--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whenever I say that America has become an…" description: "\"Whenever I say that America has become an empire, someone is sure to say I'm being ridiculous.\" — Harry Browne" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb5/harry-browne-3285_america_whenever-i-say-that-america-has-become-a_2634480.jpg" --- # Whenever I say that America has become an empire, someone… ![“Whenever I say that America has become an empire, someone is sure to say I'm being ridiculous.” quote by Harry Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb5/harry-browne-3285_america_whenever-i-say-that-america-has-become-a_2634480.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb5/harry-browne-3285_america_whenever-i-say-that-america-has-become-a_2634480.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb5/harry-browne-3285_america_whenever-i-say-that-america-has-become-a_2634480.jpg) > “Whenever I say that America has become an empire, someone is sure to say I'm being ridiculous.” [Harry Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-browne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When America is labeled an empire, critics often dismiss the claim as absurd. **In simple terms:** Critics call calling empire label ridiculous. Key Takeaway Examine the evidence behind political labels. Themes politics imperialism criticism identity Mood skeptical thoughtful Type political analytical When to use this quote - political debate - media - history Key Concepts historical analysis media discourse nationalism Questions to Reflect On - What defines an empire in modern terms? - How does the empire label affect policy perception? A Different Perspective Dismissal can shut down nuanced discussion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [America Empire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america-empire-345525/) [Become](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/become/) [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Empire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empire/) [Ridiculous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ridiculous/) [Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say/) [Say America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-america-245897/) [Say Ridiculous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-ridiculous-701007/) [Someone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/someone/) [Sure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sure/) [Whenever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whenever/) ## Related quotes > [America is an empire. I hope you know that now. All empires, by definition, are bumbling, shambolic, bullying, bureaucratic affairs, as certain of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-dennis/america-is-an-empire-i-hope-you-know-that-now-all-empires-by/) [Felix Dennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-dennis/) > [America is an empire in decay. But we don't have to lash out and do damage on the way down. We can reverse some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/america-is-an-empire-in-decay-but-we-don-t-have-to-lash-out-and-do/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [America has never been an empire. We may be the only great power in history that had the chance, and refused - preferring greatness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/america-has-never-been-an-empire-we-may-be-the-only-great-power-in/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [“America is an empire. And sooner or later, every empire falls." -Maryanna Louis”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tristan-slaughter/america-is-an-empire-and-sooner-or-later-every-empire-falls-maryanna/) [Tristan Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tristan-slaughter/) > [There's nothing that winds me up more on Twitter than people who are stupid, and who say the most ridiculous things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillip-schofield/there-s-nothing-that-winds-me-up-more-on-twitter-than-people-who-are/) [Phillip Schofield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillip-schofield/) > [America is an empire that does not wish to be one ; we are easily discouraged from doing what must be done to maintain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/america-is-an-empire-that-does-not-wish-to-be-one-we-are-easily/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [America cannot have an empire abroad and a Republic at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/america-cannot-have-an-empire-abroad-and-a-republic-at-home/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Oppositions usually say ridiculous things and must embarrassingly then ditch untenable positions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/oppositions-usually-say-ridiculous-things-and-must-embarrassingly/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [“We're surrounded by people who don’t make that distinction. If you say to them ‘there’s a monster living in my closet, you can’t see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-mcfarlane/we-re-surrounded-by-people-who-don-t-make-that-distinction-if-you-say/) [Seth Mcfarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-mcfarlane/) > [“Sometimes in the middle of the craziest moments in your life, you hear yourself say the most ridiculous thing" -Bea”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-yeh/sometimes-in-the-middle-of-the-craziest-moments-in-your-life-you-hear/) [Kat Yeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-yeh/) > [You're dealing with a character who is, at some points, quite insane. And I hope that any wicked, dark sense of humor Eric exhibits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-lee/you-re-dealing-with-a-character-who-is-at-some-points-quite-insane/) [Brandon Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-lee/) > [Celebrities with big platforms and limited information say ridiculous things all the time and that's not worth a lot of energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-johnson/celebrities-with-big-platforms-and-limited-information-say-ridiculous/) [Jason Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-johnson/) > [Usually, a script will say something ridiculous like, 'She's sexy but in a nerdy way' or 'She's pretty but doesn't realise.' How do I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-lou-wood/usually-a-script-will-say-something-ridiculous-like-she-s-sexy-but-in/) [Aimee Lou Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-lou-wood/) > [I'll just say that America - us included - has a long way to go to catch up with the animated work being done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-konietzko/i-ll-just-say-that-america-us-included-has-a-long-way-to-go-to-catch/) [Bryan Konietzko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-konietzko/) > [German? I don't know what that means ... we don't say that in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-bieber/german-i-don-t-know-what-that-means-we-don-t-say-that-in-america/) [Justin Bieber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-bieber/) ## More by Harry Browne > [If younger people see older people who haven't planned ahead and have to rely on charity, the young will be more likely to provide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-browne/if-younger-people-see-older-people-who-haven-t-planned-ahead-and-have/) [Harry Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-browne/) > [Everything we know about human nature and about government tells us that individuals using their own money will achieve far more good for themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-browne/everything-we-know-about-human-nature-and-about-government-tells-us/) [Harry Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-browne/) > [You don't have to buy from anyone. You don't have to work at any particular job. You don't have to participate in any given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-browne/you-don-t-have-to-buy-from-anyone-you-don-t-have-to-work-at-any/) [Harry Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-browne/) > [The American way was for commerce, personal relationships, and religion to be voluntary. No one was forced to participate in something he didn't want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-browne/the-american-way-was-for-commerce-personal-relationships-and-religion/) [Harry Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-browne/) > [Conservatives say the government can't end poverty by force, but they believe it can use force to make people moral. Liberals say government can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-browne/conservatives-say-the-government-can-t-end-poverty-by-force-but-they/) [Harry Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-browne/) > [Everyone will experience the consequences of his own acts. 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Only people who bear the consequences of their own acts will care about those consequences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-browne/only-free-people-have-an-incentive-to-be-virtuous-only-people-who/) [Harry Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-browne/) > [So what is government?... Very simply, it is an agency of coercion. Of course, there are other agencies of coercion - such as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-browne/so-what-is-government-very-simply-it-is-an-agency-of-coercion-of/) [Harry Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-browne/) > [The Constitution isn't written in Chinese, Swahili or Sanskrit. It's in plain English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-browne/the-constitution-isn-t-written-in-chinese-swahili-or-sanskrit-it-s-in/) [Harry Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-browne/) > [The press is hostile to the idea of liberty. Most people in the press are for big government. Most people think that the solution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-browne/the-press-is-hostile-to-the-idea-of-liberty-most-people-in-the-press/) [Harry Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-browne/) > [There's nothing shameful in acknowledging that you don't have the answers to every question about life. Just accept the fact that you know only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-browne/there-s-nothing-shameful-in-acknowledging-that-you-don-t-have-the/) [Harry Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-browne/) > [Forcing people to be generous isn't humanitarian, effective, compassionate or moral. Only acts that are truly voluntary for all concerned can be truly compassionate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-browne/forcing-people-to-be-generous-isn-t-humanitarian-effective/) [Harry Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-browne/) > [Democratic politicians want to solve the crisis of poor education by taking more of your money and using it to reduce classroom sizes in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-browne/democratic-politicians-want-to-solve-the-crisis-of-poor-education-by/) [Harry Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-browne/) [Explore all 134 Harry Browne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-browne/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. 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