--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Let me put it like this: I am not…" description: "\"Let me put it like this: I am not prepared to officiate over on behalf of the British government what I think is a disastrous strategy which will impac..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cd/martin-mcguinness-9531_disastrous_let-me-put-it-like-this-i-am-not-prepare_3145352.jpg" --- # Let me put it like this: I am not prepared to officiate… ![“Let me put it like this: I am not prepared to officiate over on behalf of the British government what I think is a disastrous strategy which will impact on some of the most vulnerable and poorest people within our society.” quote by Martin McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cd/martin-mcguinness-9531_disastrous_let-me-put-it-like-this-i-am-not-prepare_3145352.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cd/martin-mcguinness-9531_disastrous_let-me-put-it-like-this-i-am-not-prepare_3145352.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cd/martin-mcguinness-9531_disastrous_let-me-put-it-like-this-i-am-not-prepare_3145352.jpg) > “Let me put it like this: I am not prepared to officiate over on behalf of the British government what I think is a disastrous strategy which will impact on some of the most vulnerable and poorest people within our society.” [Martin McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-mcguinness/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He refuses to endorse a policy he believes will harm the most vulnerable, emphasizing moral responsibility over political convenience. **In simple terms:** Speak out against harmful policies. Key Takeaway Stand up for the vulnerable despite political pressure. Themes ethics politics social justice Mood concerned assertive Type political ethical When to use this quote - government decisions - social welfare - community advocacy Key Concepts moral courage policy critique public accountability Questions to Reflect On - What responsibilities do leaders have to protect the disadvantaged? - How can dissent be expressed constructively? A Different Perspective Political constraints may limit ability to act. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Impact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impact/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/) [Strategy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strategy/) ## Related quotes > [COVID-19 has had a major impact on our most vulnerable citizens and their families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-parson/covid-19-has-had-a-major-impact-on-our-most-vulnerable-citizens-and/) [Mike Parson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-parson/) > [If you're actually talking to someone who's been through a disastrous number of years, that only means one thing: They survived it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-ari-parker/if-you-re-actually-talking-to-someone-who-s-been-through-a-disastrous/) [Nicole Ari Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-ari-parker/) > [“I have tried to live with women who share a similar sensibility to mine, with predictably disastrous consequences, but the opposite route seems every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/i-have-tried-to-live-with-women-who-share-a-similar-sensibility-to/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [“Religion has had the disastrous effect of placing vitally important concepts, such as morality, happiness and love, in a supernatural realm inaccessible to man’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-smith/religion-has-had-the-disastrous-effect-of-placing-vitally-important/) [George H. 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Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [My preoccupation has been from the very beginning that I believe that the "Brexit" referendum result is the most disastrous peacetime result that we've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-heseltine/my-preoccupation-has-been-from-the-very-beginning-that-i-believe-that/) [Michael Heseltine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-heseltine/) > [Until higher institutions have been evolved, any attempt to break the old ones will be disastrous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/until-higher-institutions-have-been-evolved-any-attempt-to-break-the/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Nevertheless, the realization that breaking a pencil point would have far less disastrous consequences played little or no role, I believe, in this decision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolph-a-marcus/nevertheless-the-realization-that-breaking-a-pencil-point-would-have/) [Rudolph A. Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolph-a-marcus/) > [Adrian's face was the picture of perfect politeness and restraint, meaning something disastrous was about to happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/adrian-s-face-was-the-picture-of-perfect-politeness-and-restraint/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [I never wanted System to take a hiatus. I think it was a disastrous move for us, because we never reached our peak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolmayan/i-never-wanted-system-to-take-a-hiatus-i-think-it-was-a-disastrous/) [John Dolmayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolmayan/) ## More by Martin McGuinness > [The position is clear - there is no ambiguity in Sinn Fein's position. We, along with all the other parties, have signed up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-mcguinness/the-position-is-clear-there-is-no-ambiguity-in-sinn-fein-s-position/) [Martin McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-mcguinness/) > [The British government needs to bring its system in Ireland under control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-mcguinness/the-british-government-needs-to-bring-its-system-in-ireland-under/) [Martin McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-mcguinness/) > [Well I think it has always been a mistake to reduce the peace process in Ireland to a decommissioning process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-mcguinness/well-i-think-it-has-always-been-a-mistake-to-reduce-the-peace-process/) [Martin McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-mcguinness/) > [That's healthy and good for us that there are people who are prepared to question what we are doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-mcguinness/that-s-healthy-and-good-for-us-that-there-are-people-who-are-prepared/) [Martin McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-mcguinness/) > [World War One is an important part of Ireland's multi-layered history during which tens of thousands Irish people lost their lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-mcguinness/world-war-one-is-an-important-part-of-ireland-s-multi-layered-history/) [Martin McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-mcguinness/) > [I don't cheer when people lose their lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-mcguinness/i-don-t-cheer-when-people-lose-their-lives/) [Martin McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-mcguinness/) > [Along with that ongoing process Sinn Fein took a decision to establish a peace commission which had the responsibility to travel around the country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-mcguinness/along-with-that-ongoing-process-sinn-fein-took-a-decision-to/) [Martin McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-mcguinness/) > [Unlike the Tory millionaires, I live in the heart of the proud working-class community of the Bogside in Derry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-mcguinness/unlike-the-tory-millionaires-i-live-in-the-heart-of-the-proud-working/) [Martin McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-mcguinness/) > [I do not think we can dismiss the contribution that people make, particularly when it is a very dangerous occupation to be involved in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-mcguinness/i-do-not-think-we-can-dismiss-the-contribution-that-people-make/) [Martin McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-mcguinness/) > [I lost a lot of friends at the hands of the British Army. The person who actually introduced me to my wife, Colm Keenan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-mcguinness/i-lost-a-lot-of-friends-at-the-hands-of-the-british-army-the-person/) [Martin McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-mcguinness/) > [Let's leave beside them in another pile all the injustices which exist in the northern state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-mcguinness/let-s-leave-beside-them-in-another-pile-all-the-injustices-which/) [Martin McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-mcguinness/) > [The reality is that the people that we represent are no longer going to be second-class citizens in their own country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-mcguinness/the-reality-is-that-the-people-that-we-represent-are-no-longer-going/) [Martin McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-mcguinness/) > [Freedom can be gained only at the point of an IRA rifle, and I apologize to no one for saying that we support the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-mcguinness/freedom-can-be-gained-only-at-the-point-of-an-ira-rifle-and-i/) [Martin McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-mcguinness/) > [Our ability to make a decision about the declaration is hampered by the British government being reluctant to give us the clarification which we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-mcguinness/our-ability-to-make-a-decision-about-the-declaration-is-hampered-by/) [Martin McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-mcguinness/) > [I am opposed to abortion on demand, and I am opposed to the 1967 Act in Britain being transferred to the north.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-mcguinness/i-am-opposed-to-abortion-on-demand-and-i-am-opposed-to-the-1967-act/) [Martin McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-mcguinness/) [Explore all 72 Martin McGuinness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-mcguinness/) ## More Disastrous quotes > [I never wanted System to take a hiatus. 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Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolph-a-marcus/) > [Until higher institutions have been evolved, any attempt to break the old ones will be disastrous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/until-higher-institutions-have-been-evolved-any-attempt-to-break-the/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [My preoccupation has been from the very beginning that I believe that the "Brexit" referendum result is the most disastrous peacetime result that we've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-heseltine/my-preoccupation-has-been-from-the-very-beginning-that-i-believe-that/) [Michael Heseltine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-heseltine/) > [“It will take centuries to disconnect people from an addiction like religion; no matter how bad and disastrous it could be, but addiction is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/it-will-take-centuries-to-disconnect-people-from-an-addiction-like/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [“My stomach sank. I was in trouble. Big, disastrous, Maddox trouble.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-mcguire/my-stomach-sank-i-was-in-trouble-big-disastrous-maddox-trouble/) [Jamie McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-mcguire/) > [The Citizens United decision has been disastrous for the American people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-kim/the-citizens-united-decision-has-been-disastrous-for-the-american/) [Andy Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-kim/) > [Most poets' revisions are disastrous. They buckle and dent what was originally forged at a red-hot heat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-longley/most-poets-revisions-are-disastrous-they-buckle-and-dent-what-was/) [Michael Longley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-longley/) > [“There's something about Easton that makes me want when I shouldn't, need when I needn't, and desire when I know it'll be disastrous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-bromberg/there-s-something-about-easton-that-makes-me-want-when-i-shouldn-t/) [K. Bromberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-bromberg/) > [A very difficult year is ahead of us. We must continue our efforts with decisiveness, to stay in the euro, to make sure we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-papademos/a-very-difficult-year-is-ahead-of-us-we-must-continue-our-efforts/) [Lucas Papademos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-papademos/) > [“Religion has had the disastrous effect of placing vitally important concepts, such as morality, happiness and love, in a supernatural realm inaccessible to man’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-smith/religion-has-had-the-disastrous-effect-of-placing-vitally-important/) [George H. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-smith/) > [“I have tried to live with women who share a similar sensibility to mine, with predictably disastrous consequences, but the opposite route seems every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/i-have-tried-to-live-with-women-who-share-a-similar-sensibility-to/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [If you're actually talking to someone who's been through a disastrous number of years, that only means one thing: They survived it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-ari-parker/if-you-re-actually-talking-to-someone-who-s-been-through-a-disastrous/) [Nicole Ari Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-ari-parker/) > [Suburban sprawl leads to social atomisation and fragmentation and is environmentally disastrous, as carbon-intensive car journeys displace local shops and replace public transport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rogers/suburban-sprawl-leads-to-social-atomisation-and-fragmentation-and-is/) [Richard Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rogers/) Browse all 92 Disastrous quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Let me put it like this: I am not prepared to officiate over on behalf of the British government what I think is a disastrous strategy which will impact on some of the most vulnerable and poorest people within our society.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Martin McGuinness" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-mcguinness/let-me-put-it-like-this-i-am-not-prepared-to-officiate-over-on-behalf/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Disastrous" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-mcguinness/let-me-put-it-like-this-i-am-not-prepared-to-officiate-over-on-behalf/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cd/martin-mcguinness-9531_disastrous_let-me-put-it-like-this-i-am-not-prepare_3145352.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cd/martin-mcguinness-9531_disastrous_let-me-put-it-like-this-i-am-not-prepare_3145352.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cd/martin-mcguinness-9531_disastrous_let-me-put-it-like-this-i-am-not-prepare_3145352.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Let me put it like this: I am not prepared to officiate over on behalf of the British government what I…” — Martin McGuinness", "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 McGuinness", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-mcguinness/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Let me put it like this:...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-mcguinness/let-me-put-it-like-this-i-am-not-prepared-to-officiate-over-on-behalf/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-mcguinness/let-me-put-it-like-this-i-am-not-prepared-to-officiate-over-on-behalf/#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 } } ] } ```