--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We must face the appalling fact that we…" description: "\"We must face the appalling fact that we have been betrayed by both the Democratic and Republican Parties.\" — Martin Luther King, Jr" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e5/martin-luther-king-jr-127_betrayed_we-must-face-the-appalling-fact-that-we_2026317.png" --- # We must face the appalling fact that we have been betrayed… ![“We must face the appalling fact that we have been betrayed by both the Democratic and Republican Parties.” quote by Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e5/martin-luther-king-jr-127_betrayed_we-must-face-the-appalling-fact-that-we_2026317.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e5/martin-luther-king-jr-127_betrayed_we-must-face-the-appalling-fact-that-we_2026317.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e5/martin-luther-king-jr-127_betrayed_we-must-face-the-appalling-fact-that-we_2026317.png) > “We must face the appalling fact that we have been betrayed by both the Democratic and Republican Parties.” [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The two major parties have failed the public, betraying trust and undermining democratic ideals. **In simple terms:** Both parties have betrayed us, harming democracy. Key Takeaway Demand accountability and seek alternatives. Themes politics betrayal democracy trust civic engagement Mood urgent critical inspirational Type political activist philosophical When to use this quote - voting - activism - community organizing - policy advocacy Key Concepts systemic failure public disillusionment ethical leadership Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens hold parties accountable? - What alternatives exist beyond the two‑party system? A Different Perspective Political realities may limit immediate change, requiring sustained effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Appalling Fact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appalling-fact-3696872/) [Betrayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/betrayed/) [Betrayed Democratic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/betrayed-democratic-521985/) [Democratic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democratic/) [Democratic Republican](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democratic-republican-2381499/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Fact Betrayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fact-betrayed-3696871/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Party](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/party/) [Republican](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republican/) [Republican party](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republican-party/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) ## Related quotes > [The Democratic and Republican parties, two apparently distinct political entities feeding at the same corporate trough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-nader/the-democratic-and-republican-parties-two-apparently-distinct/) [Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/) > [Why should the Democratic and Republican parties be in charge of the debates, especially at a time when the largest block of voters has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/why-should-the-democratic-and-republican-parties-be-in-charge-of-the/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [“What galls you most, old man? The fact that I betrayed you, or the fact that I had the balls to set it right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/what-galls-you-most-old-man-the-fact-that-i-betrayed-you-or-the-fact/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [I believe my friends and neighbors there are misguided. I think they are not going to get what they hoped for. But they feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-carlson/i-believe-my-friends-and-neighbors-there-are-misguided-i-think-they/) [Tucker Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-carlson/) > [Jared Kushner has sort of betrayed the Democratic roots that his family grew up in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ellison/jared-kushner-has-sort-of-betrayed-the-democratic-roots-that-his/) [Sarah Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ellison/) > [There is no Democratic or Republican way of cleaning the streets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-no-democratic-or-republican-way-of-cleaning-the-streets/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Barack Obama is probably the most exciting candidate that either the Democratic or Republican party has produced at least since I've been around. He's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/barack-obama-is-probably-the-most-exciting-candidate-that-either-the/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [Both the Democratic and Republican parties are bought and paid for by corporate America and cater to the needs of the highest bidder as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roseanne-barr/both-the-democratic-and-republican-parties-are-bought-and-paid-for-by/) [Roseanne Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roseanne-barr/) > [There is no such thing as a Democratic or Republican road, bridge, port, airfield or rail system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-foxx/there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-democratic-or-republican-road-bridge-port/) [Anthony Foxx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-foxx/) > [For me, running for office is never about trying to destroy an opponent, be it Democratic or Republican. It really ought to be about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-huckabee/for-me-running-for-office-is-never-about-trying-to-destroy-an/) [Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-huckabee/) > [There is no Democratic or Republican way to fill a pothole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-nutter/there-is-no-democratic-or-republican-way-to-fill-a-pothole/) [Michael Nutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-nutter/) > [I think Donald Trump is a pragmatic sort of populist and who tell people anything in any moment that he wants them to hear,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/i-think-donald-trump-is-a-pragmatic-sort-of-populist-and-who-tell/) [Ben Domenech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/) > [We are all too keenly aware that those of you who supported us by purchasing the 3DS in the beginningmay feel betrayed and criticize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/satoru-iwata/we-are-all-too-keenly-aware-that-those-of-you-who-supported-us-by/) [Satoru Iwata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/satoru-iwata/) > [Nothing brings out the lower traits of human nature like office-seeking. Men of good character and impulses are betrayed by it into all sorts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/nothing-brings-out-the-lower-traits-of-human-nature-like-office/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [Being betrayed by the one you love is the worst feeling in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-betrayed-by-the-one-you-love-is-the-worst-feeling-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Martin Luther King, Jr > [The strong man holds in a living blend strongly marked opposites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-strong-man-holds-in-a-living-blend-strongly-marked-opposites/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Our nation was born in genocide when it embraced the doctrine that the original American, the Indian, was an inferior race. ... We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/our-nation-was-born-in-genocide-when-it-embraced-the-doctrine-that/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Every genuine expression of love grows out of a consistent and total surrender to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/every-genuine-expression-of-love-grows-out-of-a-consistent-and-total/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character--that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-remember-that-intelligence-is-not-enough-intelligence-plus/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I’ve been to the Mountaintop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-ve-been-to-the-mountaintop/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The supreme task is to organize and unite people so that their anger becomes a transforming force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-supreme-task-is-to-organize-and-unite-people-so-that-their-anger/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The great issue of life is to harness the drum major instinct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-great-issue-of-life-is-to-harness-the-drum-major-instinct/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Somebody must have sense enough and morality enough to cut off the chain of hate and the chain of evil in the universe. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somebody-must-have-sense-enough-and-morality-enough-to-cut-off-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Darkness is only driven out with light, not more darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/darkness-is-only-driven-out-with-light-not-more-darkness/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [What seems so necessary today may not even be desirable tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/what-seems-so-necessary-today-may-not-even-be-desirable-tomorrow/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The Negro cannot win the respect of his oppressor by acquiescing; he merely increases the oppressor's arrogance and contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-negro-cannot-win-the-respect-of-his-oppressor-by-acquiescing-he/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The majority of the Negroes who took part in the year-long boycott of Montgomery's buses were poor and untutored; but they understood the essence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-majority-of-the-negroes-who-took-part-in-the-year-long-boycott-of/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Whenever you are engaged in work that serves humanity and is for the building of humanity, it has dignity and it has worth,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/whenever-you-are-engaged-in-work-that-serves-humanity-and-is-for-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-have-a-dream-that-one-day-even-the-state-of-mississippi-a-desert/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) [Explore all 1,210 Martin Luther King, Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) ## More Betrayed quotes > [Being betrayed by the one you love is the worst feeling in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-betrayed-by-the-one-you-love-is-the-worst-feeling-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Nothing brings out the lower traits of human nature like office-seeking. Men of good character and impulses are betrayed by it into all sorts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/nothing-brings-out-the-lower-traits-of-human-nature-like-office/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [We are all too keenly aware that those of you who supported us by purchasing the 3DS in the beginningmay feel betrayed and criticize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/satoru-iwata/we-are-all-too-keenly-aware-that-those-of-you-who-supported-us-by/) [Satoru Iwata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/satoru-iwata/) > [In tragic life, God wot, No villain need be! Passions spin the plot: We are betrayed by what is false within.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-meredith/in-tragic-life-god-wot-no-villain-need-be-passions-spin-the-plot-we/) [George Meredith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-meredith/) > [The mantra of the new historicists was "we have betrayed ourselves." Since their emergence, there have been more or less interesting paradigm shifts having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-fry/the-mantra-of-the-new-historicists-was-we-have-betrayed-ourselves/) [Paul Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-fry/) > [It is less painful, it turns out, to feel betrayed than to feel forgotten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-grosz/it-is-less-painful-it-turns-out-to-feel-betrayed-than-to-feel/) [Stephen Grosz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-grosz/) > [Being betrayed by someone you love just makes you more selective and careful when trying out a new relationship/friendship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-betrayed-by-someone-you-love-just-makes-you-more-selective-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Rome has betrayed itself. It knew the truth and chose violence, it knew humaneness and it chose tyranny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-d-rrenmatt/rome-has-betrayed-itself-it-knew-the-truth-and-chose-violence-it-knew/) [Friedrich Durrenmatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-d-rrenmatt/) > [Those who are successfully to lead their fellow-men, should have once possessed the nobler feelings. We have all known individuals whose magnanimity was not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-helps/those-who-are-successfully-to-lead-their-fellow-men-should-have-once/) [Arthur Helps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-helps/) > [I'm a military man, I did what I did only because my country had to be saved from tribalism and feudalism. If I failed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mengistu-haile-mariam/i-m-a-military-man-i-did-what-i-did-only-because-my-country-had-to-be/) [Mengistu Haile Mariam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mengistu-haile-mariam/) > [To be robbed and betrayed by a fiendish underground conspiracy, or by the earthly agents of Satan, is at least a romantic sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-taibbi/to-be-robbed-and-betrayed-by-a-fiendish-underground-conspiracy-or-by/) [Matt Taibbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-taibbi/) > [“Cathy, don't look so defeated. She was only trying to put us down again. Maybe nothing did work out right for her, but that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-c-andrews/cathy-don-t-look-so-defeated-she-was-only-trying-to-put-us-down-again/) [V.C. Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-c-andrews/) > [When I was young, I had a favorite movie star. One day, I saw one of his movies, and it was bad, and he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/when-i-was-young-i-had-a-favorite-movie-star-one-day-i-saw-one-of-his/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I really had faith in you but you betrayed me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lafee/i-really-had-faith-in-you-but-you-betrayed-me/) [Lafee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lafee/) > [No-one is ever betrayed by true love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaufre-rudel/no-one-is-ever-betrayed-by-true-love/) [Jaufre Rudel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaufre-rudel/) [Browse all 708 Betrayed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/betrayed/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We must face the appalling fact that we have been betrayed by both the Democratic and Republican Parties.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Martin Luther King, Jr" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-face-the-appalling-fact-that-we-have-been-betrayed-by-both/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Betrayed" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-face-the-appalling-fact-that-we-have-been-betrayed-by-both/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e5/martin-luther-king-jr-127_betrayed_we-must-face-the-appalling-fact-that-we_2026317.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e5/martin-luther-king-jr-127_betrayed_we-must-face-the-appalling-fact-that-we_2026317.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e5/martin-luther-king-jr-127_betrayed_we-must-face-the-appalling-fact-that-we_2026317.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We must face the appalling fact that we have been betrayed by both the Democratic and Republican Parties.” — Martin Luther King, Jr", "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": "Martin Luther King, Jr", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We must face the appalling fact...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-face-the-appalling-fact-that-we-have-been-betrayed-by-both/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-face-the-appalling-fact-that-we-have-been-betrayed-by-both/#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 } } ] } ```