--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are bound by ideals that teach us what…" description: "\"We are bound by ideals that teach us what it means to be citizens. Every child must be taught these ideals. Every citizen must uphold them… I ask you t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a34/george-w-bush-64_asks_we-are-bound-by-ideals-that-teach-us-wha_3221871.jpg" --- # We are bound by ideals that teach us what it means to be… ![“We are bound by ideals that teach us what it means to be citizens. Every child must be taught these ideals. Every citizen must uphold them… I ask you to be citizens. Citizens, not spectators. Citizens, not subjects. Responsible citizens building communities of service and a nation of character.” quote by George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a34/george-w-bush-64_asks_we-are-bound-by-ideals-that-teach-us-wha_3221871.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a34/george-w-bush-64_asks_we-are-bound-by-ideals-that-teach-us-wha_3221871.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a34/george-w-bush-64_asks_we-are-bound-by-ideals-that-teach-us-wha_3221871.jpg) > “We are bound by ideals that teach us what it means to be citizens. Every child must be taught these ideals. Every citizen must uphold them… I ask you to be citizens. Citizens, not spectators. Citizens, not subjects. Responsible citizens building communities of service and a nation of character.” [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Citizens should actively embody civic virtues, learning and upholding shared ideals rather than remaining passive observers. **In simple terms:** Citizens must act, not just watch. Key Takeaway Participate actively in community and nation building. Themes civic duty community character service Mood inspirational patriotic Type call to action philosophical When to use this quote - voting - volunteering - public discourse - local initiatives Key Concepts civic education social responsibility national identity Questions to Reflect On - What actions can you take today? - How do you model citizenship for others? A Different Perspective Passive observation can erode democratic health. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bounds/) [Building community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/building-community/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Ideals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideals/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) ## Related quotes > [America has never been united by blood or birth or soil. We are bound by ideals that move us beyond our backgrounds, lift us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/america-has-never-been-united-by-blood-or-birth-or-soil-we-are-bound/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [My business is that of every other good citizen - to uphold the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-business-is-that-of-every-other-good-citizen-to-uphold-the-law/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What you do is as important as anything government does. I ask you to seek a common good beyond your comfort; to defend needed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/what-you-do-is-as-important-as-anything-government-does-i-ask-you-to/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [In a democracy, the citizens are supposed to have all the power, and the government is supposed to be the means by which the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-paglen/in-a-democracy-the-citizens-are-supposed-to-have-all-the-power-and/) [Trevor Paglen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-paglen/) > [If you're a state and you don't set up an exchange, that means your citizens don't get their tax credits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gruber/if-you-re-a-state-and-you-don-t-set-up-an-exchange-that-means-your/) [Jonathan Gruber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gruber/) > [Here is what the practical impact of Citizens United means. What Citizens United means is that corporations call hundreds of millions of dollars into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/here-is-what-the-practical-impact-of-citizens-united-means-what/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [These are people who haven't gone through the legal means to becoming citizens like our forefathers did. They want all the benefits but none…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-dillon/these-are-people-who-haven-t-gone-through-the-legal-means-to-becoming/) [Matt Dillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-dillon/) > [In the lexicon of the political class, the word 'sacrifice' means that the citizens are supposed to mail even more of their income to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/in-the-lexicon-of-the-political-class-the-word-sacrifice-means-that/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [Will you be a spectator or a citizen? To make a difference in this world, you must be involved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/will-you-be-a-spectator-or-a-citizen-to-make-a-difference-in-this/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Part of the transaction between writer and reader is the pleasure of building a community and encouraging people to play along.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hodgman/part-of-the-transaction-between-writer-and-reader-is-the-pleasure-of/) [John Hodgman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hodgman/) > [Building community is to the collective as spiritual practice is to the individual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/building-community-is-to-the-collective-as-spiritual-practice-is-to/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [Human beings need community. If there are no communities available for constructive ends, there will be destructive, murderous communities... Only the social sector, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/human-beings-need-community-if-there-are-no-communities-available-for/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [Collaboration is everything from getting along with others to controlling your impulses so you can get along and not kick someone else off the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-hirsh-pasek/collaboration-is-everything-from-getting-along-with-others-to/) [Kathy Hirsh-Pasek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-hirsh-pasek/) > [I think the Internet has real potential for building community. People all around the world talking to each other can't be a bad thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-brown/i-think-the-internet-has-real-potential-for-building-community-people/) [Greg Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-brown/) > [My whole life has been about building community, building business in our community, empowering people in our community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelieu-dennis/my-whole-life-has-been-about-building-community-building-business-in/) [Richelieu Dennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelieu-dennis/) ## More by George W. Bush > [Throughout our history, the words of the Declaration have inspired immigrants from around the world to set sail to our shores. These immigrants have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/throughout-our-history-the-words-of-the-declaration-have-inspired/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I recognize I am essentially a failed human being in the sense that I can't possibly live up to the expectations of an Almighty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-recognize-i-am-essentially-a-failed-human-being-in-the-sense-that-i/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [We will make sure our troops have all that is necessary to complete their missions. That's why I went to the Congress last September…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/we-will-make-sure-our-troops-have-all-that-is-necessary-to-complete/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [God speaks through me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/god-speaks-through-me/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [For diplomacy to be effective, words must be credible - and no one can now doubt the word of America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/for-diplomacy-to-be-effective-words-must-be-credible-and-no-one-can/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [You can fool some of the people all the time, and those are the ones you want to concentrate on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/you-can-fool-some-of-the-people-all-the-time-and-those-are-the-ones/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [If you take all the food aid, America is by far the most generous country. If you take the direct aid, we're very generous.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/if-you-take-all-the-food-aid-america-is-by-far-the-most-generous/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [The tyrant has fallen, and Iraq is free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/the-tyrant-has-fallen-and-iraq-is-free/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [“One of our energy strategies is to increase the CAFE standards to 35 miles per hour..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/one-of-our-energy-strategies-is-to-increase-the-cafe-standards-to-35/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [There's a lot that I want to accomplish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/there-s-a-lot-that-i-want-to-accomplish/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [If he's - the inference is that somehow he thinks slavery is a - is a noble institution I would - I would strongly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/if-he-s-the-inference-is-that-somehow-he-thinks-slavery-is-a-is-a/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [My answer is bring 'em on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/my-answer-is-bring-em-on/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [On 9-11, we discovered that we cannot escape from the world. To me personally, this was a life-changing experience, and I realized, as did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/on-9-11-we-discovered-that-we-cannot-escape-from-the-world-to-me/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [As Americans, we want peace - we work and sacrifice for peace. But there can be no peace if our security depends on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/as-americans-we-want-peace-we-work-and-sacrifice-for-peace-but-there/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I couldn't imagine somebody like Osama bin Laden understanding the joy of Chanukah.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-couldn-t-imagine-somebody-like-osama-bin-laden-understanding-the/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) [Explore all 1,717 George W. Bush quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) ## More Asks quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. So if somebody asks me what time it is, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-wear-a-watch-because-i-want-my-arms-to-weigh-the-same-so-if/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [I am a practicing Catholic, but my lineage is Jewish, so if someone asks me if I'm Jewish, I say yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neve-campbell/i-am-a-practicing-catholic-but-my-lineage-is-jewish-so-if-someone/) [Neve Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neve-campbell/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [Why did Erich von Stronheim leave Germany? Why did Hitchcock leave England? If you were a director you'd like to work in Hollywood too.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-polanski/why-did-erich-von-stronheim-leave-germany-why-did-hitchcock-leave/) [Roman Polanski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-polanski/) > [There is nothing more I ask of this life than this moment, exactly so. And suddenly forever seems like too short a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-andreas/there-is-nothing-more-i-ask-of-this-life-than-this-moment-exactly-so/) [Brian Andreas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-andreas/) > [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [The most fundamental question we can ever ask ourselves is whether or not the universe we live in is friendly or hostile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-most-fundamental-question-we-can-ever-ask-ourselves-is-whether-or/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) > [For someone to ask 'Who did you play for' and to be able to answer a single name 'Liverpool' that would be brilliant...I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/for-someone-to-ask-who-did-you-play-for-and-to-be-able-to-answer-a/) [Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/) > [I have no hesitation in saying that although the American woman never leaves her domestic sphere and is in some respects very dependent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-have-no-hesitation-in-saying-that-although-the-american-woman-never/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [Ask God for temp'rance. That's th' appliance only Which your disease requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ask-god-for-temp-rance-that-s-th-appliance-only-which-your-disease/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I don't know how to say it exactly. Only...I want to die as myself. Does that make any sense?' he asks. I shake my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-don-t-know-how-to-say-it-exactly-only-i-want-to-die-as-myself-does/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Physicist Isador Isaac Rabi, who won a Nobel Prize for inventing a technique that permitted scientists to probe the structure of atoms and molecules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/physicist-isador-isaac-rabi-who-won-a-nobel-prize-for-inventing-a/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) Browse all 7,138 Asks quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We are bound by ideals that teach us what it means to be citizens. Every child must be taught these ideals. Every citizen must uphold them… I ask you to be citizens. Citizens, not spectators. Citizens, not subjects. 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