--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There were those few, and there will be…" description: "\"“There were those few, and there will be more, who really liked people, loved people—all people. They were the human torches setting aflame the hearts ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/753/saul-alinsky-3048_abolition-of-slavery_there-were-those-few-and-there-will-be-m_488223.png" --- # There were those few, and there will be more, who really… ![“There were those few, and there will be more, who really liked people, loved people—all people. They were the human torches setting aflame the hearts of men so that they passionately fought for the rights of their fellow men, all men. They were hated, feared, and branded as radicals . They wore…” quote by Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/753/saul-alinsky-3048_abolition-of-slavery_there-were-those-few-and-there-will-be-m_488223.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/753/saul-alinsky-3048_abolition-of-slavery_there-were-those-few-and-there-will-be-m_488223.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/753/saul-alinsky-3048_abolition-of-slavery_there-were-those-few-and-there-will-be-m_488223.png) > ““There were those few, and there will be more, who really liked people, loved people—all people. They were the human torches setting aflame the hearts of men so that they passionately fought for the rights of their fellow men, all men. They were hated, feared, and branded as radicals . They wore the epithet of radical as a badge of honor. They fought for the right of men to govern themselves, for the right of men to walk erect as free men and not grovel before kings, for the Bill of Rights, for the abolition of slavery, for public education, and for everything decent and worth while. They loved men and fought for them. Their neighbor’s misery was their misery. They acted as they believed.”” [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocates for human dignity inspire collective action against oppression, using radical identity as pride to achieve universal rights. **In simple terms:** Radical advocates inspire change for all. Key Takeaway Embrace radical empathy and activism. Themes justice activism human rights solidarity Mood determined hopeful defiant Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - civil rights movements - labor organizing - education reform - anti‑slavery campaigns Key Concepts radicalism collective action morality Questions to Reflect On - How can radical movements stay inclusive? - What risks arise from labeling activism as radical? A Different Perspective Radical tactics can alienate moderate allies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abolition of slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abolition-of-slavery/) [Bill of rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bill-of-rights/) [Constitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/) [Liberal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberal/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Public education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-education/) [Radical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/radical/) ## Related quotes > [Men passionately desire to live after death, but they often pass away without noticing the fact that the memory of a really good person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kropotkin/men-passionately-desire-to-live-after-death-but-they-often-pass-away/) [Peter Kropotkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kropotkin/) > [Bluebell had been saying that he knew the men hated us for raiding their crops and gardens, and Toadflax answered, 'That wasn't why they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/bluebell-had-been-saying-that-he-knew-the-men-hated-us-for-raiding/) [Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/) > [White men are hated in America because most are conservative Christians, like those who founded and built our great country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-lee-peterson/white-men-are-hated-in-america-because-most-are-conservative/) [Jesse Lee Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-lee-peterson/) > [“I was not really surprised by what he was saying. A lot of people felt that way. Especially men. There was a quantity of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/i-was-not-really-surprised-by-what-he-was-saying-a-lot-of-people-felt/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [I did believe, from my experience of life and of looking at the world, that men hated women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nuala-o-faolain/i-did-believe-from-my-experience-of-life-and-of-looking-at-the-world/) [Nuala O'Faolain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nuala-o-faolain/) > [I mean I could not trust men again. I hated men. I hated humanity. How on earth can people sell each other?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/i-mean-i-could-not-trust-men-again-i-hated-men-i-hated-humanity-how/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [“I tried not to think about it. But every so often it would burst out of me - why did he do something so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nuala-o-faolain/i-tried-not-to-think-about-it-but-every-so-often-it-would-burst-out/) [Nuala O'Faolain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nuala-o-faolain/) > [Throughout my career I've fought for the rights of women as full and equal members of society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-gillibrand/throughout-my-career-i-ve-fought-for-the-rights-of-women-as-full-and/) [Kirsten Gillibrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-gillibrand/) > [Mary Kom is a woman who stood up alone in a male-dominated field and fought for her rights and what she believed in. Her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyanka-chopra/mary-kom-is-a-woman-who-stood-up-alone-in-a-male-dominated-field-and/) [Priyanka Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyanka-chopra/) > [ I fell in love with the book \[ Brief Interviews with Hideous Men\] and always wanted to do something with and fought to get… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-krasinski/i-fell-in-love-with-the-book-brief-interviews-with-hideous-men-and/) [John Krasinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-krasinski/) > [When I started giving talks about women's history, one of the things that bothered me was the tendency to say, 'Well, everybody was totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-collins/when-i-started-giving-talks-about-women-s-history-one-of-the-things/) [Gail Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-collins/) > [I speak not for myself but for those without voice... those who have fought for their rights... their right to live in peace, their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/i-speak-not-for-myself-but-for-those-without-voice-those-who-have/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [I wrote 'Milk' for me. I wrote it for the younger version of me that had no clue that there are people who'd ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-lance-black/i-wrote-milk-for-me-i-wrote-it-for-the-younger-version-of-me-that-had/) [Dustin Lance Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-lance-black/) > [I speak not for myself, but so those without a voice can be heard. Those who have fought for their rights. Their right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/i-speak-not-for-myself-but-so-those-without-a-voice-can-be-heard/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [“I have loved many men, but only one in real life. All of the other men who have ever stolen my heart in more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyse-m-gardner/i-have-loved-many-men-but-only-one-in-real-life-all-of-the-other-men/) [Alyse M. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyse-m-gardner/) ## More by Saul Alinsky > [The threat is usually more terrifying than the thing itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/the-threat-is-usually-more-terrifying-than-the-thing-itself/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [The very first radical known to man who rebelled against the establishment and did it so effectively that he at least won his own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/the-very-first-radical-known-to-man-who-rebelled-against-the/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [I've never joined any organization - not even the ones I've organized myself. I prize my own independence too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/i-ve-never-joined-any-organization-not-even-the-ones-i-ve-organized/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [Everybody owned stock in the Capone mob; in a way, he was a public benefactor. I remember one time when he arrived at his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/everybody-owned-stock-in-the-capone-mob-in-a-way-he-was-a-public/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [First rule of change is controversy. You can't get away from it for the simple reason all issues are controversial. Change means movement, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/first-rule-of-change-is-controversy-you-can-t-get-away-from-it-for/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [Radicals, on the other hand, want to advance from the jungle of laissez-faire capitalism to a world worthy of the name of human civilization.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/radicals-on-the-other-hand-want-to-advance-from-the-jungle-of-laissez/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it. Cut off the support network and isolate the target from sympathy. Go after people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/pick-the-target-freeze-it-personalize-it-and-polarize-it-cut-off-the/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [The first step in community organization is community disorganization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/the-first-step-in-community-organization-is-community-disorganization/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [Power just goes to two poles — to those who've got money, and those who've got people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/power-just-goes-to-two-poles-to-those-who-ve-got-money-and-those-who/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [The establishment can accept being screwed, but not being laughed at](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/the-establishment-can-accept-being-screwed-but-not-being-laughed-at/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [To the organizer, compromise is a key and beautiful word. It is always present in the pragmatics of operation... If you start with nothing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/to-the-organizer-compromise-is-a-key-and-beautiful-word-it-is-always/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [Power is not only what you have but what the enemy thinks you have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/power-is-not-only-what-you-have-but-what-the-enemy-thinks-you-have/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [The standards of judgment must be rooted in the whys and wherefores of life as it is lived, the world as it is, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/the-standards-of-judgment-must-be-rooted-in-the-whys-and-wherefores/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [Organized business has assumed that greater profits would be pretty much of a cure-all, and it has to a major extent ignored the fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/organized-business-has-assumed-that-greater-profits-would-be-pretty/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [One acts decisively only in the conviction that all the angels are on one side and all the devils on the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/one-acts-decisively-only-in-the-conviction-that-all-the-angels-are-on/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) [Explore all 141 Saul Alinsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) ## More Abolition of slavery quotes > [On this International Day for the Abolition of Slavery let us reaffirm the inherent dignity of all men, women and children. And let us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/on-this-international-day-for-the-abolition-of-slavery-let-us/) [Ban Ki-moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-ki-moon/) > [Colonization was the idea that once slavery ended African-Americans should be encouraged - or required, in some people's view - required to leave the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-foner/colonization-was-the-idea-that-once-slavery-ended-african-americans/) [Eric Foner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-foner/) > [If you didn't have the amalgam of Blacks and African-type sensibility and European sensibility, you wouldn't have jazz. Even in the negative and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/if-you-didn-t-have-the-amalgam-of-blacks-and-african-type-sensibility/) [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) > [I know this well, that if one thousand, if one hundred, if ten men whom I could name,--if ten honest men only,--ay, if one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-know-this-well-that-if-one-thousand-if-one-hundred-if-ten-men-whom/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Britain beat us to the abolition of slavery; the Isle of Man, New Zealand, and Finland all decided to give women the vote well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bari-weiss/britain-beat-us-to-the-abolition-of-slavery-the-isle-of-man-new/) [Bari Weiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bari-weiss/) > [“In 1866, Congress enforced the abolition of slavery by passing a Civil Rights Act, prohibiting actions that it deemed perpetuated the characteristics of slavery.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rothstein/in-1866-congress-enforced-the-abolition-of-slavery-by-passing-a-civil/) [Richard Rothstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rothstein/) > [Many thought that the abolition of slavery, the end of Jim Crow, and the legislative progress of the Civil Rights Era, among other watershed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/opal-tometi/many-thought-that-the-abolition-of-slavery-the-end-of-jim-crow-and/) [Opal Tometi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/opal-tometi/) > [I wish from my soul that the legislature of this State could see the policy of a gradual Abolition of Slavery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/i-wish-from-my-soul-that-the-legislature-of-this-state-could-see-the/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [If Lincoln's primary goal in the War was not the abolition of slavery but simply to preserve the Union, the question arises: Why did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-edward-griffin/if-lincoln-s-primary-goal-in-the-war-was-not-the-abolition-of-slavery/) [G. Edward Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-edward-griffin/) > [“Jesus treats patriarchy the way he treats much else of the law and custom of his time: ambiguously, suggestively, and sometimes subversively, but never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-g-stackhouse-jr/jesus-treats-patriarchy-the-way-he-treats-much-else-of-the-law-and/) [John G. Stackhouse Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-g-stackhouse-jr/) > [“The scriptures present a God who delights in genocide, rape, slavery, and the execution of nonconformists, and for millennia those writings were used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/the-scriptures-present-a-god-who-delights-in-genocide-rape-slavery/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [Slavery is such an atrocious debasement of human nature, that its very extirpation, if not performed with solicitous care, may sometimes open a source…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/slavery-is-such-an-atrocious-debasement-of-human-nature-that-its-very/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Many Southern Plantation owners were working towards the day when they could convert their investment to more profitable industrial production as had been done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-edward-griffin/many-southern-plantation-owners-were-working-towards-the-day-when/) [G. Edward Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-edward-griffin/) > [Justice needs money; it always has . . . whether for abolition of slavery and early women's rights movements or the civil rights and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-nader/justice-needs-money-it-always-has-whether-for-abolition-of-slavery/) [Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/) > [I have always hated slavery, I think as much as any Abolitionist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-have-always-hated-slavery-i-think-as-much-as-any-abolitionist/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) [Browse all 47 Abolition of slavery quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abolition-of-slavery/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“There were those few, and there will be more, who really liked people, loved people—all people. 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