--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the era of security clearances, to be…" description: "\"“In the era of security clearances, to be an Irish Catholic became prima facie evidence of loyalty. Harvard men were to be checked; Fordham men would d..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a43/daniel-patrick-moynihan-8627_cybersecurity_in-the-era-of-security-clearances-to-be_248916.jpg" --- # In the era of security clearances, to be an Irish Catholic… ![“In the era of security clearances, to be an Irish Catholic became prima facie evidence of loyalty. Harvard men were to be checked; Fordham men would do the checking.” quote by Daniel Patrick Moynihan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a43/daniel-patrick-moynihan-8627_cybersecurity_in-the-era-of-security-clearances-to-be_248916.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a43/daniel-patrick-moynihan-8627_cybersecurity_in-the-era-of-security-clearances-to-be_248916.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a43/daniel-patrick-moynihan-8627_cybersecurity_in-the-era-of-security-clearances-to-be_248916.jpg) > ““In the era of security clearances, to be an Irish Catholic became prima facie evidence of loyalty. Harvard men were to be checked; Fordham men would do the checking.”” [Daniel Patrick Moynihan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-patrick-moynihan/) ## 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 critiques how ethnic and religious identity were used as proxies for loyalty, revealing bias in security screening. **In simple terms:** Identity was unfairly used as loyalty proof. Key Takeaway Recognize and avoid identity‑based assumptions. Themes bias loyalty security identity Mood critical historical Type political analytical When to use this quote - government hiring - security clearances - community relations - legal policy Key Concepts social prejudice institutional discrimination Questions to Reflect On - What are modern equivalents of such proxy judgments? - How can institutions ensure fair assessment? A Different Perspective The statement may oversimplify complex loyalty dynamics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cybersecurity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cybersecurity/) [Irish catholic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irish-catholic/) [Loyalty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loyalty/) [Security](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/security/) ## Related quotes > [In 1995, I proposed the Harvard Arts Medal. 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