--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have a deeply rooted misconception in…" description: "\"We have a deeply rooted misconception in our country that unhoused people have done something to deserve their conditions - when the reality is that un..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cd/cori-bush-5312_failure_we-have-a-deeply-rooted-misconception-in_836056.jpg" --- # We have a deeply rooted misconception in our country that… ![“We have a deeply rooted misconception in our country that unhoused people have done something to deserve their conditions - when the reality is that unhoused people are living the consequences of our government's failure to secure the basic necessities people need to survive.” quote by Cori Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cd/cori-bush-5312_failure_we-have-a-deeply-rooted-misconception-in_836056.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cd/cori-bush-5312_failure_we-have-a-deeply-rooted-misconception-in_836056.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cd/cori-bush-5312_failure_we-have-a-deeply-rooted-misconception-in_836056.jpg) > “We have a deeply rooted misconception in our country that unhoused people have done something to deserve their conditions - when the reality is that unhoused people are living the consequences of our government's failure to secure the basic necessities people need to survive.” [Cori Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-bush/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights that homelessness is not a personal failing but a result of systemic government neglect of basic needs. **In simple terms:** Homelessness stems from government failure, not personal fault. Key Takeaway Address systemic causes, not blame individuals. Themes social justice government responsibility homelessness Mood empathetic concerned Type advocational political When to use this quote - urban policy planning - community outreach - advocacy campaigns - housing initiatives Key Concepts policy failure social safety net economic inequality Questions to Reflect On - What policies could prevent basic need failures? - How can communities support systemic change? A Different Perspective It may overlook personal agency and complex individual circumstances. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Country Unhoused](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country-unhoused-601051/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-failure-601054/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Reality Unhoused](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality-unhoused-601052/) [Rooted Misconception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rooted-misconception-601053/) [Survive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survive/) [Unhoused People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unhoused-people-601050/) ## Related quotes > [Many unhoused people work full time but earn starvation, unlivable wages. Some struggle to access mental health services or substance use treatment, making earning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-bush/many-unhoused-people-work-full-time-but-earn-starvation-unlivable/) [Cori Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-bush/) > [“This unhoused, exiled Satan was perhaps the heavenly patron of all exiles, all unhoused people, all those who were torn from their place and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/this-unhoused-exiled-satan-was-perhaps-the-heavenly-patron-of-all/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Economists are quick to speak of ‘market failure’, and rightly so, but a greater threat comes from ‘government failure‘. Because it is a monopoly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-ridley/economists-are-quick-to-speak-of-market-failure-and-rightly-so-but-a/) [Matt Ridley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-ridley/) > [How can you have the mess we have in New Orleans, and not have had deep investigations of the federal government, the state government,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newt-gingrich/how-can-you-have-the-mess-we-have-in-new-orleans-and-not-have-had/) [Newt Gingrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/newt-gingrich/) > [Many politicians and pundits claim that the credit crunch and high mortgage foreclosure rate is an example of market failure and want government to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/many-politicians-and-pundits-claim-that-the-credit-crunch-and-high/) [Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/) > [The Great Depression was not a sign of the failure of monetary policy or a result of the failure of the market system as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-great-depression-was-not-a-sign-of-the-failure-of-monetary-policy/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [Much worse than the unavoidable inefficiencies of large government is the failure to fund the government we need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cohen/much-worse-than-the-unavoidable-inefficiencies-of-large-government-is/) [Richard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cohen/) > [Government failure is always used as an excuse for government expansion. Government thrives on crisis and incompetence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-babka/government-failure-is-always-used-as-an-excuse-for-government/) [Jim Babka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-babka/) > [People are angry and dispirited about government because of a failure to do something about crime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-schumer/people-are-angry-and-dispirited-about-government-because-of-a-failure/) [Charles Schumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-schumer/) > [Politicians are terrified of losing touch with folks back home but content to be clueless about government's failure to fix real problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/politicians-are-terrified-of-losing-touch-with-folks-back-home-but/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [If our species is to survive, our future will probably require outposts beyond our own planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-m-krauss/if-our-species-is-to-survive-our-future-will-probably-require/) [Lawrence M. Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-m-krauss/) > [“Before you attempt to beat the odds, be sure you could survive the odds beating you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-kersten/before-you-attempt-to-beat-the-odds-be-sure-you-could-survive-the/) [Larry Kersten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-kersten/) > [“We'll not only survive, we'll thrive, be positively alive with a little more space between us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-leland-taylorre/we-ll-not-only-survive-we-ll-thrive-be-positively-alive-with-a-little/) [Robert Leland Taylorre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-leland-taylorre/) > [Some people seem to survive on very little sleep but I am definitely not one of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcdonald/some-people-seem-to-survive-on-very-little-sleep-but-i-am-definitely/) [Jane McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcdonald/) > [When you have counted eighty years and more, Time and Fate will batter at your door; But if you should survive to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khushwant-singh/when-you-have-counted-eighty-years-and-more-time-and-fate-will-batter/) [Khushwant Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khushwant-singh/) ## More by Cori Bush > [Racism is not just slavery and Jim Crow. It is the daily violence that is enacted on our communities each and every day we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-bush/racism-is-not-just-slavery-and-jim-crow-it-is-the-daily-violence-that/) [Cori Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-bush/) > [Juneteenth has always been a symbol of freedom deferred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-bush/juneteenth-has-always-been-a-symbol-of-freedom-deferred/) [Cori Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-bush/) > [Debt collectors should not be able to call, email, or text you to the point of harassment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-bush/debt-collectors-should-not-be-able-to-call-email-or-text-you-to-the/) [Cori Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-bush/) > [Joe Biden cannot leave the lives of those on death row in the hands of future presidents. If he truly opposes the death penalty,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-bush/joe-biden-cannot-leave-the-lives-of-those-on-death-row-in-the-hands/) [Cori Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-bush/) > [While I cannot speak on behalf of the AAPI community, I do want to say that I stand in solidarity with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-bush/while-i-cannot-speak-on-behalf-of-the-aapi-community-i-do-want-to-say/) [Cori Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-bush/) > [Our communities deserve a just response to years of disinvestment in our communities that have led to poor health outcomes and crime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-bush/our-communities-deserve-a-just-response-to-years-of-disinvestment-in/) [Cori Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-bush/) > [When I worked in childcare, I could not afford to send my own children to the center where I worked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-bush/when-i-worked-in-childcare-i-could-not-afford-to-send-my-own-children/) [Cori Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-bush/) > [Every time that I speak on the House Floor or in one of our committee hearings, I begin with the words, 'St. Louis and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-bush/every-time-that-i-speak-on-the-house-floor-or-in-one-of-our-committee/) [Cori Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-bush/) > [We faced police dogs when we fought for justice for Mike Brown in Ferguson in 2014.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-bush/we-faced-police-dogs-when-we-fought-for-justice-for-mike-brown-in/) [Cori Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-bush/) > [St. Louis' locally owned restaurants are part of the heart and soul of our city. These restaurants have made St. Louis a destination for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-bush/st-louis-locally-owned-restaurants-are-part-of-the-heart-and-soul-of/) [Cori Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-bush/) > [Freedom is not simply intended to mean freedom from enslavement. Freedom is an affirmative goal, it is one that promises liberation, safety, and peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-bush/freedom-is-not-simply-intended-to-mean-freedom-from-enslavement/) [Cori Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-bush/) > [Despite the adversity that George Floyd endured, he was full of life and love for his family, friends, and loved ones. It was in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-bush/despite-the-adversity-that-george-floyd-endured-he-was-full-of-life/) [Cori Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-bush/) > [As we work to do the most for everyone in Missouri's First District beginning with those who have the least, we have to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-bush/as-we-work-to-do-the-most-for-everyone-in-missouri-s-first-district/) [Cori Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-bush/) > [The death penalty is an inhumane punishment that disproportionately violates the human rights of Black, brown, indigenous, and other marginalized people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-bush/the-death-penalty-is-an-inhumane-punishment-that-disproportionately/) [Cori Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-bush/) > [Honoring George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Michael Brown Jr., and too many other Black people taken from our communities by state violence is at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-bush/honoring-george-floyd-breonna-taylor-michael-brown-jr-and-too-many/) [Cori Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-bush/) [Explore all 101 Cori Bush quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-bush/) ## More Failure quotes > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“Rhiannon's Law #28: If you're going to fuck up, be sure to fuck up good and proper. Nothing makes failure acceptable, so you might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/rhiannon-s-law-28-if-you-re-going-to-fuck-up-be-sure-to-fuck-up-good/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Failure is a part of life and you have to learn to deal with it. Failure is something that is part of life's cycle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/failure-is-a-part-of-life-and-you-have-to-learn-to-deal-with-it/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [First action was a mistake. What about the second? third? fourth and fifth?...Mehn you are bad...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/first-action-was-a-mistake-what-about-the-second-third-fourth-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God's love never fail :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-s-love-never-fail/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don’t you just hate nights like that, when you think over every mistake you’ve made, every hurt you’ve received, every bit of meanness you’ve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/don-t-you-just-hate-nights-like-that-when-you-think-over-every/) [Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/) > [“Our failure to understand another being's inner reality doesn't make that reality any less real, or any less valuable to that being. (p.255)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/our-failure-to-understand-another-being-s-inner-reality-doesn-t-make/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) > [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) > [Don't take too much comfort in the fact that you're successful today because tomorrow could bring failure. There's no surety in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-savage/don-t-take-too-much-comfort-in-the-fact-that-you-re-successful-today/) [Michael Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-savage/) > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 27,498 Failure quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We have a deeply rooted misconception in our country that unhoused people have done something to deserve their conditions - when the reality is that unhoused people are living the consequences of our government's failure to secure the basic necessities people need to survive.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Cori Bush" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-bush/we-have-a-deeply-rooted-misconception-in-our-country-that-unhoused/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Failure" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-bush/we-have-a-deeply-rooted-misconception-in-our-country-that-unhoused/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cd/cori-bush-5312_failure_we-have-a-deeply-rooted-misconception-in_836056.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cd/cori-bush-5312_failure_we-have-a-deeply-rooted-misconception-in_836056.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cd/cori-bush-5312_failure_we-have-a-deeply-rooted-misconception-in_836056.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We have a deeply rooted misconception in our country that unhoused people have done something to deserve…” — Cori Bush", "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": "Cori Bush", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-bush/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We have a deeply rooted misconception...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-bush/we-have-a-deeply-rooted-misconception-in-our-country-that-unhoused/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-bush/we-have-a-deeply-rooted-misconception-in-our-country-that-unhoused/#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 } } ] } ```