---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every time we have had a presidential…"
description: "\"Every time we have had a presidential election where there is \"White or Black,\" you always have to choose between the lesser of two evils, so you eithe..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/052/louis-farrakhan-1264_black_every-time-we-have-had-a-presidential-el_1615751.jpg"
---

#  Every time we have had a presidential election where there…

![“Every time we have had a presidential election where there is &quot;White or Black,&quot; you always have to choose between the lesser of two evils, so you either vote for &quot;Satan&quot; or the &quot;Devil,&quot; and you catch hell with either one.” quote by Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/052/louis-farrakhan-1264_black_every-time-we-have-had-a-presidential-el_1615751.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/052/louis-farrakhan-1264_black_every-time-we-have-had-a-presidential-el_1615751.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/052/louis-farrakhan-1264_black_every-time-we-have-had-a-presidential-el_1615751.jpg)

> “Every time we have had a presidential election where there is "White or Black," you always have to choose between the lesser of two evils, so you either vote for "Satan" or the "Devil," and you catch hell with either one.”

[Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Elections force a choice between imperfect options, leading to frustration and cynicism.

**In simple terms:** Choosing between bad options feels hopeless.

Key Takeaway

Accept imperfect choices, stay engaged.

Themes

politics choice disillusionment ethics

Mood

critical skeptical

Type

political philosophical

When to use this quote

- voting
- activism
- policy debate

Key Concepts

binary options moral compromise

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you find constructive options?
- What values guide your vote?

A Different Perspective

Overemphasis on negativity can discourage participation.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Devil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devil/) [Election](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/election/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) [Lesser of two evils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lesser-of-two-evils/) [Presidential election](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presidential-election/) [Satan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/satan/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vote/)

## Related quotes

> [The two-party system is a bad joke on the American people; when it comes to Republicans and Democrats remember they are two sides of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-russo/the-two-party-system-is-a-bad-joke-on-the-american-people-when-it/)

[Aaron Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-russo/)

> [Abortion is not the lesser of two evils. It is a crime. It is to throw someone out in order to save another. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/abortion-is-not-the-lesser-of-two-evils-it-is-a-crime-it-is-to-throw-2/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [Politics is the choice between the lesser of two evils.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/politics-is-the-choice-between-the-lesser-of-two-evils/)

[George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/)

> [If you choose the lesser of two evils, you are still choosing evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-nader/if-you-choose-the-lesser-of-two-evils-you-are-still-choosing-evil/)

[Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/)

> [If you have difficulties making a decision, choose the lesser of the two evils.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/if-you-have-difficulties-making-a-decision-choose-the-lesser-of-the/)

[Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/)

> [I don't consider Hillary Clinton to be the lesser of two evils.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-don-t-consider-hillary-clinton-to-be-the-lesser-of-two-evils/)

[Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/)

> [Abortion is not the lesser of two evils. It is a crime. It is to throw someone out in order to save another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/abortion-is-not-the-lesser-of-two-evils-it-is-a-crime-it-is-to-throw/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [Some rule out of a lust for ruling; others, so as not to be ruled:Mto these it is merely the lesser of two evils.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/some-rule-out-of-a-lust-for-ruling-others-so-as-not-to-be-ruled-mto/)

[Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/)

> [If you always vote for the lesser of two evils, you will always have evil, and you will always have less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-nader/if-you-always-vote-for-the-lesser-of-two-evils-you-will-always-have/)

[Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/)

> [The lesser of two evils, or the least of the worst, is not good enough for the American people anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-nader/the-lesser-of-two-evils-or-the-least-of-the-worst-is-not-good-enough/)

[Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/)

> [There's a terrible danger in voting for the lesser of two evils because the parties can set it up that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/there-s-a-terrible-danger-in-voting-for-the-lesser-of-two-evils/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [Although war is evil, it is occasionally the lesser of two evils.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mcgeorge-bundy/although-war-is-evil-it-is-occasionally-the-lesser-of-two-evils/)

[McGeorge Bundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mcgeorge-bundy/)

> [If you are picking the lesser of two evils, you are still picking Evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-garcia/if-you-are-picking-the-lesser-of-two-evils-you-are-still-picking-evil/)

[Jerry Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-garcia/)

> [The lesser of two evils is still evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon/the-lesser-of-two-evils-is-still-evil/)

[Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon/)

> [I'm just deeply disappointed that once again we may have to settle for the lesser of two evils.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-dean/i-m-just-deeply-disappointed-that-once-again-we-may-have-to-settle/)

[Howard Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-dean/)

## More by Louis Farrakhan

> [When we live our lives not for vanity, but for the sake of God and the betterment of humanity, that's what gives us immortality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/when-we-live-our-lives-not-for-vanity-but-for-the-sake-of-god-and-the/)

[Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/)

> [Fasting is required, staying away from fighting and arguing and bombing of masjids is still going on. Hatred is still manifested between Sunni and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/fasting-is-required-staying-away-from-fighting-and-arguing-and/)

[Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/)

> [I'll start with the reality. If we're having problems nationally, we're having problems on the state level and then on the local level, what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/i-ll-start-with-the-reality-if-we-re-having-problems-nationally-we-re/)

[Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/)

> [ If that's the kind of person you want, vote for Hillary \[Clinton\], vote for \[Donald\] Trump - and you go to hell with both… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/if-that-s-the-kind-of-person-you-want-vote-for-hillary-clinton-vote/)

[Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/)

> [Brothers and sisters, white people will come in to chastise us. But since we are no longer forsaken, and are the people of God,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/brothers-and-sisters-white-people-will-come-in-to-chastise-us-but/)

[Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/)

> [We are not a creature of the media, so we are not depending on the media publicizing us to make us successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/we-are-not-a-creature-of-the-media-so-we-are-not-depending-on-the/)

[Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/)

> [Who are the slumlords in the Black community? The so-called Jews. … Who is it sucking our blood in the Black community? A white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/who-are-the-slumlords-in-the-black-community-the-so-called-jews-who/)

[Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/)

> [ Listen to these words of \[apostle\] Paul: "We war not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, and the rulers of the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/listen-to-these-words-of-apostle-paul-we-war-not-against-flesh-and/)

[Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/)

> [The white man is our mortal enemy, and we cannot accept him. I will fight to see that vicious beast go down into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/the-white-man-is-our-mortal-enemy-and-we-cannot-accept-him-i-will/)

[Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/)

> [Ramadan is a month whose beginning is Mercy, whose middle is Forgiveness and whose end is Freedom from the fire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/ramadan-is-a-month-whose-beginning-is-mercy-whose-middle-is/)

[Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/)

> [The fear of being uncovered, the fear of being made known for their wickedness is what is driving the ADL and that Synagogue of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/the-fear-of-being-uncovered-the-fear-of-being-made-known-for-their/)

[Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/)

> [The Honorable Elijah Muhammad taught us to eat fish during the month of Ramadan. He is breaking us away from meats. That was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/the-honorable-elijah-muhammad-taught-us-to-eat-fish-during-the-month/)

[Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/)

> [But when I reintroduced the Nation of Islam, and began to host meetings in cities and thousands and thousands of people come out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/but-when-i-reintroduced-the-nation-of-islam-and-began-to-host/)

[Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/)

> [There, in the middle of this mall is the Washington Monument, 555 feet high. But if we put a one in front of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/there-in-the-middle-of-this-mall-is-the-washington-monument-555-feet/)

[Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/)

> [We have to make a distinction between members of the Jewish community who sincerely are trying to follow the laws, statutes and commandments of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/we-have-to-make-a-distinction-between-members-of-the-jewish-community/)

[Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/)

[Explore all 264 Louis Farrakhan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/)

## More Black quotes

> [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/)

[Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/)

> [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. I'm shaking my ass because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-you-go-to-a-club-it-s-not-about-being-black-or-white-or-heavy-or/)

[Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/)

> [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/)

[Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/)

> [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/)

[Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/)

> [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/)

[Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/)

> [How can you be more subject; black woman in a white man's world?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/how-can-you-be-more-subject-black-woman-in-a-white-man-s-world/)

[Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/)

> [We have to build our own power. We have to win every single political office we can, where we have a majority of black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/we-have-to-build-our-own-power-we-have-to-win-every-single-political/)

[Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/)

> [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/)

[Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/)

> [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/)

Frank B. Wilderson III

> [I know how hard it is to be a woman, especially a black woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-know-how-hard-it-is-to-be-a-woman-especially-a-black-woman/)

[Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/)

> [If soot stains your tunic, dye it black. This is vengeance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-scott-bakker/if-soot-stains-your-tunic-dye-it-black-this-is-vengeance/)

[R. Scott Bakker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-scott-bakker/)

> [Hollywood is so fixated on keeping it that way because it's generating the buzz, but that representation isn't right. I definitely feel like it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/hollywood-is-so-fixated-on-keeping-it-that-way-because-it-s/)

[John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/)

> [Nowadays most people wear black most of the time anyway: go to a literary party and one would imagine everyone there was in perpetual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/nowadays-most-people-wear-black-most-of-the-time-anyway-go-to-a/)

[Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/)

> [There ain't no such thing as black Muslims. That's how they tried to cut off all my brothers in the rest of the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/there-ain-t-no-such-thing-as-black-muslims-that-s-how-they-tried-to/)

[Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/)

> [We do not want to be reminded that it is we, the indigenous people, who are poor and exploited in the land of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-do-not-want-to-be-reminded-that-it-is-we-the-indigenous-people-who/)

[Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/)

Browse all 11,655 Black quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Every time we have had a presidential election where there is \"White or Black,\" you always have to choose between the lesser of two evils, so you either vote for \"Satan\" or the \"Devil,\" and you catch hell with either one.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Louis Farrakhan"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/every-time-we-have-had-a-presidential-election-where-there-is-white/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Black"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/every-time-we-have-had-a-presidential-election-where-there-is-white/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/052/louis-farrakhan-1264_black_every-time-we-have-had-a-presidential-el_1615751.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/052/louis-farrakhan-1264_black_every-time-we-have-had-a-presidential-el_1615751.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/052/louis-farrakhan-1264_black_every-time-we-have-had-a-presidential-el_1615751.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Every time we have had a presidential election where there is \"White or Black,\" you always have to choose…” — Louis Farrakhan",
                "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": "Louis Farrakhan",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Every time we have had a...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/every-time-we-have-had-a-presidential-election-where-there-is-white/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/every-time-we-have-had-a-presidential-election-where-there-is-white/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
