--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Imagine that -- a country that's supposed…" description: "\"Imagine that -- a country that's supposed to be a democracy, supposed to be for freedom and all of that kind of stuff when they want to draft you and p..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c32/malcolm-x-213_all-night_imagine-that-a-country-that-s-supposed-t_2478289.jpg" --- # Imagine that -- a country that's supposed to be a… ![“Imagine that -- a country that's supposed to be a democracy, supposed to be for freedom and all of that kind of stuff when they want to draft you and put you in the army and send you to Saigon to fight for them -- and then you've got to turn around and all night long discuss how you're going to…” quote by Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c32/malcolm-x-213_all-night_imagine-that-a-country-that-s-supposed-t_2478289.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c32/malcolm-x-213_all-night_imagine-that-a-country-that-s-supposed-t_2478289.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c32/malcolm-x-213_all-night_imagine-that-a-country-that-s-supposed-t_2478289.jpg) > “Imagine that -- a country that's supposed to be a democracy, supposed to be for freedom and all of that kind of stuff when they want to draft you and put you in the army and send you to Saigon to fight for them -- and then you've got to turn around and all night long discuss how you're going to just get a right to register and vote without being murdered. Why, that's the most hypocritical government since the world began!” [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Democracy is hypocritical when it forces citizens to fight wars while denying their basic rights. **In simple terms:** Democracy fails when it contradicts its own freedoms. Key Takeaway Demand consistency between rights and duties. Themes politics freedom hypocrisy Mood critical provocative Type political philosophical When to use this quote - voting - military service - civil protest - policy debate Key Concepts civil rights military conscription Questions to Reflect On - What responsibilities do citizens have in such a system? - How can societies reconcile war and liberty? A Different Perspective Balancing national security with individual liberty is complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Saigon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saigon/) [Vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vote/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Are we Pakistanis, children of a lesser God? Is there one law for the west and one for us? Is our democracy supposed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imran-khan/are-we-pakistanis-children-of-a-lesser-god-is-there-one-law-for-the/) [Imran Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imran-khan/) > [Ever since our country came into existence, we have always assumed that we are better than the Arabs. But we are noticing that these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/ever-since-our-country-came-into-existence-we-have-always-assumed/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) > [“Democracy was supposed to champion freedom of speech, and yet the simple rules of table decorum could clamp down on the rights their forefathers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-a-bucchianeri/democracy-was-supposed-to-champion-freedom-of-speech-and-yet-the/) [E.A. Bucchianeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-a-bucchianeri/) > [American democracy is supposed to be the paradigm for the rest of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-f-kennedy-jr/american-democracy-is-supposed-to-be-the-paradigm-for-the-rest-of-the-2/) [Robert F. Kennedy, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-f-kennedy-jr/) > [If there was one decision I would overrule, it would be Citizens United. I think the notion that we have all the democracy that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-there-was-one-decision-i-would-overrule-it-would-be-citizens/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [American democracy is supposed to be the paradigm for the rest of the world, and it no longer is. Citizens cannot be guaranteed that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-f-kennedy-jr/american-democracy-is-supposed-to-be-the-paradigm-for-the-rest-of-the/) [Robert F. Kennedy, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-f-kennedy-jr/) > [I can't think of anything that would do more toward putting us back on the road to liberty and personal responsibility than for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-boortz/i-can-t-think-of-anything-that-would-do-more-toward-putting-us-back/) [Neal Boortz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-boortz/) > [“In a democracy, there is no check against despotism, because the principle of democracy is supposed to be itself a check. But it guarantees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-f-skinner-2/in-a-democracy-there-is-no-check-against-despotism-because-the/) [B.F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner-2/) > [“Democracy is supposed to be ‘of the people, by the people and for the people’. Capitalism is ‘of the capitalist, for the capitalist’. Period.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-ash/democracy-is-supposed-to-be-of-the-people-by-the-people-and-for-the/) [Jerry Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-ash/) > [I think the notion that we have all the democracy that money can buy strays so far from what our democracy is supposed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/i-think-the-notion-that-we-have-all-the-democracy-that-money-can-buy/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [“Ever since I was a kid, I've just done what was assigned, made an A on it, and then waited for somebody to give me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-w-griggs/ever-since-i-was-a-kid-i-ve-just-done-what-was-assigned-made-an-a-on/) Robert W Griggs > [One person, one vote' is what democracy is supposed to be about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-o-meara-sanders/one-person-one-vote-is-what-democracy-is-supposed-to-be-about/) [Jane O'Meara Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-o-meara-sanders/) > [The black man in America's position is parallel with that of the Jews, especially when the Jews were in bondage under Pharaoh. And at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/the-black-man-in-america-s-position-is-parallel-with-that-of-the-jews/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Only the whites in the South aren't hypocritical about it. You don't find any more inter - there is just as much social intermixing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/only-the-whites-in-the-south-aren-t-hypocritical-about-it-you-don-t/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Any form of integration, forced integration, any - any - any effort to force integration upon whites is actually hypocritical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/any-form-of-integration-forced-integration-any-any-any-effort-to/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) ## More by Malcolm X > [If Christianity had asserted itself in Germany, six million Jews would have lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/if-christianity-had-asserted-itself-in-germany-six-million-jews-would/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Adam Clayton Powell's entire political career has to be looked at in the entire context of the American history and the history of, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/adam-clayton-powell-s-entire-political-career-has-to-be-looked-at-in/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [American civil rights leader, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? Lynching is a murder. For the past four hundred years our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/american-civil-rights-leader-where-do-we-go-from-here-chaos-or/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Be nonviolent only with those who are nonviolent to you. And when you can bring me a nonviolent racist, bring me a nonviolent segregationist,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/be-nonviolent-only-with-those-who-are-nonviolent-to-you-and-when-you/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [You can't legislate good will - that comes through education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/you-can-t-legislate-good-will-that-comes-through-education/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Truth is on the side of the oppressed today, it's against the oppressor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/truth-is-on-the-side-of-the-oppressed-today-it-s-against-the-oppressor/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Those type of whites who are always going to jail with Negroes are the ones who tell Negroes to be loving and be kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/those-type-of-whites-who-are-always-going-to-jail-with-negroes-are/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [We Muslims believe that the white race, which is guilty of having oppressed and exploited and enslaved our people here in America, should and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/we-muslims-believe-that-the-white-race-which-is-guilty-of-having/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I mean a real police state just to get a token recognition of a law. It take, it took, I think, 15,000 troops and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/i-mean-a-real-police-state-just-to-get-a-token-recognition-of-a-law/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Like Samson, I am ready to pull down the white man's temple, knowing full well that I will be destroyed by the falling rubble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/like-samson-i-am-ready-to-pull-down-the-white-man-s-temple-knowing/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Any negro who occupies a position that was given to him by the white man, if you analyze his function, his function never enables…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/any-negro-who-occupies-a-position-that-was-given-to-him-by-the-white/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Stumbling is not falling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/stumbling-is-not-falling/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [God is going to punish the white man for his misdeeds toward black people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/god-is-going-to-punish-the-white-man-for-his-misdeeds-toward-black/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Much of what I say might sound like it's stirring up trouble, but it's the truth!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/much-of-what-i-say-might-sound-like-it-s-stirring-up-trouble-but-it-s/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I believe in the brotherhood of all men, but I don't believe in wasting brotherhood on anyone who doesn't want to practice it with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/i-believe-in-the-brotherhood-of-all-men-but-i-don-t-believe-in/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) [Explore all 891 Malcolm X quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) ## More All night quotes > [Every wife ought to answer for her man. If the husband be engaged in a seditious club, or drinks mysterious healths, or be frugal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/every-wife-ought-to-answer-for-her-man-if-the-husband-be-engaged-in-a/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [I'm neurotic in the sense that I can have a crowd of 300 people cheering you, applauding you, standing O, but one guy come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-white/i-m-neurotic-in-the-sense-that-i-can-have-a-crowd-of-300-people/) [Wayne White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-white/) > [ Senator \[Tom\] Cotton has campaigned on wanting to kill Obamacare. He voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act back in January, but he now… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/senator-tom-cotton-has-campaigned-on-wanting-to-kill-obamacare-he/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [Teenagers complain there's nothing to do, then stay out all night doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-phillips/teenagers-complain-there-s-nothing-to-do-then-stay-out-all-night/) [Bob Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-phillips/) > [Few, if any, creatures are equally active all night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/few-if-any-creatures-are-equally-active-all-night/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Everyone has seen people dancing all night. But take a man and make him dance for a quarter of an hour without music and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-de-saxe/everyone-has-seen-people-dancing-all-night-but-take-a-man-and-make/) [Maurice de Saxe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-de-saxe/) > [Never walk near the bed; to a ghost your ankle is your most vulnerable part-once in bed, you're safe; he may lie around under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/never-walk-near-the-bed-to-a-ghost-your-ankle-is-your-most-vulnerable/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [I think I fully commit myself to any role to the extent to which I can. In other words there's some roles that maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-think-i-fully-commit-myself-to-any-role-to-the-extent-to-which-i/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [I memorize my lines and I show up. I think it's just instinctual, and sometimes it's wrong and the director says, "No, do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lawrence/i-memorize-my-lines-and-i-show-up-i-think-it-s-just-instinctual-and/) [Jennifer Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lawrence/) > [I feel like a midget with muddy feet had been walking over my tongue all night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-c-fields/i-feel-like-a-midget-with-muddy-feet-had-been-walking-over-my-tongue/) [W. C. Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-fields/) > [If I walk into a place, a party, say, and there's a bookshelf, I immediately gravitate toward it. Unless there's a bar. But even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-evison/if-i-walk-into-a-place-a-party-say-and-there-s-a-bookshelf-i/) [Jonathan Evison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-evison/) > [When you're doing a play you get to go full speed ahead, all night, in front of an audience. 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He stayed up all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/basically-ken-is-a-very-gentle-home-loving-person-i-remember-when-one/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) Browse all 335 All night quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Imagine that -- a country that's supposed to be a democracy, supposed to be for freedom and all of that kind of stuff when they want to draft you and put you in the army and send you to Saigon to fight for them -- and then you've got to turn around and all night long discuss how you're going to just get a right to register and vote without being murdered. 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