--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The state does not oppose the freedom of…" description: "\"“The state does not oppose the freedom of people to express their particular cultural attachments, but nor does it nurture such expression—rather [...]..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da2/will-kymlicka-169664_culture_the-state-does-not-oppose-the-freedom-of_1440748.jpg" --- # The state does not oppose the freedom of people to express… ![“The state does not oppose the freedom of people to express their particular cultural attachments, but nor does it nurture such expression—rather [...] it responds with 'benign neglect' […] The members of ethnic and national groups are protected against discrimination and prejudice, and they are…” quote by Will Kymlicka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da2/will-kymlicka-169664_culture_the-state-does-not-oppose-the-freedom-of_1440748.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da2/will-kymlicka-169664_culture_the-state-does-not-oppose-the-freedom-of_1440748.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da2/will-kymlicka-169664_culture_the-state-does-not-oppose-the-freedom-of_1440748.jpg) > ““The state does not oppose the freedom of people to express their particular cultural attachments, but nor does it nurture such expression—rather \[...\] it responds with 'benign neglect' \[…\] The members of ethnic and national groups are protected against discrimination and prejudice, and they are free to maintain whatever part of their ethnic heritage or identity they wish, consistent with the rights of others. But their efforts are purely private, and it is not the place of public agencies to attach legal identities or disabilities to cultural membership or ethnic identity. This separation of state and ethnicity precludes any legal or governmental recognition of ethnic groups, or any use of ethnic criteria in the distribution of rights, resources, and duties.”” Will Kymlicka ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The state should not recognize ethnic identity legally; cultural expression remains private, avoiding official classification. **In simple terms:** State should stay neutral on ethnic identity. Key Takeaway Respect private cultural expression. Themes state ethnicity culture Mood analytical neutral Type analysis political When to use this quote - policy making - civil liberties - multicultural discourse Key Concepts legal neutrality individual rights Questions to Reflect On - Should the state protect cultural groups? - How to balance privacy and recognition? A Different Perspective Neutrality may ignore systemic inequities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Discrimination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discrimination/) [Ethnic identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethnic-identity/) [Ethnicity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethnicity/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Individuals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individuals/) [Liberalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberalism/) [Liberties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberties/) [Multiculturalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/multiculturalism/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Neutrality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neutrality/) [Prejudice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prejudice/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) ## Related quotes > [Undoubtedly Obama's multi-ethnic heritage is part of his appeal. 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That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-boot/i-find-myself-increasingly-forced-to-think-of-my-ethnic-identity/) [Max Boot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-boot/) > [Start where you are, use what you have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-ashe/start-where-you-are-use-what-you-have/) [Arthur Ashe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-ashe/) > [I started asking friends, my white friends around, I said, "What's something that you think all Asians have in common?" 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Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) [Browse all 15,940 Culture quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The state does not oppose the freedom of people to express their particular cultural attachments, but nor does it nurture such expression—rather [...] it responds with 'benign neglect' […] The members of ethnic and national groups are protected against discrimination and prejudice, and they are free to maintain whatever part of their ethnic heritage or identity they wish, consistent with the rights of others. But their efforts are purely private, and it is not the place of public agencies to attach legal identities or disabilities to cultural membership or ethnic identity. 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