--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In history, truth should be held sacred…" description: "\"“In history, truth should be held sacred, at whatever cost . . . especially against the narrow and futile patriotism, which, instead of pressing forwar..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/022/col-thomas-aspinwall-228889_history_in-history-truth-should-be-held-sacred-a_2740233.jpg" --- # In history, truth should be held sacred, at whatever cost… ![“In history, truth should be held sacred, at whatever cost . . . especially against the narrow and futile patriotism, which, instead of pressing forward in pursuit of truth, takes pride in walking backwards to cover the slightest nakedness of our forefathers.” quote by Col. Thomas Aspinwall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/022/col-thomas-aspinwall-228889_history_in-history-truth-should-be-held-sacred-a_2740233.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/022/col-thomas-aspinwall-228889_history_in-history-truth-should-be-held-sacred-a_2740233.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/022/col-thomas-aspinwall-228889_history_in-history-truth-should-be-held-sacred-a_2740233.jpg) > ““In history, truth should be held sacred, at whatever cost . . . especially against the narrow and futile patriotism, which, instead of pressing forward in pursuit of truth, takes pride in walking backwards to cover the slightest nakedness of our forefathers.”” [Col. Thomas Aspinwall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/col-thomas-aspinwall/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Truth must be protected against shallow patriotism that distorts history for pride. **In simple terms:** Truth versus prideful patriotism. Key Takeaway Guard truth, question biased narratives. Themes History Patriotism Truth Progress Narrow mindedness Xenophobia Mood critical inquisitive determined Type essay reflection argumentative When to use this quote - academic research - public discourse - media analysis Key Concepts Historical revisionism Moral courage Intellectual honesty Questions to Reflect On - What motivates you to seek truth? - How does patriotism affect historical understanding? A Different Perspective Patriotism can motivate positive civic duty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Futile Patriotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/futile-patriotism-3021462/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [History Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-truth-394519/) [Narrow mindedness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/narrow-mindedness/) [Patriotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotism/) [Patriotism Instead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotism-instead-3021463/) [Pressing forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pressing-forward/) [Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress/) [The past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/the-past/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truth Held](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-held-1183164/) [Xenophobia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/xenophobia/) ## Related quotes > [It is time for the younger generation to speak up to the man. For too long, have those with the truth been held in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/it-is-time-for-the-younger-generation-to-speak-up-to-the-man-for-too/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [Belief is truth held in the mind; faith is a fire in the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-fort-newton/belief-is-truth-held-in-the-mind-faith-is-a-fire-in-the-heart/) [Joseph Fort Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-fort-newton/) > [To most of us nothing is so invisible as an unpleasant truth. Though it is held before our eyes, pushed under our noses, rammed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/to-most-of-us-nothing-is-so-invisible-as-an-unpleasant-truth-though/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [This Apostolic Church never turned from the way of truth nor held any kind of error. It is imperative that nothing of the truths…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-agatho/this-apostolic-church-never-turned-from-the-way-of-truth-nor-held-any/) [Pope Agatho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-agatho/) > [“All the truth is held in stories, you know?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/all-the-truth-is-held-in-stories-you-know/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Home was a place where you were supposed to feel safe, protected, accepted. Not the place where lies lurked and truth was held hostage.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christa-allan/home-was-a-place-where-you-were-supposed-to-feel-safe-protected/) [Christa Allan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christa-allan/) > [ \[T\]hat is the triumph of history - truth absolute is not at hand; the original with which to match the copy does not exist. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/t-hat-is-the-triumph-of-history-truth-absolute-is-not-at-hand-the/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [“tale—then the lie passed into history and became truth. “Who controls”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/tale-then-the-lie-passed-into-history-and-became-truth-who-controls/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [There is the truth of history, and there is the truth of what a person remembers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-wells/there-is-the-truth-of-history-and-there-is-the-truth-of-what-a-person/) [Rebecca Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-wells/) > [The truth isn't easily pinned to a page. In the bathtub of history the truth is harder to hold than the soap and much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-truth-isn-t-easily-pinned-to-a-page-in-the-bathtub-of-history-the/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There is the truth of history, and there is the truth of what a person remembers. As {she} sat at the edge of {the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-wells/there-is-the-truth-of-history-and-there-is-the-truth-of-what-a-person-2/) [Rebecca Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-wells/) > [History is not truth versus falsehoods, but a mixture of both, a mélange of tendencies, reactions, dreams, errors, and power plays. What's important is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretel-ehrlich/history-is-not-truth-versus-falsehoods-but-a-mixture-of-both-a-m/) [Gretel Ehrlich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretel-ehrlich/) > [The motive force of history is truth and not lies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/the-motive-force-of-history-is-truth-and-not-lies/) [Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/) > [We like to imagine that in history, truth will prevail through sheer persuasive power. Sadly, this is not the case. Truth needs champions...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/llewellyn-rockwell/we-like-to-imagine-that-in-history-truth-will-prevail-through-sheer/) [Llewellyn Rockwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/llewellyn-rockwell/) > [And if all others accepted the lie which the Party imposed—if all records told the same tale—then the lie passed into history and became…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/and-if-all-others-accepted-the-lie-which-the-party-imposed-if-all/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) ## More History quotes > [Histories never conclude; they just pause their prose. Their stories are, if they are truthful, untidy affairs, resistant to windings-up and sortings-out. They beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-schama/histories-never-conclude-they-just-pause-their-prose-their-stories/) [Simon Schama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-schama/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [In the entire history of the universe, let alone in your own history, there has never been another day just like today, and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/in-the-entire-history-of-the-universe-let-alone-in-your-own-history/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [The NBA is my history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-hardaway/the-nba-is-my-history/) [Penny Hardaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-hardaway/) > [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [What is history after all? History is facts which become lies in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/what-is-history-after-all-history-is-facts-which-become-lies-in-the/) [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) > [Things live and die, and then someone processes them into edible portions. This is a complete telling of the story, 'Food.' The basic plot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/things-live-and-die-and-then-someone-processes-them-into-edible/) [David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/) > [History is a certain way, but you just change the point of view a little bit, and you discover a whole new side of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-schroeder/history-is-a-certain-way-but-you-just-change-the-point-of-view-a/) [Allison Schroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-schroeder/) > [We're at a point in history were we have to become a part of the neighborhood of inhabited planets, like a neighborhood of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/we-re-at-a-point-in-history-were-we-have-to-become-a-part-of-the/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [Today is a reality, tomorrow's a promise, and yesterday's history!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-blanks/today-is-a-reality-tomorrow-s-a-promise-and-yesterday-s-history/) [Billy Blanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-blanks/) > [Truth be told from compulsive liars with a history/Everything must change 2nd chances are a mystery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-dash/truth-be-told-from-compulsive-liars-with-a-history-everything-must/) [C-DASH](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-dash/) > [Every army in the history of the world has always had some deserters, usually much greater than we have today, because once again every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-hilferty/every-army-in-the-history-of-the-world-has-always-had-some-deserters/) [Bryan Hilferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-hilferty/) > [“To those great geniuses now in petticoats, who shall write novels for the beloved reader's children, these men and things will be as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/to-those-great-geniuses-now-in-petticoats-who-shall-write-novels-for/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) [Browse all 27,263 History quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“In history, truth should be held sacred, at whatever cost . . . especially against the narrow and futile patriotism, which, instead of pressing forward in pursuit of truth, takes pride in walking backwards to cover the slightest nakedness of our forefathers.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Col. Thomas Aspinwall" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/col-thomas-aspinwall/in-history-truth-should-be-held-sacred-at-whatever-cost-especially/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "History" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/col-thomas-aspinwall/in-history-truth-should-be-held-sacred-at-whatever-cost-especially/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/022/col-thomas-aspinwall-228889_history_in-history-truth-should-be-held-sacred-a_2740233.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/022/col-thomas-aspinwall-228889_history_in-history-truth-should-be-held-sacred-a_2740233.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/022/col-thomas-aspinwall-228889_history_in-history-truth-should-be-held-sacred-a_2740233.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In history, truth should be held sacred, at whatever cost . . . especially against the narrow and futile…” — Col. Thomas Aspinwall", "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": "Col. Thomas Aspinwall", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/col-thomas-aspinwall/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“In history, truth should be held...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/col-thomas-aspinwall/in-history-truth-should-be-held-sacred-at-whatever-cost-especially/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/col-thomas-aspinwall/in-history-truth-should-be-held-sacred-at-whatever-cost-especially/#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 } } ] } ```