--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They don't have special rights because we…" description: "\"They don't have special rights because we have civil rights laws that protect them. The laws work both ways.\" — Tom Allen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4e/tom-allen-19237_civil-rights_they-don-t-have-special-rights-because-w_689716.png" --- # They don't have special rights because we have civil… ![“They don't have special rights because we have civil rights laws that protect them. The laws work both ways.” quote by Tom Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4e/tom-allen-19237_civil-rights_they-don-t-have-special-rights-because-w_689716.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4e/tom-allen-19237_civil-rights_they-don-t-have-special-rights-because-w_689716.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4e/tom-allen-19237_civil-rights_they-don-t-have-special-rights-because-w_689716.png) > “They don't have special rights because we have civil rights laws that protect them. The laws work both ways.” [Tom Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-allen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Argues that civil rights protections apply equally, denying special rights to any group **In simple terms:** Rights are universal, not exclusive Key Takeaway Advocate for equal application of rights Themes equality law social justice Mood serious thoughtful Type political analytical When to use this quote - legislative debates - community meetings - legal advocacy - public education Key Concepts Civil rights law public policy Questions to Reflect On - How can universal rights address specific injustices? - What balance exists between equality and equity? A Different Perspective May ignore historical inequities needing targeted remedies ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civil Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-right/) [Civil rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-rights/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) ## Related quotes > [We are working with the office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties in addressing the challenges with the social media companies to ensure that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-mayorkas/we-are-working-with-the-office-of-civil-rights-and-civil-liberties-in/) [Alejandro Mayorkas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-mayorkas/) > [Just as the white man and every other person on this earth has God-given rights, natural rights, civil rights, any kind of rights that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/just-as-the-white-man-and-every-other-person-on-this-earth-has-god/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [The argument on the other side of special rights is completely bogus. It's bogus because you could make exactly the same claim about racial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-allen/the-argument-on-the-other-side-of-special-rights-is-completely-bogus/) [Tom Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-allen/) > [To me gay rights is the last civil right that we have not granted in America and I think it's an enormous embarrassment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/to-me-gay-rights-is-the-last-civil-right-that-we-have-not-granted-in/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [We're talking about in the Proposition 8 case fundamental rights, civil rights. I offer no apology for the position I took in Prop. 8.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamala-harris/we-re-talking-about-in-the-proposition-8-case-fundamental-rights/) [Kamala Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamala-harris/) > [“When we begin to get in this area, we need new friends, we need new allies. We need to expand the civil-rights struggle to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-james/when-we-begin-to-get-in-this-area-we-need-new-friends-we-need-new/) [Joy James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-james/) > [We adults protect ourselves with laws, police, workplace regulations and social norms and there is no conceivable reason why children should be left more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/we-adults-protect-ourselves-with-laws-police-workplace-regulations/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [It is insufficient to protect ourselves with laws; we need to protect ourselves with mathematics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-schneier/it-is-insufficient-to-protect-ourselves-with-laws-we-need-to-protect/) [Bruce Schneier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-schneier/) > [Discrimination is discrimination no matter who the victim is, and it is always wrong. There are no special rights in America, despite the attempts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-bond/discrimination-is-discrimination-no-matter-who-the-victim-is-and-it/) [Julian Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-bond/) > [Gay Marriage isn't Special Rights, it's Equal Rights. 'Special Rights' are for political churches that don't pay taxes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fugelsang/gay-marriage-isn-t-special-rights-it-s-equal-rights-special-rights/) [John Fugelsang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fugelsang/) > [Animal liberationists do not separate out the human animal, so there is no rational basis for saying that a human being has special rights.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-newkirk/animal-liberationists-do-not-separate-out-the-human-animal-so-there/) [Ingrid Newkirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-newkirk/) > [Fundamentalists tell us to fear the specter of special rights for gay citizens, though of course gay Americans aren't after special rights - merely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-faircloth/fundamentalists-tell-us-to-fear-the-specter-of-special-rights-for-gay/) Sean Faircloth > [The First Amendment does not guarantee the press a constitutional right of special access to information not available to the general public, nor does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-wilson/the-first-amendment-does-not-guarantee-the-press-a-constitutional/) [Pete Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-wilson/) > [Suffering gives us no special rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/suffering-gives-us-no-special-rights/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [They can get married. They can marry a man if they're a woman. Or they can marry a woman if they're a man... there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michele-bachmann/they-can-get-married-they-can-marry-a-man-if-they-re-a-woman-or-they-2/) [Michele Bachmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michele-bachmann/) ## More by Tom Allen > [In this part of the world, only Maine gives winter the welcome and the worship it should have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-allen/in-this-part-of-the-world-only-maine-gives-winter-the-welcome-and-the/) [Tom Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-allen/) > [The mercury rule writers also ignored mercury's special qualities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-allen/the-mercury-rule-writers-also-ignored-mercury-s-special-qualities/) [Tom Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-allen/) > [Despite the increase in world attention toward Sudan in the past months, the genocide in Darfur has continued without any serious attempt by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-allen/despite-the-increase-in-world-attention-toward-sudan-in-the-past/) [Tom Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-allen/) > [I am confident that the British people will not be intimidated by terrorism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-allen/i-am-confident-that-the-british-people-will-not-be-intimidated-by/) [Tom Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-allen/) > [Incivility is a symptom, not the disease. We've always had partisan conflict in Congress, and we always will. Yet when I worked for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-allen/incivility-is-a-symptom-not-the-disease-we-ve-always-had-partisan/) [Tom Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-allen/) > [Family farms and small businesses are the backbone of our communities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-allen/family-farms-and-small-businesses-are-the-backbone-of-our-communities/) [Tom Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-allen/) > [Health care costs blunt the competitive edge of American entrepreneurs, from the auto industry to internet start-ups.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-allen/health-care-costs-blunt-the-competitive-edge-of-american/) [Tom Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-allen/) > [Mercury pollution from power plants is a national problem that requires a national response.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-allen/mercury-pollution-from-power-plants-is-a-national-problem-that/) [Tom Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-allen/) > [While I relish our warm months, winter forms our character and brings out our best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-allen/while-i-relish-our-warm-months-winter-forms-our-character-and-brings/) [Tom Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-allen/) > [The offshore ocean area under U.S. jurisdiction is larger than our land mass, and teems with plant and animal life, mineral resources, commerce, trade,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-allen/the-offshore-ocean-area-under-u-s-jurisdiction-is-larger-than-our/) [Tom Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-allen/) > [But like the rest of the country, Maine has reached an impasse, for most of the mercury that fouls our skies, waters and land…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-allen/but-like-the-rest-of-the-country-maine-has-reached-an-impasse-for/) [Tom Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-allen/) > [President Bush's mercury rule is a gift to the big energy companies that helped put him in office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-allen/president-bush-s-mercury-rule-is-a-gift-to-the-big-energy-companies/) [Tom Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-allen/) > [The Republicans in the House and the Bush administration are bankrupting this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-allen/the-republicans-in-the-house-and-the-bush-administration-are/) [Tom Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-allen/) > [If the parties get too close together they lose their identities, if they get too far apart you're not going to get a whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-allen/if-the-parties-get-too-close-together-they-lose-their-identities-if/) [Tom Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-allen/) > [To do what we are doing in this budget to our children, cutting their health care funds, decreasing opportunity, simply so we can pay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-allen/to-do-what-we-are-doing-in-this-budget-to-our-children-cutting-their/) [Tom Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-allen/) [Explore all 33 Tom Allen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-allen/) ## More Civil rights quotes > [Every one knows that the exercise of military power is forever dangerous to civil rights; and we have had recent instances of violences that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/every-one-knows-that-the-exercise-of-military-power-is-forever/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [I am for freedom of religion, and against all maneuvers to bring about a legal ascendency of one sect over another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-am-for-freedom-of-religion-and-against-all-maneuvers-to-bring-about/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [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/) > [The Patriot Act is certainly a concern; all of those things are dangerous. I think more important than me preaching is that we as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/the-patriot-act-is-certainly-a-concern-all-of-those-things-are/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [American civil rights leader, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? Lynching is a murder. For the past four hundred years our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/american-civil-rights-leader-where-do-we-go-from-here-chaos-or/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [“Why do we apologize for advocating for ourselves? Why do we apologize for taking up space that we are entitled to? Why do we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-tambascio/why-do-we-apologize-for-advocating-for-ourselves-why-do-we-apologize/) Elizabeth Tambascio > [We are a nation of innovators and problem-solvers who sparked revolutions in democratic government, civil rights, communications, flight, rural electrification and technology. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-a-mcchrystal/we-are-a-nation-of-innovators-and-problem-solvers-who-sparked/) [Stanley A. McChrystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-a-mcchrystal/) > [“Mental illness is not something you misunderstand in this era. Get educated because bias is no different than racism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/mental-illness-is-not-something-you-misunderstand-in-this-era-get/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [Civil rights leaders are involved in helping poor people. That's what I've been doing all my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-young/civil-rights-leaders-are-involved-in-helping-poor-people-that-s-what/) [Andrew Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-young/) > [I grew up in the early '60s, and there was a lot of civil rights, a lot of unrest in our country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herm-edwards/i-grew-up-in-the-early-60s-and-there-was-a-lot-of-civil-rights-a-lot/) [Herm Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herm-edwards/) > [The great paradox of the civil rights revolution is that instead of enforcing and expanding equality before the law, the revolution created differential rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-craig-roberts/the-great-paradox-of-the-civil-rights-revolution-is-that-instead-of/) [Paul Craig Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-craig-roberts/) > [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/) > [I do not believe that defending traditional marriage between one man and one woman excludes anybody or usurps anybody's civil rights and denies anybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-autry/i-do-not-believe-that-defending-traditional-marriage-between-one-man/) [Alan Autry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-autry/) > [Truth is on the side of the oppressed today, it's against the oppressor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/truth-is-on-the-side-of-the-oppressed-today-it-s-against-the-oppressor/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [The notion of women being written out of history is as old as the Bible, but it always seems more galling when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-thornberry/the-notion-of-women-being-written-out-of-history-is-as-old-as-the/) [Emily Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-thornberry/) [Browse all 1,552 Civil rights quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-rights/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "They don't have special rights because we have civil rights laws that protect them. 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