Believe Opinions Quote by Dan Rather
““God forbid, but if this nation ultimately fails, I believe it will be because opinions, propaganda, and superstitions replaced facts as the basis for our governance. By doing so, we will have undercut a key strength of the United States over the course of its history, one that receives too little attention: science.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Interview, 2023, Dan Rather on governance and science
He warns that replacing facts with opinion and propaganda weakens governance, undermining a historic strength of the US: reliance on science.
In simple terms: Replacing facts with opinion harms governance.
Key Takeaway
Protect factual decision‑making.
Themes
science
governance
truth
media
politics
Mood
concerned
urgent
Type
political
analytical
When to use this quote
- policy debates
- education reform
- media literacy
- government transparency
- public health campaigns
Key Concepts
epistemology
public policy
information integrity
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies balance free speech with factual integrity?
- What mechanisms ensure science informs policy?
A Different Perspective
Science alone cannot solve political bias; cultural values also matter.
![“...never [enter] into dispute or argument with another. I never saw an instance of one of two disputants convincing the other by argument. I have seen many, on their getting warm, becoming rude, & shooting one another. ... When I hear another express an opinion which is not mine, I say to myself…” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a82/thomas-jefferson-43_politics_never-enter-into-dispute-or-argument-wit_2220825.jpg)
![“[I]nclusion, not assimilation, should be the key concept in seeking, ever seeking, a more perfect national union. Our own history has shown that we are stronger as a mosaic than a melting pot. Our nation is bound together more by ideals than by blood or land, and inclusion is in our cultural DNA…” quote by Dan Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ab3/dan-rather-2779_inclusion_i-nclusion-not-assimilation-should-be-th_105214.jpg)
![“He [Mikhail Gorbachev] has, as many great leaders have, impressive eyes…There's a kind of laser-beam stare, a forced quality, you get from Gorbachev that does not come across as something peaceful within himself. It's the look of a kind of human volcano, or he'd probably like to describe it as a…” quote by Dan Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ed6/dan-rather-2779_beam_he-mikhail-gorbachev-has-as-many-great-l_117079.jpg)
