--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I honestly do not know if civil…" description: "\"I honestly do not know if civil disobedience has any effect on the government. I can promise you it has a great effect on the person who chooses to do ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/692/martin-sheen-7550_civil-disobedience_i-honestly-do-not-know-if-civil-disobedi_1408841.jpg" --- # I honestly do not know if civil disobedience has any… ![“I honestly do not know if civil disobedience has any effect on the government. I can promise you it has a great effect on the person who chooses to do it.” quote by Martin Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/692/martin-sheen-7550_civil-disobedience_i-honestly-do-not-know-if-civil-disobedi_1408841.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/692/martin-sheen-7550_civil-disobedience_i-honestly-do-not-know-if-civil-disobedi_1408841.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/692/martin-sheen-7550_civil-disobedience_i-honestly-do-not-know-if-civil-disobedi_1408841.jpg) > “I honestly do not know if civil disobedience has any effect on the government. I can promise you it has a great effect on the person who chooses to do it.” [Martin Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sheen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Civil disobedience may not change policies, but it transforms the participant’s character and resolve. **In simple terms:** Disobedience reshapes the do. Key Takeaway Consider personal growth when protesting. Themes activism personal development ethics Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - political activism - personal reflection - community organizing Key Concepts civic responsibility psychology of protest Questions to Reflect On - How does personal sacrifice affect your commitment? - What internal changes arise from protest? A Different Perspective Impact on society can be limited; personal change is profound. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civil disobedience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-disobedience/) [Disobedience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disobedience/) [Disobedience Effect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disobedience-effect-687212/) [Effect Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effect-government-687211/) [Effect Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effect-person-388745/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Promise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-promise-4959488/) [Honestly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honestly/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Promise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promise/) ## Related quotes > [I honestly do not know if civil disobedience has any effect on the government. 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If you are nurtured and looked after by the right people, you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-mackey/your-circumstances-can-have-an-effect-on-you-as-a-person-if-you-are/) [Emma Mackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-mackey/) > [Once you see the effect on the other person, your joke is no longer funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg/once-you-see-the-effect-on-the-other-person-your-joke-is-no-longer/) [Meg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg/) > [There is an unfortunate side effect of being a person of few words: Sometimes people will assume you are less intelligent than you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-dean/there-is-an-unfortunate-side-effect-of-being-a-person-of-few-words/) [Michelle Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-dean/) > [The world - and America - has been defined by people who haven't necessarily abided by the laws and the rules. Civil disobedience is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-kennedy/the-world-and-america-has-been-defined-by-people-who-haven-t/) [Rory Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-kennedy/) > [ \[Putin\] is a bully. And bullies only understand when we punch them in the nose, but we need to do that economically. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-ayotte/putin-is-a-bully-and-bullies-only-understand-when-we-punch-them-in/) [Kelly Ayotte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-ayotte/) ## More by Martin Sheen > [My first civil disobedience arrest for social justice was in 1986 for protesting the SDI.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sheen/my-first-civil-disobedience-arrest-for-social-justice-was-in-1986-for/) [Martin Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sheen/) > [I don't think abortion is a good idea. I personally am opposed to abortion, but I will not judge anybody else's right in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sheen/i-don-t-think-abortion-is-a-good-idea-i-personally-am-opposed-to/) [Martin Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sheen/) > [I just think that the only way we come to ourselves is through each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sheen/i-just-think-that-the-only-way-we-come-to-ourselves-is-through-each/) [Martin Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sheen/) > [I personally am opposed to abortion, but I will not judge anybody else's right in that regard because I am not a woman and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sheen/i-personally-am-opposed-to-abortion-but-i-will-not-judge-anybody-else/) [Martin Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sheen/) > [We don't choose a life, we live one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sheen/we-don-t-choose-a-life-we-live-one/) [Martin Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sheen/) > [The most satisfying thing in my life and my career is to work with my children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sheen/the-most-satisfying-thing-in-my-life-and-my-career-is-to-work-with-my/) [Martin Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sheen/) > [Childhood hunger in America is as much a paradox as it is a tragedy. Why, in the wealthiest country in the world, should hunger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sheen/childhood-hunger-in-america-is-as-much-a-paradox-as-it-is-a-tragedy/) [Martin Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sheen/) > [On the show, we are not trying to get people to eat their vegetables; we are not trying to get people to become Democrats.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sheen/on-the-show-we-are-not-trying-to-get-people-to-eat-their-vegetables/) [Martin Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sheen/) > [You are equally responsible for your place in the culture, and you must make a contribution, and you must accept responsibility for what goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sheen/you-are-equally-responsible-for-your-place-in-the-culture-and-you/) [Martin Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sheen/) > [I don't think that people in America are really given enough information about the Third World.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sheen/i-don-t-think-that-people-in-america-are-really-given-enough/) [Martin Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sheen/) > [This supposed idyllic society we have is the most confused, warped, addicted society in the history of the world. We are addicted to power,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sheen/this-supposed-idyllic-society-we-have-is-the-most-confused-warped/) [Martin Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sheen/) > [When I reached adulthood, even now, I could afford to belong to a country club. But I could never belong to a private club…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sheen/when-i-reached-adulthood-even-now-i-could-afford-to-belong-to-a/) [Martin Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sheen/) > [The key word about The West Wing is show. It is not a reality show. It has nothing to do with reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sheen/the-key-word-about-the-west-wing-is-show-it-is-not-a-reality-show-it/) [Martin Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sheen/) > [Don't invade Iraq. Inspections work, war won't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sheen/don-t-invade-iraq-inspections-work-war-won-t/) [Martin Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sheen/) > [What we try to say is that it doesn't matter if you are a Republican or a Democrat or conservative or independent. You are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sheen/what-we-try-to-say-is-that-it-doesn-t-matter-if-you-are-a-republican/) [Martin Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sheen/) [Explore all 90 Martin Sheen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sheen/) ## More Civil disobedience quotes > [ \[Putin\] is a bully. And bullies only understand when we punch them in the nose, but we need to do that economically. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-ayotte/putin-is-a-bully-and-bullies-only-understand-when-we-punch-them-in/) [Kelly Ayotte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-ayotte/) > [The world - and America - has been defined by people who haven't necessarily abided by the laws and the rules. Civil disobedience is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-kennedy/the-world-and-america-has-been-defined-by-people-who-haven-t/) [Rory Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-kennedy/) > [When you say 'no' and you get on the streets and you do an act of civil disobedience, it changes your psychology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-bradbrook/when-you-say-no-and-you-get-on-the-streets-and-you-do-an-act-of-civil/) [Gail Bradbrook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-bradbrook/) > [There is all the difference in the world between the criminal's avoiding the public eye and the civil disobedience's taking the law into his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/there-is-all-the-difference-in-the-world-between-the-criminal-s/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [Racial discrimination in elections in Texas is no mere historical artifact. To the contrary, Texas has been found in violation of the Voting Rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/racial-discrimination-in-elections-in-texas-is-no-mere-historical/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [My first civil disobedience arrest for social justice was in 1986 for protesting the SDI.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sheen/my-first-civil-disobedience-arrest-for-social-justice-was-in-1986-for/) [Martin Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sheen/) > [Even here in America, we felt the cool, refreshing breeze of freedom when Nelson Mandela took the seat of Presidency in his country where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/even-here-in-america-we-felt-the-cool-refreshing-breeze-of-freedom/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Civil disobedience is a stimulation for the fighters and a challenge to the opponent, in the present instance, authority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/civil-disobedience-is-a-stimulation-for-the-fighters-and-a-challenge/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“The only word these corporations know is more,” wrote Chris Hedges, former correspondent for the Christian Science Monitor, National Public Radio, and the New York…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-marrs/the-only-word-these-corporations-know-is-more-wrote-chris-hedges/) [Jim Marrs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-marrs/) > [A wise man will not leave the right to the mercy of chance, nor wish it to prevail through the power of the majority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-wise-man-will-not-leave-the-right-to-the-mercy-of-chance-nor-wish/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I became convinced that noncooperation with evil is as much a moral obligation as is cooperation with good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-became-convinced-that-noncooperation-with-evil-is-as-much-a-moral/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [New concepts should be introduced by the power of imagery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coop/new-concepts-should-be-introduced-by-the-power-of-imagery/) [Douglas Coop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coop/) > [Civil disobedience can help to focus attention on a particular injustice. It was used historically to highlight wrongs in society - turning ancient redwood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-brune/civil-disobedience-can-help-to-focus-attention-on-a-particular/) [Michael Brune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-brune/) > [I see a lot of individual action when it comes to environmental questions really as a form of politics as a way of communicating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-jamieson/i-see-a-lot-of-individual-action-when-it-comes-to-environmental/) [Dale Jamieson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-jamieson/) > [“Our legislators have not yet learned the comparative value of free-trade and of freedom, of union, and of rectitude, to a nation. They have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-legislators-have-not-yet-learned-the-comparative-value-of-free/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Browse all 248 Civil disobedience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-disobedience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I honestly do not know if civil disobedience has any effect on the government. 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