--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I welcome nonviolent protests as an…" description: "\"I welcome nonviolent protests as an exercise of our great democracy.\" — Shervin Pishevar" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/515/shervin-pishevar-7191_democracy_i-welcome-nonviolent-protests-as-an-exer_1467711.jpg" --- # I welcome nonviolent protests as an exercise of our great… ![“I welcome nonviolent protests as an exercise of our great democracy.” quote by Shervin Pishevar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/515/shervin-pishevar-7191_democracy_i-welcome-nonviolent-protests-as-an-exer_1467711.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/515/shervin-pishevar-7191_democracy_i-welcome-nonviolent-protests-as-an-exer_1467711.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/515/shervin-pishevar-7191_democracy_i-welcome-nonviolent-protests-as-an-exer_1467711.jpg) > “I welcome nonviolent protests as an exercise of our great democracy.” [Shervin Pishevar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shervin-pishevar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocates that peaceful demonstrations are a vital part of democratic participation. **In simple terms:** Peaceful protests support democracy. Key Takeaway Protect the right to protest peacefully. Themes democracy civil rights nonviolent action Mood hopeful determined Type political inspirational When to use this quote - community meetings - policy debates - social movements Key Concepts civic engagement political expression Questions to Reflect On - How can we ensure protests remain nonviolent? - What safeguards protect protest rights? A Different Perspective Protests can be co-opted or suppressed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Exercise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exercise/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great/) [Great Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-democracy-1567182/) [Nonviolent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nonviolent/) [Nonviolent Protests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nonviolent-protests-1748672/) [Our](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our/) [Protests Exercise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protests-exercise-5317570/) [Welcome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/welcome/) [Welcome Nonviolent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/welcome-nonviolent-5317569/) ## Related quotes > [ If we don't pay attention to \[nonviolent protests\], they are invisible, and it's as if they never happened. But I have seen first hand… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-bacha/if-we-don-t-pay-attention-to-nonviolent-protests-they-are-invisible/) [Julia Bacha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-bacha/) > [Ours is a government of liberty by, through, and under the law. A great democracy must be progressive or it will soon cease to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/ours-is-a-government-of-liberty-by-through-and-under-the-law-a-great/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [The fact that we've been a great democracy doesn't mean we will automatically keep being one if we keep waving the flag.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-mailer/the-fact-that-we-ve-been-a-great-democracy-doesn-t-mean-we-will/) [Norman Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-mailer/) > [“A great democracy has got to be progressive or it will soon cease to be great or a democracy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/a-great-democracy-has-got-to-be-progressive-or-it-will-soon-cease-to/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [“All those things happened before the reforms that ended bureaucratic practices. And those reforms made it possible for decisive men to take charge and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andreas-christensen/all-those-things-happened-before-the-reforms-that-ended-bureaucratic/) [Andreas Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andreas-christensen/) > [So many struggled so that all of us could have a voice in this great democracy and live up to the first three words…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/so-many-struggled-so-that-all-of-us-could-have-a-voice-in-this-great/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) > [You think history is going to remember the United States as a great democracy? No, they're going to think of us as a nation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/you-think-history-is-going-to-remember-the-united-states-as-a-great/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [A great democracy must be progressive or it will soon cease to be a great democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/a-great-democracy-must-be-progressive-or-it-will-soon-cease-to-be-a/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [The goal of a great democracy should be fulfillment, not ease. It should be adequacy, not serenity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abram-l-sachar/the-goal-of-a-great-democracy-should-be-fulfillment-not-ease-it/) [Abram L. Sachar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abram-l-sachar/) > [“A grayeyard is not a democracy, and yet death is the great democracy..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/a-grayeyard-is-not-a-democracy-and-yet-death-is-the-great-democracy/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [It's abominable, and it's a disgrace to a great democracy to see what's happened in our country. The main reason for that has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/it-s-abominable-and-it-s-a-disgrace-to-a-great-democracy-to-see-what/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [My joke about Aaron Sorkin is that The West Wing was a great show about democracy, run by Kim Jong-Il!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-whitford/my-joke-about-aaron-sorkin-is-that-the-west-wing-was-a-great-show/) [Bradley Whitford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-whitford/) > [“Compassion can be roughly defined in terms of a state of mind that is nonviolent, nonharming, and nonaggressive. It is a mental attitude based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/compassion-can-be-roughly-defined-in-terms-of-a-state-of-mind-that-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Be nonviolent only with those who are nonviolent to you. And when you can bring me a nonviolent racist, bring me a nonviolent segregationist,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/be-nonviolent-only-with-those-who-are-nonviolent-to-you-and-when-you/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Nonviolent tactics can move into action on our behalf men not naturally inclined to act for us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-deming/nonviolent-tactics-can-move-into-action-on-our-behalf-men-not/) [Barbara Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-deming/) ## More by Shervin Pishevar > [It's easier to get funding for a gas station than to start the next Facebook or Twitter in the Mideast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shervin-pishevar/it-s-easier-to-get-funding-for-a-gas-station-than-to-start-the-next/) [Shervin Pishevar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shervin-pishevar/) > [By 2020, cargo loops should be working. By 2022, we should have people transport working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shervin-pishevar/by-2020-cargo-loops-should-be-working-by-2022-we-should-have-people/) [Shervin Pishevar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shervin-pishevar/) > [We are building a brain trust of leading app talent. These are very highly regarded developers, and SGN is blessed to have them join…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shervin-pishevar/we-are-building-a-brain-trust-of-leading-app-talent-these-are-very/) [Shervin Pishevar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shervin-pishevar/) > [The people that we sometimes start our journeys with are not the people we end the journeys with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shervin-pishevar/the-people-that-we-sometimes-start-our-journeys-with-are-not-the/) [Shervin Pishevar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shervin-pishevar/) > [Separation, I think, in an early-stage company or a startup environment is not a good thing. You need to basically live and breathe the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shervin-pishevar/separation-i-think-in-an-early-stage-company-or-a-startup-environment/) [Shervin Pishevar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shervin-pishevar/) > [Hyperloop is a decades-long effort. You're moving steel and reshaping physical things, so you need government to help you build.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shervin-pishevar/hyperloop-is-a-decades-long-effort-you-re-moving-steel-and-reshaping/) [Shervin Pishevar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shervin-pishevar/) > [Let's feed the world better food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shervin-pishevar/let-s-feed-the-world-better-food/) [Shervin Pishevar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shervin-pishevar/) > [Benchmark has threatened to block investments that could bolster Uber's competitive position in global markets by bargaining over board seats and its own control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shervin-pishevar/benchmark-has-threatened-to-block-investments-that-could-bolster-uber/) [Shervin Pishevar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shervin-pishevar/) > [Americans should boycott Yahoo products until they get the message that freedom is an American ideal, and we're not going to give it up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shervin-pishevar/americans-should-boycott-yahoo-products-until-they-get-the-message/) [Shervin Pishevar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shervin-pishevar/) > [There was a time when events that define the human condition were subject to very limited and time-delayed analysis. In the 21st Century and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shervin-pishevar/there-was-a-time-when-events-that-define-the-human-condition-were/) [Shervin Pishevar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shervin-pishevar/) > [With Hyperloop One, we are on the brink of the first great breakthrough in transportation technology of the 21st century, eliminating the barriers of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shervin-pishevar/with-hyperloop-one-we-are-on-the-brink-of-the-first-great/) [Shervin Pishevar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shervin-pishevar/) > [I think it's the responsibility of people in tech to find solutions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shervin-pishevar/i-think-it-s-the-responsibility-of-people-in-tech-to-find-solutions/) [Shervin Pishevar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shervin-pishevar/) > [We continue to hope that a way can be found for Benchmark to move forward, having profited so handsomely from the work of Travis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shervin-pishevar/we-continue-to-hope-that-a-way-can-be-found-for-benchmark-to-move/) [Shervin Pishevar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shervin-pishevar/) > [As the sixth largest economy in the world, the economic engine of the nation, and provider of a large percentage of the federal budget,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shervin-pishevar/as-the-sixth-largest-economy-in-the-world-the-economic-engine-of-the/) [Shervin Pishevar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shervin-pishevar/) > [The U.A.E. has a progressive vision for transforming its economy, and Hyperloop One plays right into that by increasing access to the region and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shervin-pishevar/the-u-a-e-has-a-progressive-vision-for-transforming-its-economy-and/) [Shervin Pishevar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shervin-pishevar/) [Explore all 93 Shervin Pishevar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shervin-pishevar/) ## More Democracy quotes > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [If the members of parliament no longer consider themselves mandatories of the taxpayers but deputies of those receiving salaries, wages, subsidies, doles, and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/if-the-members-of-parliament-no-longer-consider-themselves/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [For not only every democracy, but certainly every republic, bears within itself the seeds of its own destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-not-only-every-democracy-but-certainly-every-republic-bears/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [There is plenty of time for Republicans to have a Macaca moment. But right now, as of October 17, 2014, the Republican Senate candidates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-continetti/there-is-plenty-of-time-for-republicans-to-have-a-macaca-moment-but/) [Matthew Continetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-continetti/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [ Vote for Donald Trump. You're going to see something and you'll be so happy, you'll be so thrilled. This \[presidential\] election is about every… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/vote-for-donald-trump-you-re-going-to-see-something-and-you-ll-be-so/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Failure to find a way to incorporate political Islam in democracy, however uncomfortable its ideology is for secular liberals, will mean we have given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crispin-blunt/failure-to-find-a-way-to-incorporate-political-islam-in-democracy/) [Crispin Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crispin-blunt/) > [In a democratic nation, power must be linked with responsibility, and obliged to defend and justify itself within the framework of the general good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/in-a-democratic-nation-power-must-be-linked-with-responsibility-and/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [There are certain things you must not say in spite of the fact that supposedly democracy means free speech. No. You are not allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/there-are-certain-things-you-must-not-say-in-spite-of-the-fact-that/) [Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Browse all 11,220 Democracy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I welcome nonviolent protests as an exercise of our great democracy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Shervin Pishevar" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shervin-pishevar/i-welcome-nonviolent-protests-as-an-exercise-of-our-great-democracy/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Democracy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shervin-pishevar/i-welcome-nonviolent-protests-as-an-exercise-of-our-great-democracy/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/515/shervin-pishevar-7191_democracy_i-welcome-nonviolent-protests-as-an-exer_1467711.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/515/shervin-pishevar-7191_democracy_i-welcome-nonviolent-protests-as-an-exer_1467711.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/515/shervin-pishevar-7191_democracy_i-welcome-nonviolent-protests-as-an-exer_1467711.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I welcome nonviolent protests as an exercise of our great democracy.” — Shervin Pishevar", "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": "Shervin Pishevar", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shervin-pishevar/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I welcome nonviolent protests as an...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shervin-pishevar/i-welcome-nonviolent-protests-as-an-exercise-of-our-great-democracy/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shervin-pishevar/i-welcome-nonviolent-protests-as-an-exercise-of-our-great-democracy/#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 } } ] } ```