In Other Words

"The right to be heard does not automatically include the right to be taken seriously."

-- Hubert H. Humphrey

Just because you might be able to say something outloud doesn't necessarily give you the "right" to be heard. The idea of "rights" is interesting. We don't have a lot of "rights" except those guaranteed by our constitution - and even then those are at risk of being taken away.

But I think the point of this quote is the idea that just because you speak doesn't mean others must take you seriously. We do have an innate desire to be heard and valued. But we need to give up this idea of "rights". And the how of what we say can be just as imnportant as the what we say, for that will often dictate whether people listen to us or not. Communication at its best is difficult and at its worst can be a disaster.