America Quote by Barack Obama
““America has not the option as to whether it will or it will not play a great part in the world,” Roosevelt would argue. “It must play a great part. All that it can decide is whether it will play that part well or badly.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Presidential Address, Barack Obama, 2015
America must actively choose a significant global role and strive to fulfill it responsibly.
In simple terms: The US must act globally and do it well.
Key Takeaway
Commit to responsible global leadership.
Themes
leadership
responsibility
global affairs
national identity
Mood
determined
reflective
Type
political
inspirational
When to use this quote
- foreign policy planning
- international negotiations
- national strategy meetings
- public discourse
- educational curricula
Key Concepts
political philosophy
realism
idealism
Questions to Reflect On
- How can the US balance global duties with internal needs?
- What defines “playing a part well”?
A Different Perspective
Challenges include domestic opposition and resource constraints.
![“That is another theme in the book [Dreams from My Father]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we get the black to see through the eyes of the white? Or the citizen to see through the eyes of the immigrant? Or the straight to see through the eyes of the gay? That has…” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/00d/barack-obama-17_black_that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams_10185.jpg)
![“I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. [salutes]” quote by Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3d2/bill-hicks-970_america_i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumor_655.jpg)
