--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was a privilege to serve as the…" description: "\"It was a privilege to serve as the assistant attorney general for civil rights, a role that allowed me to enforce the Civil Rights Act and help make it..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cc/thomas-perez-18754_act_it-was-a-privilege-to-serve-as-the-assis_108447.jpg" --- # It was a privilege to serve as the assistant attorney… ![“It was a privilege to serve as the assistant attorney general for civil rights, a role that allowed me to enforce the Civil Rights Act and help make its promise a reality.” quote by Thomas Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cc/thomas-perez-18754_act_it-was-a-privilege-to-serve-as-the-assis_108447.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cc/thomas-perez-18754_act_it-was-a-privilege-to-serve-as-the-assis_108447.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cc/thomas-perez-18754_act_it-was-a-privilege-to-serve-as-the-assis_108447.jpg) > “It was a privilege to serve as the assistant attorney general for civil rights, a role that allowed me to enforce the Civil Rights Act and help make its promise a reality.” [Thomas Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-perez/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Serving as assistant attorney general for civil rights enabled the speaker to enforce anti‑discrimination law and turn its promises into tangible outcomes. **In simple terms:** Legal role turned civil‑rights ideals into action. Key Takeaway Enforcement actual civil‑rights law matters. Themes civil rights law enforcement public service justice Mood proud inspirational Type professional statement civic reflection When to use this quote - filing discrimination lawsuits - advocating for voting rights - ensuring workplace equality Key Concepts policy implementation Practical Applications - Promote robust civil‑rights enforcement agencies. Questions to Reflect On - What barriers hinder the translation of legal promises into reality? - How can citizens hold officials accountable for civil‑rights enforcement? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attorney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attorney/) [Civil Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-right/) [Civil rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-rights/) [Civil rights act](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-rights-act/) [Help](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/help/) [Privilege](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/privilege/) [Promise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promise/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) ## Related quotes > [Protecting the rights of service members was an important part of my work as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-perez/protecting-the-rights-of-service-members-was-an-important-part-of-my/) [Thomas Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-perez/) > [If I'm with a man, is that going to prevent me from achieving my goal? What sacrifices will I have to make in terms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candace-bushnell/if-i-m-with-a-man-is-that-going-to-prevent-me-from-achieving-my-goal/) [Candace Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candace-bushnell/) > [I can still remember the day, as an assistant U.S. attorney, when I stood up in court for the first time and I proudly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-alito/i-can-still-remember-the-day-as-an-assistant-u-s-attorney-when-i/) [Samuel Alito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-alito/) > [I was an assistant U.S. attorney. I was the associate attorney general of the United States, third-ranking official under Ronald Reagan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/i-was-an-assistant-u-s-attorney-i-was-the-associate-attorney-general/) [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) > [On July 2, 1964, President Johnson signed into law the Civil Rights Act. Its enactment, following the longest continuous debate in the history of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-perez/on-july-2-1964-president-johnson-signed-into-law-the-civil-rights-act/) [Thomas Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-perez/) > [It has been a tremendous privilege to serve the people of Utah during my time in the United States House of Representatives, but my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-matheson/it-has-been-a-tremendous-privilege-to-serve-the-people-of-utah-during/) [Jim Matheson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-matheson/) > [It is an honor and privilege to serve as a member of the 116th Congress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/it-is-an-honor-and-privilege-to-serve-as-a-member-of-the-116th/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [It's a privilege to serve the poor, to be servants of noble Africans, but I better belong in the rehearsal room or in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bono/it-s-a-privilege-to-serve-the-poor-to-be-servants-of-noble-africans/) [Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bono/) > [To all my colleagues at the Department of Justice, let me say that it is a privilege to serve with you. I will do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barr/to-all-my-colleagues-at-the-department-of-justice-let-me-say-that-it/) [William Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barr/) > [ I learned more in those six months \[ in the White House\] than in the prior six years. I don't think that anybody who… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/i-learned-more-in-those-six-months-in-the-white-house-than-in-the/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [It is a privilege to serve people, a privilege that must be earned, and once earned, there is an obligation to do something good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-jordan/it-is-a-privilege-to-serve-people-a-privilege-that-must-be-earned-and/) [Barbara Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-jordan/) > [It's been a great honour and privilege to serve Canadians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-payette/it-s-been-a-great-honour-and-privilege-to-serve-canadians/) [Julie Payette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-payette/) > [“It's a privilege to serve GOD, after all, serving GOD is joy and Happiness”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/it-s-a-privilege-to-serve-god-after-all-serving-god-is-joy-and/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [We must get away from this limited \*I did this and I did that\* and the self-centeredness, that dominates our society Today. It must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacque-fresco/we-must-get-away-from-this-limited-i-did-this-and-i-did-that-and-the/) [Jacque Fresco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacque-fresco/) > [It's been a great privilege to serve the people of Pennsylvania.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlen-specter/it-s-been-a-great-privilege-to-serve-the-people-of-pennsylvania/) [Arlen Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlen-specter/) ## More by Thomas Perez > [Protecting the rights of service members was an important part of my work as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-perez/protecting-the-rights-of-service-members-was-an-important-part-of-my/) [Thomas Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-perez/) > [Every day should be Labor Day. We have to fight for the basic proposition that apprenticeship is a wonderful ticket to the middle class.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-perez/every-day-should-be-labor-day-we-have-to-fight-for-the-basic/) [Thomas Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-perez/) > [Community colleges provide higher education where people live, helping to build strong ladders of opportunity that allow people to secure a foothold in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-perez/community-colleges-provide-higher-education-where-people-live-helping/) [Thomas Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-perez/) > [Donald Trump is an embarrassment to our nation. I mean, every single day you see something else that is an embarrassment to our nation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-perez/donald-trump-is-an-embarrassment-to-our-nation-i-mean-every-single/) [Thomas Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-perez/) > [The typical minimum wage earner is a provider and a breadwinner - most likely a woman - responsible for paying bills, running a household…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-perez/the-typical-minimum-wage-earner-is-a-provider-and-a-breadwinner-most/) [Thomas Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-perez/) > [One of the things the Democratic Party is trying to do is take the word off-year out of our lexicon, because we've tended to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-perez/one-of-the-things-the-democratic-party-is-trying-to-do-is-take-the/) [Thomas Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-perez/) > [One of the problems that Hillary Clinton had, and one of the problems that Democrats still have is people don't really know what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-perez/one-of-the-problems-that-hillary-clinton-had-and-one-of-the-problems/) [Thomas Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-perez/) > [Involvement in my kids' sports teams is something I have made time for over the years. I've also been able to coach all three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-perez/involvement-in-my-kids-sports-teams-is-something-i-have-made-time-for/) [Thomas Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-perez/) > [Every Democrat, like every American, should support a woman's right to make her own choices about her body and her health... At a time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-perez/every-democrat-like-every-american-should-support-a-woman-s-right-to/) [Thomas Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-perez/) > [I've had jobs that allow me the flexibility to achieve work-life balance, to be there when one of the kids sinks a jump shot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-perez/i-ve-had-jobs-that-allow-me-the-flexibility-to-achieve-work-life/) [Thomas Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-perez/) > [President Obama has made a minimum wage increase a focal point of his economic agenda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-perez/president-obama-has-made-a-minimum-wage-increase-a-focal-point-of-his/) [Thomas Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-perez/) > [I continue to believe that America is better positioned than any country on the planet to lead in the 21st century, but we do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-perez/i-continue-to-believe-that-america-is-better-positioned-than-any/) [Thomas Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-perez/) > [Donald Trump and Eddie Gillespie and the Republicans in the Commonwealth of Virginia are the No. 1 impediment to Medicaid expansion. Voters understand that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-perez/donald-trump-and-eddie-gillespie-and-the-republicans-in-the/) [Thomas Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-perez/) > [I firmly believe that the Democrats' message of inclusion and opportunity resonates everywhere. When we talk about health care as a right and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-perez/i-firmly-believe-that-the-democrats-message-of-inclusion-and/) [Thomas Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-perez/) > [It stands to reason: Higher wages means higher loyalty and morale, which means higher productivity, which means a more profitable business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-perez/it-stands-to-reason-higher-wages-means-higher-loyalty-and-morale/) [Thomas Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-perez/) [Explore all 34 Thomas Perez quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-perez/) ## More Act quotes > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [Teachers' unions don't act in the interest of most teachers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sal-khan/teachers-unions-don-t-act-in-the-interest-of-most-teachers/) [Sal Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sal-khan/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [People take years learning how to act; it's a skill, not just a job. If I tried it out and thought I'd be OK,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-fimmel/people-take-years-learning-how-to-act-it-s-a-skill-not-just-a-job-if/) [Travis Fimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-fimmel/) > [Self-discipline is an act of cultivation. It require you to connect today's actions to tomorrow's results. There's a season for sowing a season for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ryan-blair/self-discipline-is-an-act-of-cultivation-it-require-you-to-connect/) [Gary Ryan Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ryan-blair/) > [“Don’t turn your face away. Once you’ve seen, you can no longer act like you don’t know. Open your eyes to the truth. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vashti-quiroz-vega/don-t-turn-your-face-away-once-you-ve-seen-you-can-no-longer-act-like/) Vashti Quiroz-Vega > [I always advise people not to act upon the advice that I give them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-always-advise-people-not-to-act-upon-the-advice-that-i-give-them/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [I have no interest in watching myself act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wesley/i-have-no-interest-in-watching-myself-act/) [Paul Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wesley/) > [“Don't wait, just sweat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/don-t-wait-just-sweat/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [I do believe some people can naturally act and don't know it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-arnold/i-do-believe-some-people-can-naturally-act-and-don-t-know-it/) [Andrea Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-arnold/) > [Regardless of what I do, whether I write a book or whether I act or whether I host, I'll always do stand-up comedy because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howie-mandel/regardless-of-what-i-do-whether-i-write-a-book-or-whether-i-act-or/) [Howie Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howie-mandel/) > [On 'Workaholics,' I feel like I'm just hanging out with my buddies being filmed, but on 'Mindy,' I'm around professional funny people who act.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-holm/on-workaholics-i-feel-like-i-m-just-hanging-out-with-my-buddies-being/) [Anders Holm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-holm/) > [I'm not an artist, and I want to take risks, and when the possibility of failure occurs, it's because the idea is all exciting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-morgan/i-m-not-an-artist-and-i-want-to-take-risks-and-when-the-possibility/) [Peter Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-morgan/) > [I don't have a huge amount of gear, but on the software side, I have a number of plug-in chains that act as abstracted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-hopkins/i-don-t-have-a-huge-amount-of-gear-but-on-the-software-side-i-have-a/) [Jon Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-hopkins/) > [I honestly didn't know that I wanted to act until I was probably 12.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-rae-mayo/i-honestly-didn-t-know-that-i-wanted-to-act-until-i-was-probably-12/) [Miranda Rae Mayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-rae-mayo/) Browse all 1,802 Act quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It was a privilege to serve as the assistant attorney general for civil rights, a role that allowed me to enforce the Civil Rights Act and help make its promise a reality.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Perez" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": 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