--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I not only think that they (U.S. leaders)…" description: "\"I not only think that they (U.S. leaders) are misguided, but I think they know exactly what they are doing and I think that they are men who are posses..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f44/harry-belafonte-4893_evil_i-not-only-think-that-they-u-s-leaders-a_269277.jpg" --- # I not only think that they (U.S. leaders) are misguided… ![“I not only think that they (U.S. leaders) are misguided, but I think they know exactly what they are doing and I think that they are men who are possessed of evil.” quote by Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f44/harry-belafonte-4893_evil_i-not-only-think-that-they-u-s-leaders-a_269277.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f44/harry-belafonte-4893_evil_i-not-only-think-that-they-u-s-leaders-a_269277.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f44/harry-belafonte-4893_evil_i-not-only-think-that-they-u-s-leaders-a_269277.jpg) > “I not only think that they (U.S. leaders) are misguided, but I think they know exactly what they are doing and I think that they are men who are possessed of evil.” [Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-belafonte/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He asserts that leaders may be intentionally harmful, acting with malicious intent rather than ignorance. **In simple terms:** Leaders can act with deliberate evil. Key Takeaway Question authority critically. Themes politics evil leadership Mood skeptical critical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - voting decisions - activism - media consumption - policy advocacy Key Concepts morality power dynamics political cynicism Questions to Reflect On - What evidence supports your view? - How can you differentiate malice from incompetence? A Different Perspective Accusing all leaders as evil can oversimplify nuanced motives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I believe my friends and neighbors there are misguided. I think they are not going to get what they hoped for. But they feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-carlson/i-believe-my-friends-and-neighbors-there-are-misguided-i-think-they/) [Tucker Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-carlson/) > [Once upon a time men were possessed by devils. Now they are not less obsessed by ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/once-upon-a-time-men-were-possessed-by-devils-now-they-are-not-less/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [Your enlightenment depends on the company you keep. You do not know the world until you know the men who have possessed it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/your-enlightenment-depends-on-the-company-you-keep-you-do-not-know/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) > [I have known some men possessed of good qualities which were very serviceable to others, but useless to themselves; like a sun-dial on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/i-have-known-some-men-possessed-of-good-qualities-which-were-very/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [There are men who are possessed by an urge so strong to do some particular thing that they can't help themselves, they've got to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/there-are-men-who-are-possessed-by-an-urge-so-strong-to-do-some/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [There is perhaps not an enlightened Christian in America who, notwithstanding he may believe that, at the time of Jesus, men were possessed of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/there-is-perhaps-not-an-enlightened-christian-in-america-who/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [ I think that they \[Bush Administration\] are men who are possessed of evil. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-belafonte/i-think-that-they-bush-administration-are-men-who-are-possessed-of/) [Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-belafonte/) > [What I'm trying to tell you is that there are men who are possessed by an urge so strong to do some particular thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/what-i-m-trying-to-tell-you-is-that-there-are-men-who-are-possessed/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [We need, men so possessed by the Spirit of God that God can think His thoughts through our minds, that He can plan His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-redpath/we-need-men-so-possessed-by-the-spirit-of-god-that-god-can-think-his/) [Alan Redpath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-redpath/) > [It was a ludicrous, insane situation in which modern fighting men, possessed all of the highly destructive engines of war, were ordered to attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-was-a-ludicrous-insane-situation-in-which-modern-fighting-men/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Sara fled upstairs as if the devil himself had been after her, leaning, gasping for breath against the thick wooden door that had no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-rogers/sara-fled-upstairs-as-if-the-devil-himself-had-been-after-her-leaning/) [Rosemary Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-rogers/) > [I think the leaders in all parties tend to adjust to reality. They just have to or they won't remain in office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/i-think-the-leaders-in-all-parties-tend-to-adjust-to-reality-they/) [Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/) > [I think all our leaders are utterly beneath us. You just watch 'Prime Minister's Questions' and go: 'How is this the best that we've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-think-all-our-leaders-are-utterly-beneath-us-you-just-watch-prime/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [A lot of people think that they are leaders just because they have been placed in charge of something - and you're not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/a-lot-of-people-think-that-they-are-leaders-just-because-they-have/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [Most people think of leaders as being these outgoing, very visible, and charismatic people, which I find to be a very narrow perception. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-conant/most-people-think-of-leaders-as-being-these-outgoing-very-visible-and/) [Douglas Conant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-conant/) ## More by Harry Belafonte > [As a matter of fact, compromise is what oppression feeds on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-belafonte/as-a-matter-of-fact-compromise-is-what-oppression-feeds-on/) [Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-belafonte/) > [I think being born in America and growing up exclusively within the American boundaries of race and race oppression is a very different experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-belafonte/i-think-being-born-in-america-and-growing-up-exclusively-within-the/) [Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-belafonte/) > [Fascism is fascism. Terrorism is terrorism. Oppression is oppression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-belafonte/fascism-is-fascism-terrorism-is-terrorism-oppression-is-oppression/) [Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-belafonte/) > [If you believe in justice, if you believe in democracy, if you believe in people's rights, if you believe in the harmony of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-belafonte/if-you-believe-in-justice-if-you-believe-in-democracy-if-you-believe/) [Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-belafonte/) > [Each time we arrive at a new level in extricating ourselves from economic, social, spiritual domination, we have a moment when we dance in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-belafonte/each-time-we-arrive-at-a-new-level-in-extricating-ourselves-from/) [Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-belafonte/) > [I'm not quite sure precisely when social and political activism became a visible brand of my DNA, but it seems to me that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-belafonte/i-m-not-quite-sure-precisely-when-social-and-political-activism/) [Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-belafonte/) > [In poor environment, I find great inspiration. Many of the men and women whom I admire as artists, the things they write, the songs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-belafonte/in-poor-environment-i-find-great-inspiration-many-of-the-men-and/) [Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-belafonte/) > [I didn't like The Wiz and it wasn't because black people were doing it. I didn't like The Wiz because it was a badly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-belafonte/i-didn-t-like-the-wiz-and-it-wasn-t-because-black-people-were-doing/) [Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-belafonte/) > [I'm always suspicious of celebrities that write about their lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-belafonte/i-m-always-suspicious-of-celebrities-that-write-about-their-lives/) [Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-belafonte/) > [I became an anti-fascist, and the more I saw what was happening to the peoples of Europe, the Jews, the more I saw the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-belafonte/i-became-an-anti-fascist-and-the-more-i-saw-what-was-happening-to-the/) [Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-belafonte/) > [Although slavery may have been abolished, the crippling poison of racism still persists, and the struggle still continues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-belafonte/although-slavery-may-have-been-abolished-the-crippling-poison-of/) [Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-belafonte/) > [Although we had a lot of villainy here in America, Adolf Hitler was certainly the most visible illustration of what would happen if fascism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-belafonte/although-we-had-a-lot-of-villainy-here-in-america-adolf-hitler-was/) [Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-belafonte/) > [I knew Charlie Parker, and he gave us such a gift with his music. He put so much into so little space, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-belafonte/i-knew-charlie-parker-and-he-gave-us-such-a-gift-with-his-music-he/) [Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-belafonte/) > [Peace is necessary. For justice, it is necessary. For hope, it is necessary, for our future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-belafonte/peace-is-necessary-for-justice-it-is-necessary-for-hope-it-is/) [Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-belafonte/) > [I think now, with our technology, our capacity to grow food, our ability to stop raping the Earth and destroying the ecology and killing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-belafonte/i-think-now-with-our-technology-our-capacity-to-grow-food-our-ability/) [Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-belafonte/) [Explore all 105 Harry Belafonte quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-belafonte/) ## More Evil quotes > [I've always been fascinated by the idea that there's no such thing as evil; it's all in your point of view. To one group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-ve-always-been-fascinated-by-the-idea-that-there-s-no-such-thing-as/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [I do conscientiously and sincerely believe that the Order of Freemasonry, if not the greatest, is one of the greatest moral and political evils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/i-do-conscientiously-and-sincerely-believe-that-the-order-of/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [What is done out of love always takes place beyond good and evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-is-done-out-of-love-always-takes-place-beyond-good-and-evil/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ Evil cannot be "treated" -- nor should it be. Evil has to \[be\] confronted and destroyed and it matters not why the evil is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/evil-cannot-be-treated-nor-should-it-be-evil-has-to-be-confronted-and/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [The evil which does me no harm is like the good which in no wise avails me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/the-evil-which-does-me-no-harm-is-like-the-good-which-in-no-wise/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/attack-the-evil-that-is-within-yourself-rather-than-attacking-the/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [There is a spirit which I feel that delights to do no evil, nor to revenge any wrong, but delights to endure all things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nayler/there-is-a-spirit-which-i-feel-that-delights-to-do-no-evil-nor-to/) James Nayler > [The politician attempts to remedy the evil by increasing the very thing that caused the evil in the first place: legal plunder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-politician-attempts-to-remedy-the-evil-by-increasing-the-very/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [“Water is so friendly when you have it on your palms, but so evil when they have you on theirs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/water-is-so-friendly-when-you-have-it-on-your-palms-but-so-evil-when/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [THE ART OF PEACE is not easy. It is a fight to the finish, the slaying of evil desires and all falsehood within. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morihei-ueshiba/the-art-of-peace-is-not-easy-it-is-a-fight-to-the-finish-the-slaying/) [Morihei Ueshiba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morihei-ueshiba/) [Browse all 11,163 Evil quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I not only think that they (U.S. leaders) are misguided, but I think they know exactly what they are doing and I think that they are men who are possessed of evil.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Harry Belafonte" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-belafonte/i-not-only-think-that-they-u-s-leaders-are-misguided-but-i-think-they/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Evil" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-belafonte/i-not-only-think-that-they-u-s-leaders-are-misguided-but-i-think-they/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f44/harry-belafonte-4893_evil_i-not-only-think-that-they-u-s-leaders-a_269277.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f44/harry-belafonte-4893_evil_i-not-only-think-that-they-u-s-leaders-a_269277.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f44/harry-belafonte-4893_evil_i-not-only-think-that-they-u-s-leaders-a_269277.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I not only think that they (U.S. leaders) are misguided, but I think they know exactly what they are doing…” — Harry Belafonte", "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": "Harry Belafonte", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-belafonte/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I not only think that they...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-belafonte/i-not-only-think-that-they-u-s-leaders-are-misguided-but-i-think-they/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-belafonte/i-not-only-think-that-they-u-s-leaders-are-misguided-but-i-think-they/#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 } } ] } ```