--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Being a patriot doesn’t mean prioritizing…" description: "\"Being a patriot doesn’t mean prioritizing service to government above all else. Being a patriot means knowing when to protect your country, knowing whe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40a/edward-snowden-555_adversaries_being-a-patriot-doesn-t-mean-prioritizin_2504674.jpg" --- # Being a patriot doesn’t mean prioritizing service to… ![“Being a patriot doesn’t mean prioritizing service to government above all else. Being a patriot means knowing when to protect your country, knowing when to protect your Constitution, knowing when to protect your countrymen, from the violations of and encroachments of adversaries. And those…” quote by Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40a/edward-snowden-555_adversaries_being-a-patriot-doesn-t-mean-prioritizin_2504674.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40a/edward-snowden-555_adversaries_being-a-patriot-doesn-t-mean-prioritizin_2504674.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40a/edward-snowden-555_adversaries_being-a-patriot-doesn-t-mean-prioritizin_2504674.jpg) > “Being a patriot doesn’t mean prioritizing service to government above all else. Being a patriot means knowing when to protect your country, knowing when to protect your Constitution, knowing when to protect your countrymen, from the violations of and encroachments of adversaries. And those adversaries don’t have to be foreign countries.” [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Patriotism is about protecting the nation, its Constitution, and its people, not blindly serving the government. **In simple terms:** Patriotism means protecting country, law, and people, not just the government. Key Takeaway Prioritize constitutional and citizen welfare. Themes patriotism citizenship responsibility Mood critical reflective Type political ethical When to use this quote - political activism - community service - defending rights Key Concepts civic duty ethical governance Questions to Reflect On - When does loyalty to government conflict with constitutional duty? - How do you balance national security with civil liberties? A Different Perspective Patriotism can be interpreted differently across cultures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adversaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversaries/) [Constitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Countrymen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/countrymen/) [Foreign countries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foreign-countries/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Patriot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriot/) [Patriotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotism/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Violation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violation/) ## Related quotes > [We all know by now that Barack Obama is not a patriot. After all, he doesn't always wear a flag pin, and he objects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-thomas/we-all-know-by-now-that-barack-obama-is-not-a-patriot-after-all-he/) [Will Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-thomas/) > [Defending ourselves from internet-based attacks, internet-originated attacks, is much, much more important than our ability to launch attacks against similar targets in foreign countries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/defending-ourselves-from-internet-based-attacks-internet-originated/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [If the United States is promoting the development of exploits, of vulnerabilities, of insecurity in this critical infrastructure, and we're not fixing it when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-the-united-states-is-promoting-the-development-of-exploits-of/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [No one would argue that it's in the United States' interest to have independent knowledge of the plans and intentions of foreign countries. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/no-one-would-argue-that-it-s-in-the-united-states-interest-to-have/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [We cannot continue to ask the brave men and women of our Armed Forces to put their lives on the line to protect our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-tierney/we-cannot-continue-to-ask-the-brave-men-and-women-of-our-armed-forces/) John F. Tierney > [“The general who advances without coveting fame and retreats without fearing disgrace, whose only thought is to protect his country and do good service…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/the-general-who-advances-without-coveting-fame-and-retreats-without-2/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [I don't live under the illusion we don't need a military to protect this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-white/i-don-t-live-under-the-illusion-we-don-t-need-a-military-to-protect/) [Ron White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-white/) > [You look at Iran, you look at North Korea, you look at terrorists, we don't even know where to look. We don't know where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/you-look-at-iran-you-look-at-north-korea-you-look-at-terrorists-we/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The general who advances without coveting fame and retreats without fearing disgrace, whose only thought is to protect his country and do good service…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/the-general-who-advances-without-coveting-fame-and-retreats-without/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [After 9/11, I told the American people I would do everything in my power to protect the country, within the law, and that's exactly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/after-9-11-i-told-the-american-people-i-would-do-everything-in-my/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [If the men and women who protect the country are to succeed in the missions they are assigned, we simply must invest more in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-thornberry/if-the-men-and-women-who-protect-the-country-are-to-succeed-in-the/) [Mac Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-thornberry/) > [Most people in the country didn't - and might still not - know about how powerful the United States is. They think North Korean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-hyeon-seo/most-people-in-the-country-didn-t-and-might-still-not-know-about-how/) [Lee Hyeon-seo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-hyeon-seo/) > [Significant steps have been taken since 9-11 to protect out country here at home, but much remains to be done, Americans from across the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-rudman/significant-steps-have-been-taken-since-9-11-to-protect-out-country/) [Warren Rudman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-rudman/) > [I also believe that we have to protect our country and lead the world with strength and steadiness, and we have to unify our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-also-believe-that-we-have-to-protect-our-country-and-lead-the-world/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [To protect our country's economic future and the health and well being of all Americans, we must find a way to rein in out-of-control…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bennet/to-protect-our-country-s-economic-future-and-the-health-and-well/) [Michael Bennet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bennet/) ## More by Edward Snowden > [It is afraid of an informed, angry public demanding the constitutional government it was promised - and it should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/it-is-afraid-of-an-informed-angry-public-demanding-the-constitutional/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Much of what I saw in Geneva really disillusioned me about how my government functions and what its impact is in the world. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/much-of-what-i-saw-in-geneva-really-disillusioned-me-about-how-my/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [If it comes to a question of law, the charges they brought against me - the Espionage Act - is called the quintessential political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-it-comes-to-a-question-of-law-the-charges-they-brought-against-me/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [The NSA and Israel wrote Stuxnet together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/the-nsa-and-israel-wrote-stuxnet-together/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [As a general rule, so long as you have any choice at all, you should never route through or peer with the UK under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/as-a-general-rule-so-long-as-you-have-any-choice-at-all-you-should/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [ \[Brazil\] went to the UN and said, "We need new standards for this." We need to take a look at what they're calling "data… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/brazil-went-to-the-un-and-said-we-need-new-standards-for-this-we-need/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [You are also asked to take an oath, and that's the oath of service. The oath of service is not to secrecy, but to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/you-are-also-asked-to-take-an-oath-and-that-s-the-oath-of-service-the/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [We need to think about encryption not as this sort of arcane, black art. It's a basic protection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/we-need-to-think-about-encryption-not-as-this-sort-of-arcane-black/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [A lot of people in 2008 voted for Obama. I did not vote for him. I voted for a third party. But I believed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/a-lot-of-people-in-2008-voted-for-obama-i-did-not-vote-for-him-i/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Too often we forget that social and political movements don't happen overnight. They don't bring change immediately - you have to build a critical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/too-often-we-forget-that-social-and-political-movements-don-t-happen/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [ There was a real choice when \[Barack Obama\] became president. It was a very difficult choice - to say, "We're not going to hold… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/there-was-a-real-choice-when-barack-obama-became-president-it-was-a/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [We've learned that we've allowed technological capabilities to dictate policies and practices, rather than ensuring that our laws and values guide our technological capabilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/we-ve-learned-that-we-ve-allowed-technological-capabilities-to/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [It's much easier, I think, to protect communications while they're in transit at least, than it is to enforce legislation in every country in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/it-s-much-easier-i-think-to-protect-communications-while-they-re-in/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [If an adversary didn't target our power plants but they did target the core routers, the backbones that tie our internet connections together, entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-an-adversary-didn-t-target-our-power-plants-but-they-did-target/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [I care more about the country than what happens to me. But we can't allow the law to become a political weapon or agree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/i-care-more-about-the-country-than-what-happens-to-me-but-we-can-t/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) [Explore all 478 Edward Snowden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) ## More Adversaries quotes > [In all matters of opinion, our adversaries are insane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/in-all-matters-of-opinion-our-adversaries-are-insane/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Inanimate objects are sometimes parties to litigation. A ship has a legal personality, a fiction found useful for maritime purposes. The corporation sole -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/inanimate-objects-are-sometimes-parties-to-litigation-a-ship-has-a/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [There were various aspects of Sun Tzu's approach that appealed to Ho Chi Minh: a) to learn to understand both the enemy and yourself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-duiker/there-were-various-aspects-of-sun-tzu-s-approach-that-appealed-to-ho/) [William J. Duiker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-duiker/) > [Marriage, in my view, should be a balanced stalemate between equal adversaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/marriage-in-my-view-should-be-a-balanced-stalemate-between-equal/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If an adversary didn't target our power plants but they did target the core routers, the backbones that tie our internet connections together, entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-an-adversary-didn-t-target-our-power-plants-but-they-did-target/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [It's like I'm married to the silencer, Until I file for divorce and release my ex-calibers. Do art with your arteries, place that for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pharoahe-monch/it-s-like-i-m-married-to-the-silencer-until-i-file-for-divorce-and/) [Pharoahe Monch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pharoahe-monch/) > [Educational exchange can turn nations into people, contributing as no other form of communication can to the humanizing of international relations. Man's capacity for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-william-fulbright/educational-exchange-can-turn-nations-into-people-contributing-as-no/) [J. William Fulbright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-william-fulbright/) > [Obama is hardly the first president to seek rapprochement with our adversaries and reconciliation with our enemies, of course. But his determination to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-f-hayes/obama-is-hardly-the-first-president-to-seek-rapprochement-with-our/) [Stephen F. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-f-hayes/) > [It is better to make friends than adversaries of a conquered race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-haydon/it-is-better-to-make-friends-than-adversaries-of-a-conquered-race/) [Benjamin Haydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-haydon/) > [“The most courageous act in politics is to try to understand your opponent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/the-most-courageous-act-in-politics-is-to-try-to-understand-your/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [My adversary is the world of finance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-hollande/my-adversary-is-the-world-of-finance/) [Francois Hollande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-hollande/) > [Often GOP political strategy seems like the human wave theory of the Chinese military translated to politics. Where Beijing uses masses of soldiers to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-morris/often-gop-political-strategy-seems-like-the-human-wave-theory-of-the/) [Dick Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-morris/) > [Our ability to fall in love requires enough comfort with our masculinity to join it with someone's femininity and feel enhanced. .. . If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-pittman/our-ability-to-fall-in-love-requires-enough-comfort-with-our/) [Frank Pittman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-pittman/) > [You negotiate in bad faith if you do not forgive your adversary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/you-negotiate-in-bad-faith-if-you-do-not-forgive-your-adversary/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [We should seek after spiritual gifts. They can lead us to God. They can shield us from the power of the adversary. They can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallin-h-oaks/we-should-seek-after-spiritual-gifts-they-can-lead-us-to-god-they-can/) [Dallin H. Oaks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallin-h-oaks/) [Browse all 446 Adversaries quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversaries/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Being a patriot doesn’t mean prioritizing service to government above all else. Being a patriot means knowing when to protect your country, knowing when to protect your Constitution, knowing when to protect your countrymen, from the violations of and encroachments of adversaries. 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