--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What every American should know is that…" description: "\"What every American should know is that we have more people in jail today than any other country on Earth, more than China. We have some 2.2 million pe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f4c/bernie-sanders-233_china_what-every-american-should-know-is-that_3168284.jpg" --- # What every American should know is that we have more… ![“What every American should know is that we have more people in jail today than any other country on Earth, more than China. We have some 2.2 million people in jail. What that means is that a lot of lives are being destroyed.” quote by Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f4c/bernie-sanders-233_china_what-every-american-should-know-is-that_3168284.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f4c/bernie-sanders-233_china_what-every-american-should-know-is-that_3168284.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f4c/bernie-sanders-233_china_what-every-american-should-know-is-that_3168284.jpg) > “What every American should know is that we have more people in jail today than any other country on Earth, more than China. We have some 2.2 million people in jail. What that means is that a lot of lives are being destroyed.” [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The United States incarcerates more people than any other nation, causing widespread personal devastation. **In simple terms:** US has the highest jail population, harming many lives. Key Takeaway Advocate for criminal justice reform. Themes justice incarceration human rights policy society Mood somber urgent reflective Type political advocacy critical When to use this quote - legislative debate - community activism - family counseling - rehabilitation programs - public awareness campaigns Key Concepts mass incarceration systemic inequality social cost Questions to Reflect On - How does mass incarceration affect communities? - What policies could reduce prison populations? A Different Perspective Reform is politically contentious and faces powerful vested interests. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [China](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/china/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Destroyed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destroyed/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Jail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jail/) [Jail Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jail-means-5756005/) [Jail Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jail-today-704165/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Million People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/million-people/) [Millions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/millions/) [Other countries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/other-countries/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Jail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-jail-624252/) [Prison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prison/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) ## Related quotes > [We have more people in jail than any other country in Earth, disproportionately Latino and African-American.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/we-have-more-people-in-jail-than-any-other-country-in-earth/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [They still don't want to admit to the world that this isn't the best and the fairest and most equal justice system. And that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-peltier/they-still-don-t-want-to-admit-to-the-world-that-this-isn-t-the-best/) [Leonard Peltier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-peltier/) > [In the U.S., it is a crime to lie to a federal agent, and it's often this that sends people to jail over financial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lanchester/in-the-u-s-it-is-a-crime-to-lie-to-a-federal-agent-and-it-s-often/) [John Lanchester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lanchester/) > [I will probably go to jail, but do you know what? There's a lot of good people who go to jail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-traficant/i-will-probably-go-to-jail-but-do-you-know-what-there-s-a-lot-of-good/) [James Traficant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-traficant/) > [Only poor people go to jail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/only-poor-people-go-to-jail/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [‎We are already taking care of people from jail. Hundred and ten non-criminal women are already with us in Shantidhan (abode of peace).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/we-are-already-taking-care-of-people-from-jail-hundred-and-ten-non/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [In my view, one of the major reasons that we have so many people in jail is that we have turned our backs on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/in-my-view-one-of-the-major-reasons-that-we-have-so-many-people-in/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [When people get out of jail, it is not easy for them to find a job. It is not easy for them to return…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/when-people-get-out-of-jail-it-is-not-easy-for-them-to-find-a-job-it/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [I think, when the African-American community understands my record on criminal justice, my record on economics, the agenda we're bringing forth, raising the minimum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/i-think-when-the-african-american-community-understands-my-record-on/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [I seen a butterfly in hell today, will I stay alive or go to jail today?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cuts-and-scars/i-seen-a-butterfly-in-hell-today-will-i-stay-alive-or-go-to-jail-today/) [Cuts And Scars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cuts-and-scars/) > [If - you know, it seems to me that if we see Matt Cooper being carted off to jail today, a lot of people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-isikoff/if-you-know-it-seems-to-me-that-if-we-see-matt-cooper-being-carted/) [Michael Isikoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-isikoff/) > [“I think if Jesus would have been alive today, he would have been all about the pot. I think he would have really grooved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-moriarty/i-think-if-jesus-would-have-been-alive-today-he-would-have-been-all/) [Laura Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-moriarty/) > [We've got thousands and thousands of people in jail on minor drug violations and they really don't need to be in jail. They're people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-barger/we-ve-got-thousands-and-thousands-of-people-in-jail-on-minor-drug/) [Sonny Barger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-barger/) > [We now live in a country with a thousand political prisoners, a country where each week there are new trials, where people are put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexei-navalny/we-now-live-in-a-country-with-a-thousand-political-prisoners-a/) [Alexei Navalny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexei-navalny/) > [Thousands of people go to jail, go to prison, every year without even meeting with an attorney.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-alexander/thousands-of-people-go-to-jail-go-to-prison-every-year-without-even/) [Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-alexander/) ## More by Bernie Sanders > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [As the longest serving Independent in the history of the United States Congress, as somebody who came into office by defeating an incumbent Democratic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/as-the-longest-serving-independent-in-the-history-of-the-united/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [What Wall Street and credit card companies are doing is really not much different from what gangsters and loan sharks do who make predatory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/what-wall-street-and-credit-card-companies-are-doing-is-really-not/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [What we have got to do immediately is to say that racism and xenophobia is totally unacceptable and we will stand with the 1…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/what-we-have-got-to-do-immediately-is-to-say-that-racism-and/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [In 1999, Hoffmann-LaRoche paid a $500 million criminal fine for leading a worldwide conspiracy to fix prices for certain vitamins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/in-1999-hoffmann-laroche-paid-a-500-million-criminal-fine-for-leading/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [We need a strategy. And the goal is to bring millions of people together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/we-need-a-strategy-and-the-goal-is-to-bring-millions-of-people/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [We are living at a time where a handful of people have wealth beyond comprehension - huge yachts, jet planes, tens of billions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/we-are-living-at-a-time-where-a-handful-of-people-have-wealth-beyond/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [The deficit crisis is real and must be addressed. But it cannot be solved on the backs of the weak and vulnerable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-deficit-crisis-is-real-and-must-be-addressed-but-it-cannot-be/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [I want to break up the Wall Street banks. Hillary Clinton doesn't. I want to raise the minimum wage to 15 bucks an hour.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/i-want-to-break-up-the-wall-street-banks-hillary-clinton-doesn-t-i/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [The Palestinian people's needs must be respected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-palestinian-people-s-needs-must-be-respected/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [Hillary Clinton wants to see that all Americans have the right to choose a public option in their health care exchange.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/hillary-clinton-wants-to-see-that-all-americans-have-the-right-to/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [If you want to know if your food contains gluten, aspartame, high fructose corn syrup, trans-fats or MSG, you simply read the ingredients listed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/if-you-want-to-know-if-your-food-contains-gluten-aspartame-high/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [It reminds me in some ways of the debate taking place in this country and around the world in the late 1930s. There were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/it-reminds-me-in-some-ways-of-the-debate-taking-place-in-this-country/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [I am sure that there are some single payer advocates who think the only thing worth fighting for is single payer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/i-am-sure-that-there-are-some-single-payer-advocates-who-think-the/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [The case to be made is that we have got to get people involved - continue to get people involved in the political process…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-case-to-be-made-is-that-we-have-got-to-get-people-involved/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) [Explore all 853 Bernie Sanders quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) ## More China quotes > [I don't want to go into space because of war. I think we would if it was triggered. If China said they want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-don-t-want-to-go-into-space-because-of-war-i-think-we-would-if-it/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [ \[The Dalai Lama\] told me some years ago, "I've made every concession to China, and I've been as open and tolerant as I could,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pico-iyer/the-dalai-lama-told-me-some-years-ago-i-ve-made-every-concession-to/) [Pico Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pico-iyer/) > [One of the things the United States does well is building coalitions. What the U.S. knows is that if you don't have a coalition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/one-of-the-things-the-united-states-does-well-is-building-coalitions/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [There is no precedent of an advanced economy withdrawing from a trade agreement as deep and as complex as the European Union.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-johnson/there-is-no-precedent-of-an-advanced-economy-withdrawing-from-a-trade/) [Jo Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-johnson/) > [In China, people are moving from bigger cars to small hatches, and interestingly, the Indian market is graduating to bigger cars and sedans. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winfried-vahland/in-china-people-are-moving-from-bigger-cars-to-small-hatches-and/) [Winfried Vahland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winfried-vahland/) > [Broken china lasts longer than unbroken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-renard/broken-china-lasts-longer-than-unbroken/) [Jules Renard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-renard/) > [Language is so specific to art, all the way to the past in China. Previously, people were not allowed to include various regional dialects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jia-zhangke/language-is-so-specific-to-art-all-the-way-to-the-past-in-china/) [Jia Zhangke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jia-zhangke/) > [I don't see why we and the Chinese should have to be enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/i-don-t-see-why-we-and-the-chinese-should-have-to-be-enemies/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [India may be overtaking China as the world's most polluted country. Even now, which country is worse depends on the day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-inskeep/india-may-be-overtaking-china-as-the-world-s-most-polluted-country/) [Steve Inskeep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-inskeep/) > [If China someday gains a more fair, just, and accountable system of government, it will be due to the hard work and efforts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/if-china-someday-gains-a-more-fair-just-and-accountable-system-of/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [We're always willing to look at ways NAFTA can work better. But it's a fine line between looking at ways to make it work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-harper/we-re-always-willing-to-look-at-ways-nafta-can-work-better-but-it-s-a/) [Stephen Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-harper/) > [The situation with Tibet has to change. China is one of the last huge dictatorships, holding on to these colonies, provinces. That has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-yauch/the-situation-with-tibet-has-to-change-china-is-one-of-the-last-huge/) [Adam Yauch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-yauch/) > [Put plainly, China seems determined to steal its way up the economic ladder, at our expense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-a-wray/put-plainly-china-seems-determined-to-steal-its-way-up-the-economic/) [Christopher A. Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-a-wray/) > [The remarkable thing about the Chinese is that they've operated differently than the Russians, the Iranians, and the North Koreans. By and large, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-sanger/the-remarkable-thing-about-the-chinese-is-that-they-ve-operated/) [David E. Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-sanger/) [Browse all 3,827 China quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/china/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What every American should know is that we have more people in jail today than any other country on Earth, more than China. We have some 2.2 million people in jail. 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