--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One of the problems with defending free…" description: "\"One of the problems with defending free speech is you often have to defend people that you find to be outrageous and unpleasant and disgusting.\" — Salm..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/090/salman-rushdie-153_communication_one-of-the-problems-with-defending-free_238076.jpg" --- # One of the problems with defending free speech is you… ![“One of the problems with defending free speech is you often have to defend people that you find to be outrageous and unpleasant and disgusting.” quote by Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/090/salman-rushdie-153_communication_one-of-the-problems-with-defending-free_238076.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/090/salman-rushdie-153_communication_one-of-the-problems-with-defending-free_238076.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/090/salman-rushdie-153_communication_one-of-the-problems-with-defending-free_238076.jpg) > “One of the problems with defending free speech is you often have to defend people that you find to be outrageous and unpleasant and disgusting.” [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Defending free speech often means protecting speech that is offensive or disturbing, which tests our commitment to liberty. **In simple terms:** Free speech defense includes uncomfortable voices. Key Takeaway Defend all speech, even the offensive. Themes free speech ethics controversy rights Mood critical thought‑provoking Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - debates - court cases - public forums - media commentary - academic discourse Key Concepts tolerance civic duty Questions to Reflect On - When does protecting speech become harmful? - How can societies balance free speech with respect? A Different Perspective Defending offensive speech can alienate audiences and provoke backlash. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Defend People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defend-people-842547/) [Disgusting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disgusting/) [Find](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/find/) [Free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free/) [Free speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-speech/) [Outrageous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outrageous/) [Outrageous Unpleasant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outrageous-unpleasant-2393653/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Problems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problems/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) [Speech Defend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech-defend-2063813/) [Unpleasant Disgusting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unpleasant-disgusting-2393654/) ## Related quotes > [But I - and I just think it's very - one of the problems of defending the extraordinary principle of freedom of speech is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/but-i-and-i-just-think-it-s-very-one-of-the-problems-of-defending-the/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [People can do bad things with free speech as well as good. You have to defend the Ku Klux Klan as well as Martin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/people-can-do-bad-things-with-free-speech-as-well-as-good-you-have-to/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [Unfortunately, the problem of the free speech argument is that you have to defend people you can't stand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/unfortunately-the-problem-of-the-free-speech-argument-is-that-you/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [We are accused here of polygamy, and actions the most indelicate, obscene, and disgusting, such that none but a corrupt and depraved heart could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor/we-are-accused-here-of-polygamy-and-actions-the-most-indelicate/) [John Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor/) > [Everybody has a right to be defended, and every lawyer has a duty to defend people accused. And my office is to defend him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-verges/everybody-has-a-right-to-be-defended-and-every-lawyer-has-a-duty-to/) [Jacques Verges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-verges/) > [To see the other side, to defend another people, not despite your tradition but because of it, is the heart of pluralism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eboo-patel/to-see-the-other-side-to-defend-another-people-not-despite-your/) [Eboo Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eboo-patel/) > [I feel no compunction to defend L.A. People criticize it, and for the most part, it's well-founded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-d/i-feel-no-compunction-to-defend-l-a-people-criticize-it-and-for-the/) [Mike D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-d/) > [People have me pinned as a shark or a predator in some way, and in no way am I that. 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If people don't defend their rights, they lose them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-mosley/defend-yourselves-if-people-don-t-defend-their-rights-they-lose-them/) [Max Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-mosley/) > [“Toxic people choose to judge you and treat you bad, based on their assumptions and perceptions they have about you, not based on what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/de-philosopher-dj-kyos/toxic-people-choose-to-judge-you-and-treat-you-bad-based-on-their/) [De philosopher DJ Kyos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/de-philosopher-dj-kyos/) > [We will defend our people and uphold our values through strength of arms and rule of law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-will-defend-our-people-and-uphold-our-values-through-strength-of/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“It's natural for a man to defend what's dear to him: his own life, his home, his family. But in order to make him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-brunner/it-s-natural-for-a-man-to-defend-what-s-dear-to-him-his-own-life-his/) [John Brunner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-brunner/) > [The best defense for any group of people is what we do to defend other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-simmons/the-best-defense-for-any-group-of-people-is-what-we-do-to-defend/) [Russell Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-simmons/) > [“She had to defend him in order to defend herself. That was why people were so prickly about their partners, even their ex-partners. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/she-had-to-defend-him-in-order-to-defend-herself-that-was-why-people/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [I’ll always defend the people I love even though I’m as terrifying as a baby penguin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niall-horan/i-ll-always-defend-the-people-i-love-even-though-i-m-as-terrifying-as/) [Niall Horan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niall-horan/) ## More by Salman Rushdie > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [It's a terrible thing that your life turns into a good story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/it-s-a-terrible-thing-that-your-life-turns-into-a-good-story/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [Sometimes by a woodland stream he watched the water rush over the pebbled bed, its tiny modulations of bounce and flow. A woman's body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/sometimes-by-a-woodland-stream-he-watched-the-water-rush-over-the/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [I want to write novels. I want to write stories. 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I remember in 1989, two months before the fall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/i-m-not-a-prophet-but-i-always-thought-it-was-natural-for/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [I'd wanted to create a storm so that I could become more famous and richer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/i-d-wanted-to-create-a-storm-so-that-i-could-become-more-famous-and/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [Who what am I? 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