proverbs Don't demand your rights until you know your strength.
This is a useful phrase in many circumstances but the one that springs to my mind is when dealing with teenagers.
You will not get them to tidy their rooms, clean the bathroom, turn the music down or get a haircut if they don't want to do it. You can demand all you like but it ain't gonna happen.
However, when they need money to go out, you're in position of strength - watch how quickly that bedroom becomes spotless and tidy.
Needless to say it works in politics and in pay negotiations and in wars and in all kinds of situations.
Perhaps the Irish language community doesn't know its own strength because they are so geographically diverse but with elections coming up in both jurisdictions, now might be the time to find out how much strength that particular group of voters has.