---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I say,” Jake continued after a long…"
description: "\"“I say,” Jake continued after a long pause, “if they’re not hurting anyone, why bother them? This is America, after all. Maybe it’s not the best it cou..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/929/glenna-sinclair-49764_damn-good_i-say-jake-continued-after-a-long-pause_1349552.jpg"
---

#  I say,” Jake continued after a long pause, “if they’re not…

![“I say,” Jake continued after a long pause, “if they’re not hurting anyone, why bother them? This is America, after all. Maybe it’s not the best it could be all the time, but it’s pretty damn good, all things considered. And I fought for it. Sure, you might not agree with everything happening all…” quote by Glenna Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/929/glenna-sinclair-49764_damn-good_i-say-jake-continued-after-a-long-pause_1349552.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/929/glenna-sinclair-49764_damn-good_i-say-jake-continued-after-a-long-pause_1349552.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/929/glenna-sinclair-49764_damn-good_i-say-jake-continued-after-a-long-pause_1349552.jpg)

> ““I say,” Jake continued after a long pause, “if they’re not hurting anyone, why bother them? This is America, after all. Maybe it’s not the best it could be all the time, but it’s pretty damn good, all things considered. And I fought for it. Sure, you might not agree with everything happening all the time, but at least it’s a big country. You don’t like your neighbors, just move. You don’t like your state, find a new one. Or vote for people who’ll change it to your liking. We’re the people who make this place, right or wrong.””

[Glenna Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenna-sinclair/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He argues that in a large, diverse country, personal dissatisfaction can be addressed by moving or voting, emphasizing individual agency.

**In simple terms:** People can change their environment or vote for change.

Key Takeaway

Take responsibility for your surroundings.

Themes

freedom politics individualism

Mood

thoughtful critical

Type

political social

When to use this quote

- relocation
- voting
- political engagement
- community dialogue

Key Concepts

agency democracy migration

Questions to Reflect On

- What would you change if you could?
- Is moving a true solution?

A Different Perspective

May overlook systemic barriers;

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Right or wrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-or-wrong/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

## Related quotes

> [“I say,” Jake continued after a long pause, “if they’re not hurting anyone, why bother them? This is America, after all. Maybe it’s not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenna-sinclair/i-say-jake-continued-after-a-long-pause-if-they-re-not-hurting-anyone-2/)

[Glenna Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenna-sinclair/)

> [“I wonder where they’ll go,” Jake continued, frowning a little. “There’s wolves out there, and all sorts of beasts.” “No self-respecting wolf would dare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-mcnaught/i-wonder-where-they-ll-go-jake-continued-frowning-a-little-there-s/)

[Judith McNaught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-mcnaught/)

> [“Speaking of debutantes,” Jake continued cautiously when Ian remained silent, “what about the one upstairs? Do you dislike her especially, or just on general…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-mcnaught/speaking-of-debutantes-jake-continued-cautiously-when-ian-remained/)

[Judith McNaught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-mcnaught/)

> [If I think about most of America, and maybe I'm terribly wrong...but I think most of America would say that they're not in favor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-gunn/if-i-think-about-most-of-america-and-maybe-i-m-terribly-wrong-but-i/)

[Tim Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-gunn/)

> [I truly believe that one day we will get there, we will arrive. And if we do it right in America, maybe, just maybe,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/i-truly-believe-that-one-day-we-will-get-there-we-will-arrive-and-if/)

[John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/)

> [Something has happened where you almost never grow up in America. Maybe it's the greater wealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ames/something-has-happened-where-you-almost-never-grow-up-in-america/)

[Jonathan Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ames/)

> [Everyone wants to work in America. Maybe not blockbusters or Terminator, but to have the choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-green/everyone-wants-to-work-in-america-maybe-not-blockbusters-or/)

[Eva Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-green/)

> [“I think it's funny that USA are the first 3 letters in the name Usama Bin Laden. Yes you can spell it Osama, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-sov/i-think-it-s-funny-that-usa-are-the-first-3-letters-in-the-name-usama/)

[Mike Sov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-sov/)

> [“So is America over? A long time ago we "lost" China, we've lost Southeast Asia, we've lost South America. Maybe we'll lose the Middle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/so-is-america-over-a-long-time-ago-we-lost-china-we-ve-lost-southeast/)

[Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/)

> [This doesn't happen in America! Maybe Ohio, but not in America!" Homer Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-groening/this-doesn-t-happen-in-america-maybe-ohio-but-not-in-america-homer/)

[Matt Groening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-groening/)

> [I'm elected. I don't report to any politician. I report to the people. If I had to report to any politician, I'd quit tomorrow.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-arpaio/i-m-elected-i-don-t-report-to-any-politician-i-report-to-the-people/)

[Joe Arpaio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-arpaio/)

> [The key is to vote because we need a vote to put the people in power that we want to represent us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-khaled/the-key-is-to-vote-because-we-need-a-vote-to-put-the-people-in-power/)

[DJ Khaled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-khaled/)

> [Elections are a kind of business. I have to present myself: 'I can do this and that for this area so please give me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/takafumi-horie/elections-are-a-kind-of-business-i-have-to-present-myself-i-can-do/)

[Takafumi Horie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/takafumi-horie/)

> [To me, it's not necessarily about whom you vote for, it's more about the fact that you go out and exercise that right. There's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-griffin-iii/to-me-it-s-not-necessarily-about-whom-you-vote-for-it-s-more-about/)

[Robert Griffin III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-griffin-iii/)

> [There's a total separation between the federal government and the people. So running for president was an attempt on my part to get people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-walsh/there-s-a-total-separation-between-the-federal-government-and-the/)

[Joe Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-walsh/)

## More by Glenna Sinclair

> [“you think the accident was meant for him?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenna-sinclair/you-think-the-accident-was-meant-for-him/)

[Glenna Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenna-sinclair/)

> [“Not that it would have prevented the shooting. That was a drive by inspired by a case Peter Bradford had been working on at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenna-sinclair/not-that-it-would-have-prevented-the-shooting-that-was-a-drive-by/)

[Glenna Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenna-sinclair/)

> [“Patience was what made a man or woman dangerous. Put a plan together, wait for the perfect opportunity. That’s what the criminals who didn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenna-sinclair/patience-was-what-made-a-man-or-woman-dangerous-put-a-plan-together/)

[Glenna Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenna-sinclair/)

> [“He said she needed to learn how to take pleasure in every section of the cycle of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenna-sinclair/he-said-she-needed-to-learn-how-to-take-pleasure-in-every-section-of/)

[Glenna Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenna-sinclair/)

> [“drive you home”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenna-sinclair/drive-you-home/)

[Glenna Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenna-sinclair/)

> [“I say,” Jake continued after a long pause, “if they’re not hurting anyone, why bother them? This is America, after all. Maybe it’s not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenna-sinclair/i-say-jake-continued-after-a-long-pause-if-they-re-not-hurting-anyone-2/)

[Glenna Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenna-sinclair/)

[Explore all 7 Glenna Sinclair quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenna-sinclair/)

## More Damn good quotes

> [“Eventually, Edgard said, “She doesn’t know anything about me. Not even that we were roping partners. Not that we were…” He looked at Trevor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorelei-james/eventually-edgard-said-she-doesn-t-know-anything-about-me-not-even/)

[Lorelei James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorelei-james/)

> [“Writing is like a relationship. When it is good, it is damn good; when it is bad, you contemplate murder.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nevea-lane/writing-is-like-a-relationship-when-it-is-good-it-is-damn-good-when/)

Nevea Lane

> [Learning to read music in Braille and play by ear helped me develop a damn good memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-charles/learning-to-read-music-in-braille-and-play-by-ear-helped-me-develop-a/)

[Ray Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-charles/)

> [“There is no other way," she insisted. "Nothing else but to use you as bait? Madness!" "Don't make me say it." "Say what?" Wolf…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-litton/there-is-no-other-way-she-insisted-nothing-else-but-to-use-you-as/)

[Josie Litton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-litton/)

> [Ana come on, I thought we had a damn good thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/broken-soul/ana-come-on-i-thought-we-had-a-damn-good-thing/)

[Broken Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/broken-soul/)

> [“I'm not usually good, but when i am, i'm goddamn good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-m-not-usually-good-but-when-i-am-i-m-goddamn-good/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

> [Once you realize just the sort of glut of books that exists out there, it does become incumbent on you not to add to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kirn/once-you-realize-just-the-sort-of-glut-of-books-that-exists-out-there/)

[Walter Kirn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kirn/)

> [I've got a bottle and a girl who's fourteen and a damn good case of Mexicali Blues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grateful-dead/i-ve-got-a-bottle-and-a-girl-who-s-fourteen-and-a-damn-good-case-of/)

[Grateful Dead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grateful-dead/)

> [I'm no genius, but I'm a damn good football coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-bryant/i-m-no-genius-but-i-m-a-damn-good-football-coach/)

[Bear Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-bryant/)

> [I am quite happy that the Beatles came and went. There is even a sort of glory in not having it go on forever.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mccartney/i-am-quite-happy-that-the-beatles-came-and-went-there-is-even-a-sort/)

[Paul McCartney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mccartney/)

> [“Green Day is like sex. When we good we're really good! When we're bad... we're still pretty damn good!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-dirnt/green-day-is-like-sex-when-we-good-we-re-really-good-when-we-re-bad/)

[Mike Dirnt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-dirnt/)

> [“Have a story. And make sure it’s a good one. A DAMN good one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-macleod/have-a-story-and-make-sure-it-s-a-good-one-a-damn-good-one/)

[Hugh MacLeod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-macleod/)

> [“Why," he panted into Danny's neck, "why's it so goddamn good?" He was surprised at how full his voice sounded, so close to overflowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooke-mckinley/why-he-panted-into-danny-s-neck-why-s-it-so-goddamn-good-he-was/)

[Brooke McKinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooke-mckinley/)

> [You saw him standing out there, and you knew you had a pretty damn good chance to win the baseball game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-ruffing/you-saw-him-standing-out-there-and-you-knew-you-had-a-pretty-damn/)

Red Ruffing

> [As soon as we start putting our thoughts into words and sentences everything gets distorted, language is just no damn good—I use it because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/as-soon-as-we-start-putting-our-thoughts-into-words-and-sentences/)

[Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/)

Browse all 275 Damn good quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“I say,” Jake continued after a long pause, “if they’re not hurting anyone, why bother them? This is America, after all. Maybe it’s not the best it could be all the time, but it’s pretty damn good, all things considered. And I fought for it. Sure, you might not agree with everything happening all the time, but at least it’s a big country. You don’t like your neighbors, just move. You don’t like your state, find a new one. Or vote for people who’ll change it to your liking. We’re the people who make this place, right or wrong.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Glenna Sinclair"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenna-sinclair/i-say-jake-continued-after-a-long-pause-if-they-re-not-hurting-anyone/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Damn good"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenna-sinclair/i-say-jake-continued-after-a-long-pause-if-they-re-not-hurting-anyone/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/929/glenna-sinclair-49764_damn-good_i-say-jake-continued-after-a-long-pause_1349552.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/929/glenna-sinclair-49764_damn-good_i-say-jake-continued-after-a-long-pause_1349552.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/929/glenna-sinclair-49764_damn-good_i-say-jake-continued-after-a-long-pause_1349552.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I say,” Jake continued after a long pause, “if they’re not hurting anyone, why bother them? This is America…” — Glenna Sinclair",
                "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": "Glenna Sinclair",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenna-sinclair/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“I say,” Jake continued after a...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenna-sinclair/i-say-jake-continued-after-a-long-pause-if-they-re-not-hurting-anyone/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenna-sinclair/i-say-jake-continued-after-a-long-pause-if-they-re-not-hurting-anyone/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
