--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Growing up in northern Kentucky, honesty…" description: "\"Growing up in northern Kentucky, honesty, integrity and character were revered traits, and - with my family - I looked to the greatest generation of Am..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b8/amy-mcgrath-6116_character_growing-up-in-northern-kentucky-honesty_55498.jpg" --- # Growing up in northern Kentucky, honesty, integrity and… ![“Growing up in northern Kentucky, honesty, integrity and character were revered traits, and - with my family - I looked to the greatest generation of Americans who saved the world during World War II.” quote by Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b8/amy-mcgrath-6116_character_growing-up-in-northern-kentucky-honesty_55498.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b8/amy-mcgrath-6116_character_growing-up-in-northern-kentucky-honesty_55498.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b8/amy-mcgrath-6116_character_growing-up-in-northern-kentucky-honesty_55498.jpg) > “Growing up in northern Kentucky, honesty, integrity and character were revered traits, and - with my family - I looked to the greatest generation of Americans who saved the world during World War II.” [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker links personal upbringing in Northern Kentucky, emphasizing honesty, integrity, and character, to admiration for the WWII generation that defended global freedom. **In simple terms:** Values shaped by family and history. Key Takeaway Family values inspire reverence for past heroism. Themes heritage integrity heroism generational influence patriotism Mood proud reflective inspired Type personal anecdote historical reference When to use this quote - reflecting on personal values - teaching youth about ethics - drawing inspiration during challenges Key Concepts character development historical role models Practical Applications - motivational speeches - educational curricula Questions to Reflect On - How do personal values align with historical examples? - What lessons can modern society draw from WWII veterans? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Greatest generation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-generation/) [Integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/integrity/) [Integrity and character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/integrity-and-character/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-war/) [World war ii](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-war-ii/) ## Related quotes > [You can't fool all of the people all of the time. But it isn't necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/you-can-t-fool-all-of-the-people-all-of-the-time-but-it-isn-t/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [Decide on what you think is right, and stick to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/decide-on-what-you-think-is-right-and-stick-to-it/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [The more things a man is ashamed of, the more respectable he is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-more-things-a-man-is-ashamed-of-the-more-respectable-he-is/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Each man must for himself alone decide what is right and what is wrong, which course is patriotic and which isn't. You cannot shirk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-tusser/each-man-must-for-himself-alone-decide-what-is-right-and-what-is-2/) [Thomas Tusser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-tusser/) > [Leadership consists not in degrees of technique but in traits of character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-h-lapham/leadership-consists-not-in-degrees-of-technique-but-in-traits-of/) [Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-h-lapham/) > [Your peers will respect you for your integrity and character, not your possessions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-robinson/your-peers-will-respect-you-for-your-integrity-and-character-not-your/) [David Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-robinson/) > [“A GOOD man values his INTEGRITY and CHARACTER. NEVER deal with one that has no SELF RESPECT!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-michelle/a-good-man-values-his-integrity-and-character-never-deal-with-one/) [L. Michelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-michelle/) > [Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/character-cannot-be-developed-in-ease-and-quiet/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [...but before I can live with other folks I've got to live with myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/but-before-i-can-live-with-other-folks-i-ve-got-to-live-with-myself/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [Try not to become a man of success, but a man of value. Look around at how people want to get more out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/try-not-to-become-a-man-of-success-but-a-man-of-value-look-around-at/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [What I look for in a project or partner is integrity and character; I love the concept of family entertainment and crosses over the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-benson/what-i-look-for-in-a-project-or-partner-is-integrity-and-character-i/) [Jodi Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-benson/) > [Integrity gives you real freedom because you have nothing to fear since you have nothing to hide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/integrity-gives-you-real-freedom-because-you-have-nothing-to-fear/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [“To cultivate bravery and courage, ground yourself in your character values: Building a solid foundation of integrity and character will fortify your confidence to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/to-cultivate-bravery-and-courage-ground-yourself-in-your-character/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [There is no organizations and institutions that are worthwhile in terms of fighting for and dying for unless there is some individual integrity and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/there-is-no-organizations-and-institutions-that-are-worthwhile-in/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [Character is doing the right thing when nobody's looking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-watts/character-is-doing-the-right-thing-when-nobody-s-looking/) [J. C. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-watts/) ## More by Amy McGrath > [You can't drain the swamp, as President Trump has touted doing, without getting rid of Mitch McConnell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/you-can-t-drain-the-swamp-as-president-trump-has-touted-doing-without/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [The selflessness and service of the veterans I have met and served with are the living embodiment of what America and American values mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/the-selflessness-and-service-of-the-veterans-i-have-met-and-served/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [I will give everyday Kentuckians a voice in Washington - not just special interests or the wealthiest 1%.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/i-will-give-everyday-kentuckians-a-voice-in-washington-not-just/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [We'd never be talking about Senator McGrath saying anything about state and local governments should be going bankrupt. I'd never even think about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/we-d-never-be-talking-about-senator-mcgrath-saying-anything-about/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [We deserve better than a win-at-all-costs mentality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/we-deserve-better-than-a-win-at-all-costs-mentality/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [I'm not going to apologize for serving my country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/i-m-not-going-to-apologize-for-serving-my-country/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [If we were to build a health care system from scratch, single-payer would be the way to go. But we have a very complex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/if-we-were-to-build-a-health-care-system-from-scratch-single-payer/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [I'm not somebody who seeks attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/i-m-not-somebody-who-seeks-attention/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [Folks don't always win the first time they run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/folks-don-t-always-win-the-first-time-they-run/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [I left home at 18, but I still voted in Kentucky. Every holiday, I came home to Kentucky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/i-left-home-at-18-but-i-still-voted-in-kentucky-every-holiday-i-came/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [With regard to the more moderates, I have spent 20 years as a United States Marine. I'm a little more realistic when it comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/with-regard-to-the-more-moderates-i-have-spent-20-years-as-a-united/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [Senator McConnell has always won in the past because he's had a bigger blow horn. He's always had tens of millions of dollars more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/senator-mcconnell-has-always-won-in-the-past-because-he-s-had-a/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [We need a new generation of leaders who can put their country over their political party to do what's right for Kentucky and are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/we-need-a-new-generation-of-leaders-who-can-put-their-country-over/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [Part of that problem is women don't run. We don't run for office. It's not that people are overwhelmingly voting against us. We just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/part-of-that-problem-is-women-don-t-run-we-don-t-run-for-office-it-s/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [Trust me, I've been to countries where there's no government. And our government's pretty damned good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/trust-me-i-ve-been-to-countries-where-there-s-no-government-and-our/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) [Explore all 100 Amy McGrath quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) David Hudgins > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. 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And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) [Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Growing up in northern Kentucky, honesty, integrity and character were revered traits, and - with my family - I looked to the greatest generation of Americans who saved the world during World War II.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Amy McGrath" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/growing-up-in-northern-kentucky-honesty-integrity-and-character-were/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Character" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/growing-up-in-northern-kentucky-honesty-integrity-and-character-were/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b8/amy-mcgrath-6116_character_growing-up-in-northern-kentucky-honesty_55498.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b8/amy-mcgrath-6116_character_growing-up-in-northern-kentucky-honesty_55498.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b8/amy-mcgrath-6116_character_growing-up-in-northern-kentucky-honesty_55498.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Growing up in northern Kentucky, honesty, integrity and character were revered traits, and - with my family…” — Amy McGrath", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Amy McGrath", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Growing up in northern Kentucky, honesty,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/growing-up-in-northern-kentucky-honesty-integrity-and-character-were/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/growing-up-in-northern-kentucky-honesty-integrity-and-character-were/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```