, an erotomania only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/in-the-tea-party-era-it-is-the-restless-conservative-republican-who/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [He brought a sensibility and a hard-edged reasonableness to operating restaurants that had a lasting impact on me and still affects how I run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-bastianich/he-brought-a-sensibility-and-a-hard-edged-reasonableness-to-operating/) [Joe Bastianich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-bastianich/) > [My life had been defined by the apartheid years. Now we were going into an era of democracy... and I believed that I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athol-fugard/my-life-had-been-defined-by-the-apartheid-years-now-we-were-going/) [Athol Fugard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athol-fugard/) > [In his musicals with Garland, Rooney was the sparkplug for prodigious entrepreneurship - that era's predecessor of the garage band, but with Gershwin tunes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-corliss/in-his-musicals-with-garland-rooney-was-the-sparkplug-for-prodigious/) [Richard Corliss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-corliss/) > [If you want to oppose Trump, the first thing you should do is say, 'I'm not going to do one thing that makes it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-schmidt/if-you-want-to-oppose-trump-the-first-thing-you-should-do-is-say-i-m/) [Steve Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-schmidt/) > [I must have been 10 or 11, but anything Dana Carvey ever did, I just really loved. He was on for a long time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/i-must-have-been-10-or-11-but-anything-dana-carvey-ever-did-i-just/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [In this era, soul is not a sound or a color: it's an intention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/india-arie/in-this-era-soul-is-not-a-sound-or-a-color-it-s-an-intention/) [India Arie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-arie/) > [We want to return to an era when we think music was better basically but still infuse it with something modern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemp-muhl/we-want-to-return-to-an-era-when-we-think-music-was-better-basically/) [Kemp Muhl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemp-muhl/) > [I could have fought in any era and a lot of the old warriors feel I'm like an old-school fighter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-toney/i-could-have-fought-in-any-era-and-a-lot-of-the-old-warriors-feel-i-m/) [James Toney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-toney/) > [If you think about the traditional mafia stories we grew up on, it is always about the death of criminal organisations - things like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/if-you-think-about-the-traditional-mafia-stories-we-grew-up-on-it-is/) [James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) > [The whole era of post-Partition and pre-liberalization fascinated me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konkona-sen-sharma/the-whole-era-of-post-partition-and-pre-liberalization-fascinated-me/) [Konkona Sen Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konkona-sen-sharma/) > [In an era of unprecedented medical innovation, we have to do more to ensure that patients facing terminal illnesses have access to potentially life-saving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/in-an-era-of-unprecedented-medical-innovation-we-have-to-do-more-to/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) > [To define the era we live in is very difficult. How do we define it? We define it by music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donatella-versace/to-define-the-era-we-live-in-is-very-difficult-how-do-we-define-it-we/) [Donatella Versace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donatella-versace/) > [I don't have any particular desire to see words making a comeback. They are of their era, after all, and that is their identity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-crystal/i-don-t-have-any-particular-desire-to-see-words-making-a-comeback/) [David Crystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-crystal/) [Browse all 617 Era quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/era/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In our pugilistic take-no-prisoners era, preaching grace toward those on the other side of the political fence is decidedly countercultural.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kirsten Powers" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/in-our-pugilistic-take-no-prisoners-era-preaching-grace-toward-those/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Era" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/in-our-pugilistic-take-no-prisoners-era-preaching-grace-toward-those/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fb/kirsten-powers-9672_era_in-our-pugilistic-take-no-prisoners-era_739426.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fb/kirsten-powers-9672_era_in-our-pugilistic-take-no-prisoners-era_739426.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fb/kirsten-powers-9672_era_in-our-pugilistic-take-no-prisoners-era_739426.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In our pugilistic take-no-prisoners era, preaching grace toward those on the other side of the political…” — Kirsten Powers", "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": "Kirsten Powers", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In our pugilistic take-no-prisoners era, preaching...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/in-our-pugilistic-take-no-prisoners-era-preaching-grace-toward-those/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/in-our-pugilistic-take-no-prisoners-era-preaching-grace-toward-those/#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 } } ] } ```