Freedom prospers when religion is vibrant and the rule of law under God is acknowledged.
Ronald ReaganRead
Our spirit is back, but we haven't reinstitutionalized it. We've got to do a better job of getting across that America is freedom - freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of enterprise. And freedom is special and rare. It's fragile; it needs production [protection].
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of protecting the freedoms that define America, such as free speech and religion.
Ronald Reagan's quote reflects the necessity of acknowledging and safeguarding the foundational freedoms that characterize American society. He highlights that while the spirit of freedom is present, it requires active maintenance and reinforcement through institutional efforts, as these freedoms are both precious and vulnerable to erosion without collective vigilance and commitment.
Themes
FreedomSpeechProtectionValuesAmerica
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech on Independence Day, one might reflect on Reagan's words about the importance of freedom.
More from Ronald Reagan
All quotes →Our status as a free society and world power is not based on brute strength. When we've taken up arms, it has been for the defense of freedom for ourselves and for other peaceful nations who needed our help. But now, faced with the development of weapons with immense destructive power, we've no choice but to maintain ready defense forces that are second to none. Yes, the cost is high, but the price of neglect would be infinitely higher.
Ronald ReaganRead
I'm spending more time at this library in four days than I did at the Eureka College Library in four years.
Ronald ReaganRead
I'm not a politician by profession. I am a citizen who decided I had to be personally involved in order to stand up for my own values and beliefs. My candidacy is based on my record, and for that matter, my entire life.
Ronald ReaganRead
My fellow citizens, our nation is poised for greatness. We must do what we know is right, and do it with all our might. Let history say of us: "These were golden years - when the American Revolution was reborn, when freedom gained new life, and America reached for her best."
Ronald ReaganRead
We must have faith in the people of this country and faith in our principles.
Ronald ReaganRead
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It's important to me that I should be free to express myself.
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Nothing is more certainly written in the book of fate than that these people are to be free.
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I would have the Constitution torn in shreds and scattered to the four winds of heaven. Let us destroy the Constitution and build on its ruins the temple of liberty. I have brothers in slavery. I have seen chains placed on their limbs and beheld them captive.
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Freedom is neither guaranteed nor automatic; not even in the United States. Left unguarded, it can slip away like a thief in the night.
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