---
title: "At a time like this, scorching irony, not convincing argument, is nee… — Frederick Douglass Quote #30 | QuotesBy.net"
description: "At a time like this, scorching irony, not convincing argument, is needed. O! had I the ability, and could reach the nation's ear, I would, to-day, po… — a quote by Frederick Douglass."
image: "https://quotesby.net/wp-content/themes/quotesby-editorial/assets/og-default.png"
---

> # At a time like this, scorching irony, not convincing argument, is needed. O! had I the ability, and could reach the nation's ear, I would, to-day, pour out a fiery stream of biting ridicule, blasting reproach, withering sarcasm, and stern rebuke. For it is not light that is needed, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake. The feeling of the nation must be quickened; the conscience of the nation must be roused; the propriety of the nation must be startled; the hypocrisy of the nation must be exposed; and its crimes against God and man must be proclaimed and denounced.

[Frederick Douglass](https://quotesby.net/Frederick-Douglass)\#30[WhatsApp (opens in a new tab)](https://wa.me/?text=%E2%80%9CAt%20a%20time%20like%20this%2C%20scorching%20irony%2C%20not%20convincing%20argument%2C%20is%20needed.%20O%21%20had%20I%20the%20ability%2C%20and%20could%20reach%20the%20nation%27s%20ear%2C%20I%20would%2C%20to-day%2C%20pour%20out%20a%20fiery%20stream%20of%20biting%20ridicule%2C%20blasting%20reproach%2C%20withering%20sarcasm%2C%20and%20stern%20rebuke.%20For%20it%20is%20not%20light%20that%20is%20needed%2C%20but%20fire%3B%20it%20is%20not%20the%20gentle%20shower%2C%20but%20thunder.%20We%20need%20the%20storm%2C%20the%20whirlwind%2C%20and%20the%20earthquake.%20The%20feeling%20of%20the%20nation%20must%20be%20quickened%3B%20the%20conscience%20of%20the%20nation%20must%20be%20roused%3B%20the%20propriety%20of%20the%20nation%20must%20be%20startled%3B%20the%20hypocrisy%20of%20the%20nation%20must%20be%20exposed%3B%20and%20its%20crimes%20against%20God%20and%20man%20must%20be%20proclaimed%20and%20denounced.%E2%80%9D%20%E2%80%94%20Frederick%20Douglass%20https%3A%2F%2Fquotesby.net%2FFrederick-Douglass%2F30%2F)[X (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=%E2%80%9CAt%20a%20time%20like%20this%2C%20scorching%20irony%2C%20not%20convincing%20argument%2C%20is%20needed.%20O%21%20had%20I%20the%20ability%2C%20and%20could%20reach%20the%20nation%27s%20ear%2C%20I%20would%2C%20to-day%2C%20pour%20out%20a%20fiery%20stream%20of%20biting%20ridicule%2C%20blasting%20reproach%2C%20withering%20sarcasm%2C%20and%20stern%20rebuke.%20For%20it%20is%20not%20light%20that%20is%20needed%2C%20but%20fire%3B%20it%20is%20not%20the%20gentle%20shower%2C%20but%20thunder.%20We%20need%20the%20storm%2C%20the%20whirlwind%2C%20and%20the%20earthquake.%20The%20feeling%20of%20the%20nation%20must%20be%20quickened%3B%20the%20conscience%20of%20the%20nation%20must%20be%20roused%3B%20the%20propriety%20of%20the%20nation%20must%20be%20startled%3B%20the%20hypocrisy%20of%20the%20nation%20must%20be%20exposed%3B%20and%20its%20crimes%20against%20God%20and%20man%20must%20be%20proclaimed%20and%20denounced.%E2%80%9D%20%E2%80%94%20Frederick%20Douglass&url=https%3A%2F%2Fquotesby.net%2FFrederick-Douglass%2F30%2F)[Facebook (opens in a new tab)](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fquotesby.net%2FFrederick-Douglass%2F30%2F)

## More from Frederick Douglass

1. > I shall see, this day, and its popular characteristics, from the slave's point of view. Standing, there, identified with the American bondman, making his wrong…

[Permalink to quote \#29](https://quotesby.net/Frederick-Douglass/29/ "Permalink to quote 29")
2. > What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to…

[Permalink to quote \#31](https://quotesby.net/Frederick-Douglass/31/ "Permalink to quote 31")
3. > This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn. To drag a man in fetters into the grand illuminated temple of liberty, and call upon him…

[Permalink to quote \#28](https://quotesby.net/Frederick-Douglass/28/ "Permalink to quote 28")

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