--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Can anything be more Un-American than the…" description: "\"Can anything be more Un-American than the Un-American committee?\" — Burt Lancaster" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf2/burt-lancaster-18385_committees_can-anything-be-more-un-american-than-th_390302.jpg" --- # Can anything be more Un-American than the Un-American… ![“Can anything be more Un-American than the Un-American committee?” quote by Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf2/burt-lancaster-18385_committees_can-anything-be-more-un-american-than-th_390302.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf2/burt-lancaster-18385_committees_can-anything-be-more-un-american-than-th_390302.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf2/burt-lancaster-18385_committees_can-anything-be-more-un-american-than-th_390302.jpg) > “Can anything be more Un-American than the Un-American committee?” [Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Questioning whether a committee can be more un-American than the concept it critiques. **In simple terms:** Is a committee more un-American than what it opposes? Key Takeaway Critically assess the motives behind groups that claim patriotism. Themes politics identity critique patriotism Mood skeptical analytical Type critical philosophical When to use this quote - political activism - government oversight - public discourse - media analysis Key Concepts group dynamics nationalism ethical paradox Questions to Reflect On - What defines “un-American” behavior? - How can we evaluate the true intent of such committees? A Different Perspective The phrase may oversimplify complex political realities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [My feeling has always been that 'Good Eats' would have never happened had it been left to a committee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alton-brown/my-feeling-has-always-been-that-good-eats-would-have-never-happened/) [Alton Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alton-brown/) > [I would rather deal with a tyrant any day than a committee. Committees, as a general rule, aren’t willing to take chances, which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-riney/i-would-rather-deal-with-a-tyrant-any-day-than-a-committee-committees/) Hal Riney > [Movies are always made by committees, and the writer is not at the head of the committee. Thus, mush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-espenson/movies-are-always-made-by-committees-and-the-writer-is-not-at-the/) [Jane Espenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-espenson/) > [The more committees you belong to, the less of ordinary life you will understand. When your daily round becomes nothing more than a daily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-benson/the-more-committees-you-belong-to-the-less-of-ordinary-life-you-will/) [Stella Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-benson/) > [Something the committee had not done in 50 years. Jeff Sessions is now the Chairman of the Committee that rejected him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/something-the-committee-had-not-done-in-50-years-jeff-sessions-is-now/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [I have no personal vendetta against Clarence Thomas. I seek only to provide the committee with information which it may regard as relevant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/i-have-no-personal-vendetta-against-clarence-thomas-i-seek-only-to/) [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) > [I will not be making appointments to a committee that is not bipartisan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/i-will-not-be-making-appointments-to-a-committee-that-is-not/) [Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/) > [You can't have cinema by committee if you're trying to do it well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janeane-garofalo/you-can-t-have-cinema-by-committee-if-you-re-trying-to-do-it-well/) [Janeane Garofalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janeane-garofalo/) > [“committees can criticize, but they cannot create.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/committees-can-criticize-but-they-cannot-create/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [Committees are consumers and sometimes sterilizers of ideas, rarely creators of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/committees-are-consumers-and-sometimes-sterilizers-of-ideas-rarely/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [Committees are to get everybody together and homogenize their thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-linkletter/committees-are-to-get-everybody-together-and-homogenize-their-thinking/) [Art Linkletter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-linkletter/) > [One of the great joys this year and the year before has been how all of the people in this body, men and women,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hayes/one-of-the-great-joys-this-year-and-the-year-before-has-been-how-all/) [Robin Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hayes/) > [Government likes committees... a lot. Committees kill all the really good ideas and generally all the really bad ideas. They produce middle-ground mush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-devos/government-likes-committees-a-lot-committees-kill-all-the-really-good/) [Betsy DeVos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-devos/) > [It is necessary to get a lot of men together, for the show of the thing, otherwise the world will not believe. That is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-trollope/it-is-necessary-to-get-a-lot-of-men-together-for-the-show-of-the/) [Anthony Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-trollope/) > [Few Americans realize it, but the United Nations is driving to take control over the Internet. You remember, the folks who want a worldwide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-l-herman/few-americans-realize-it-but-the-united-nations-is-driving-to-take/) [Arthur L. Herman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-l-herman/) ## More by Burt Lancaster > [I hate looking backward, but every once in a while it sneaks up on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/i-hate-looking-backward-but-every-once-in-a-while-it-sneaks-up-on-you/) [Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) > [My brother never had me to dinner in his life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/my-brother-never-had-me-to-dinner-in-his-life/) [Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) > [My former wife is a truly wonderful person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/my-former-wife-is-a-truly-wonderful-person/) [Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) > [You see, if you make believe hard enough that something is true, then it is true for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/you-see-if-you-make-believe-hard-enough-that-something-is-true-then/) [Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) > [I found marriage somewhat stifling. I don't know that I am the kind of man who ought to be married.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/i-found-marriage-somewhat-stifling-i-don-t-know-that-i-am-the-kind-of/) [Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) > [As long as you are curious, you defeat age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/as-long-as-you-are-curious-you-defeat-age/) [Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) > [I believe we should appeal to people at the higher levels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/i-believe-we-should-appeal-to-people-at-the-higher-levels/) [Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) > [Most people seem to think I'm the kind of guy who shaves with a blowtorch. Actually I'm bookish and worrisome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/most-people-seem-to-think-i-m-the-kind-of-guy-who-shaves-with-a/) [Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) > [I am reasonably happy, providing I keep busy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/i-am-reasonably-happy-providing-i-keep-busy/) [Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) > [They were fun days, and we set the town on fire with every movie we did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/they-were-fun-days-and-we-set-the-town-on-fire-with-every-movie-we-did/) [Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) > [I'm-going-to-tilt-my-head-at-a-perpendicular-angle-and-then-attempt-to-extract-your-soul-through-your-mouth-like-some-giant-alien-sucker-fish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/i-m-going-to-tilt-my-head-at-a-perpendicular-angle-and-then-attempt/) [Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) > [You have to fight against being an antique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/you-have-to-fight-against-being-an-antique/) [Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) > [I had the luck of having an obedient body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/i-had-the-luck-of-having-an-obedient-body/) [Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) > [Alcoholics are mostly disappointed men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/alcoholics-are-mostly-disappointed-men/) [Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) > [I did something wrong -- once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/i-did-something-wrong-once/) [Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) [Explore all 35 Burt Lancaster quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) ## More American quotes > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [William Maxwell's my favorite North American writer, I think. And an Irish writer who used to write for 'The New Yorker' called Maeve Brennan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/william-maxwell-s-my-favorite-north-american-writer-i-think-and-an/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [I have fallen in love with American names, the sharp names that never get fat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vincent-benet/i-have-fallen-in-love-with-american-names-the-sharp-names-that-never/) [Stephen Vincent Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vincent-benet/) > [I really like a lot of American country stuff, so my music has that influence, but I don't like to be set within a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-bird/i-really-like-a-lot-of-american-country-stuff-so-my-music-has-that/) [Jade Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade-bird/) > [I certainly don't think that the heirs of the American Revolution were a particularly noble class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/i-certainly-don-t-think-that-the-heirs-of-the-american-revolution/) [H. W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands/) > [Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act in a tremendous investment to support millions of workers without a paycheck and behind on bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-auchincloss/congress-passed-the-american-rescue-plan-act-in-a-tremendous/) [Jake Auchincloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-auchincloss/) > [Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy and employ almost half of the working population. Yet because of their size, they rarely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-lipinski/small-businesses-are-the-backbone-of-the-american-economy-and-employ/) [Dan Lipinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-lipinski/) > [Although I write in English, and despite the fact that I'm from America, I consider myself an Armenian writer. The words I use are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/although-i-write-in-english-and-despite-the-fact-that-i-m-from/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [Firefighters and rescue workers are American superheroes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-kennedy/firefighters-and-rescue-workers-are-american-superheroes/) [Kerry Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-kennedy/) > [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [New York and San Francisco are distinctly different. San Francisco is driving the American media, not New York. You have young, microwaved millionaires and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-whitlock/new-york-and-san-francisco-are-distinctly-different-san-francisco-is/) [Jason Whitlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-whitlock/) > [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. We have to take risks and it's important that we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/well-look-cia-is-an-agency-that-has-to-collect-intelligence-do/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [Food as a hobby used to be an elite pastime, and it has become something that is totally ordinary for people of every background.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/food-as-a-hobby-used-to-be-an-elite-pastime-and-it-has-become/) [Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/) > [It's important for American soldiers to be culturally sensitive when deployed in foreign countries. But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) Browse all 7,717 American quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Can anything be more Un-American than the Un-American committee?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Burt Lancaster" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/can-anything-be-more-un-american-than-the-un-american-committee/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "American" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/can-anything-be-more-un-american-than-the-un-american-committee/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf2/burt-lancaster-18385_committees_can-anything-be-more-un-american-than-th_390302.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf2/burt-lancaster-18385_committees_can-anything-be-more-un-american-than-th_390302.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf2/burt-lancaster-18385_committees_can-anything-be-more-un-american-than-th_390302.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Can anything be more Un-American than the Un-American committee?” — Burt Lancaster", "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": "Burt Lancaster", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Can anything be more Un-American than...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/can-anything-be-more-un-american-than-the-un-american-committee/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/can-anything-be-more-un-american-than-the-un-american-committee/#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 } } ] } ```