--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We must now, in the 21st century, protect…" description: "\"We must now, in the 21st century, protect democracy, one which rests on fundamental rights for all, regardless of skin color, gender, race or religion...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95b/martin-schulz-2953_21st-century_we-must-now-in-the-21st-century-protect_2958666.jpg" --- # We must now, in the 21st century, protect democracy, one… ![“We must now, in the 21st century, protect democracy, one which rests on fundamental rights for all, regardless of skin color, gender, race or religion. Nothing less than that is at stake.” quote by Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95b/martin-schulz-2953_21st-century_we-must-now-in-the-21st-century-protect_2958666.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95b/martin-schulz-2953_21st-century_we-must-now-in-the-21st-century-protect_2958666.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95b/martin-schulz-2953_21st-century_we-must-now-in-the-21st-century-protect_2958666.jpg) > “We must now, in the 21st century, protect democracy, one which rests on fundamental rights for all, regardless of skin color, gender, race or religion. Nothing less than that is at stake.” [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Democracy depends on universal rights; protecting them is essential for society’s future. **In simple terms:** Democracy needs equal rights for all; protect them. Key Takeaway Defend fundamental rights for everyone. Themes democracy human rights equality Mood serious hopeful Type inspirational informative When to use this quote - policy making - activism - education programs Key Concepts political theory civil liberties Questions to Reflect On - How can societies safeguard rights against erosion? - What role do citizens play in protecting democracy? A Different Perspective Rights can be contested in politics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [21st century](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/21st-century/) [Century](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/century/) [Color](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/color/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Fundamental rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamental-rights/) [Fundamentals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamentals/) [Gender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gender/) [Protect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protect/) [Protect Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protect-democracy-532581/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Rights Regardless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights-regardless-4200830/) [Skin color](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skin-color/) [Skins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skins/) [Stakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stakes/) ## Related quotes > [I am firmly committed to equality for everybody, because your rights are my rights regardless of who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/humza-yousaf/i-am-firmly-committed-to-equality-for-everybody-because-your-rights/) [Humza Yousaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/humza-yousaf/) > [We have to protect our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-haaland/we-have-to-protect-our-democracy/) [Deb Haaland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-haaland/) > [We've got to protect democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-hoyle/we-ve-got-to-protect-democracy/) [Lindsay Hoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-hoyle/) > [I will protect democracy with my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thaksin-shinawatra/i-will-protect-democracy-with-my-life/) [Thaksin Shinawatra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thaksin-shinawatra/) > [It is not the armed forces which can protect our democracy. It is the moral strength of democracy which alone can give any meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lerner/it-is-not-the-armed-forces-which-can-protect-our-democracy-it-is-the/) [Max Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lerner/) > [I believe our country has to do whatever we can do to protect ourselves-we're king of the hill. We need to protect democracy and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yune/i-believe-our-country-has-to-do-whatever-we-can-do-to-protect/) [Rick Yune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yune/) > [We still have a lot of work to do to protect our own democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/we-still-have-a-lot-of-work-to-do-to-protect-our-own-democracy/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [We're talking about in the Proposition 8 case fundamental rights, civil rights. I offer no apology for the position I took in Prop. 8.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamala-harris/we-re-talking-about-in-the-proposition-8-case-fundamental-rights/) [Kamala Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamala-harris/) > [What libertarians assert is simply that differences among normal adults do not imply different fundamental rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-g-palmer/what-libertarians-assert-is-simply-that-differences-among-normal/) [Tom G. Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-g-palmer/) > [Sometimes I feel I have more faith in European ideals than some of my British or French friends. 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If it comes from the state, he really can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-klusendorf/here-s-the-problem-for-the-secularist-where-does-the-right-to-an/) [Scott Klusendorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-klusendorf/) > [We physicians have focused on the nuclear threat as the singular issue of our era. We are not indifferent to other human rights and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-lown/we-physicians-have-focused-on-the-nuclear-threat-as-the-singular/) [Bernard Lown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-lown/) > [India's democracy where over 1 billion people have a voice in deciding their future is a world example of how governance can incorporate diversity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/india-s-democracy-where-over-1-billion-people-have-a-voice-in/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) ## More by Martin Schulz > [Things are going well in Germany because the economy is booming and as an export-driven nation, we are profiting from the fact that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/things-are-going-well-in-germany-because-the-economy-is-booming-and/) [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) > [We have committed ourselves to pursue joint policies, but then national governments say, "We aren't bound by that." That is a dramatic situation, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/we-have-committed-ourselves-to-pursue-joint-policies-but-then/) [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) > [It was clear to me that the White House's solemn atmosphere would not civilize Trump. But the merciless nepotism with which he conducts politics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/it-was-clear-to-me-that-the-white-house-s-solemn-atmosphere-would-not/) [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) > [For me, respect is an extremely important political term. Since I began campaigning, it has been at the heart of each of my speeches.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/for-me-respect-is-an-extremely-important-political-term-since-i-began/) [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) > [European policy is always an interplay of rationality and emotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/european-policy-is-always-an-interplay-of-rationality-and-emotion/) [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) > [When it comes to climate protection, the whole world will have to pay the price. But if Donald Trump intends to conclude a trade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/when-it-comes-to-climate-protection-the-whole-world-will-have-to-pay/) [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) > [The EU is a community of values, not military buildups.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/the-eu-is-a-community-of-values-not-military-buildups/) [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) > [The old fundamental principles must continue to apply, even in our changing society: Democracy knows neither master nor slave. Equal education opportunities for all,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/the-old-fundamental-principles-must-continue-to-apply-even-in-our/) [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) > [I would have oriented myself in case of Donald Trump according to what former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder said to then - U.S. President…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/i-would-have-oriented-myself-in-case-of-donald-trump-according-to/) [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) > [We are in the middle of a tough, ideological conflict that is being waged across the entire continent. On the one side are those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/we-are-in-the-middle-of-a-tough-ideological-conflict-that-is-being/) [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) > [You have to let the people vote when it comes to a new constitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/you-have-to-let-the-people-vote-when-it-comes-to-a-new-constitution/) [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) > [The share of wealth held by the minority is much greater than the share held by the majority. We have to draw our own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/the-share-of-wealth-held-by-the-minority-is-much-greater-than-the/) [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) > [France is ready for a European revolution and it is Germany that is pulling the brakes. For a long time, it was the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/france-is-ready-for-a-european-revolution-and-it-is-germany-that-is/) [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) > [Trump believes politics is a staged fight. But it is not. Still, clear words are sometimes needed in politics. In that sense, I believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/trump-believes-politics-is-a-staged-fight-but-it-is-not-still-clear/) [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) > [Many who have voted for the AfD, or who intend to do so, aren't doing so because they are dyed-in-the-wool enemies of democracy. Rather,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/many-who-have-voted-for-the-afd-or-who-intend-to-do-so-aren-t-doing/) [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) [Explore all 144 Martin Schulz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) ## More 21st century quotes > [The young people today are the 21st century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/the-young-people-today-are-the-21st-century/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) > [“You know it’s the 21st Century when someone TEXTS you from the washroom to ask you to bring them a roll of toilet paper.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/comic-strip-mama/you-know-it-s-the-21st-century-when-someone-texts-you-from-the/) [Comic Strip Mama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/comic-strip-mama/) > [“I am made of a thousand ghosts. Only you can shoot me down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-james/i-am-made-of-a-thousand-ghosts-only-you-can-shoot-me-down/) [Bella James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-james/) > [Like many others, I have deep misgivings about the state of education in the United States. Too many of our students fail to graduate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/like-many-others-i-have-deep-misgivings-about-the-state-of-education/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Undeniably, character does count for our citizens, out communities, and our Nation, and this week we celebrate the importance of character in our individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/undeniably-character-does-count-for-our-citizens-out-communities-and/) [William J. 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In the 21st…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scar-arias/the-20th-century-has-been-marked-by-cynicism-selfishness-greed-and/) [Óscar Arias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scar-arias/) > [I firmly believe that the mission of religion in the 21st century must be to contribute concretely to the peaceful coexistence of humankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisaku-ikeda/i-firmly-believe-that-the-mission-of-religion-in-the-21st-century/) [Daisaku Ikeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisaku-ikeda/) > [Facebook, Twitter...Welcome to The 21st Century...Where Someone can stalk you without leaving the couch!..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/facebook-twitter-welcome-to-the-21st-century-where-someone-can-stalk/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Human Race is all over universe! And I am the first person to inform you. 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