--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You do not take a person who, for years…" description: "\"You do not take a person who, for years, has been hobbled by chains and liberate him, bring him up to the starting line of a race and then say, \"you ar..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e3/lyndon-b-johnson-684_action_you-do-not-take-a-person-who-for-years-h_2050618.jpg" --- # You do not take a person who, for years, has been hobbled… ![“You do not take a person who, for years, has been hobbled by chains and liberate him, bring him up to the starting line of a race and then say, "you are free to compete with all the others," and still justly believe that you have been completely fair. We seek not just legal equity but human…” quote by Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e3/lyndon-b-johnson-684_action_you-do-not-take-a-person-who-for-years-h_2050618.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e3/lyndon-b-johnson-684_action_you-do-not-take-a-person-who-for-years-h_2050618.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e3/lyndon-b-johnson-684_action_you-do-not-take-a-person-who-for-years-h_2050618.jpg) > “You do not take a person who, for years, has been hobbled by chains and liberate him, bring him up to the starting line of a race and then say, "you are free to compete with all the others," and still justly believe that you have been completely fair. We seek not just legal equity but human ability, not just equality as a right and a theory but equality as a fact and equality as a result.” [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True fairness requires more than legal rights; it demands equal capability and opportunity, not just formal equality. **In simple terms:** Equality must be real, not just legal. Key Takeaway Ensure equal ability, not just equal rights. Themes civil rights justice equity Mood inspirational urgent Type political philosophical When to use this quote - education reform - job training - healthcare access Key Concepts capability fairness systemic barriers Questions to Reflect On - What policies can build real capability? - How to measure equality as a result? A Different Perspective Legal equality alone cannot fix structural disadvantages. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Affirmative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affirmative/) [Affirmative action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affirmative-action/) [Chains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chains/) [Equality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equality/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) ## Related quotes > [You do not take a man who for years has been hobbled by chains, liberate him, bring him to the starting line of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/you-do-not-take-a-man-who-for-years-has-been-hobbled-by-chains/) [Lyndon B. 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I see people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-keyes/i-read-american-sagas-of-the-west-and-i-do-not-see-people-who-went-in/) [Alan Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-keyes/) > [Affirmative action was designed to recognize the uniquely difficult journey of African-Americans. This policy was justifiable and understandable, even to those who came from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-webb/affirmative-action-was-designed-to-recognize-the-uniquely-difficult/) [Jim Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-webb/) > [Without application of the mind; there is no drive for taking affirmative action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mercado/without-application-of-the-mind-there-is-no-drive-for-taking/) [Joseph Mercado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mercado/) > [The fact is that in too many parts of our country, we still have discrimination. And affirmative action is not just something that applies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/the-fact-is-that-in-too-many-parts-of-our-country-we-still-have/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) ## More by Lyndon B. Johnson > [There is something more important than any ultimate weapon. That is the ultimate position-the position of total control over Earth that lies somewhere out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/there-is-something-more-important-than-any-ultimate-weapon-that-is/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [Each year more than 100,000 high school graduates, with proved ability, do not enter college because they cannot afford it. And if we cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/each-year-more-than-100-000-high-school-graduates-with-proved-ability/) [Lyndon B. 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Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [I don't believe I'll ever get credit for anything I do in foreign affairs, no matter how successful it is, because I didn't go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/i-don-t-believe-i-ll-ever-get-credit-for-anything-i-do-in-foreign/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [There are no favorites in my office. I treat them all with the same general inconsideration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/there-are-no-favorites-in-my-office-i-treat-them-all-with-the-same/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [I'm the only president you've got.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/i-m-the-only-president-you-ve-got/) [Lyndon B. 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