--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Lets make no mistake about this: The…" description: "\"Lets make no mistake about this: The American Dream starts with the neigborhoods. If we wish to rebuild our cities, we must first rebuild our neighborh..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d47/harvey-milk-9963_american-dream_lets-make-no-mistake-about-this-the-amer_1479152.jpg" --- # Lets make no mistake about this: The American Dream starts… ![“Lets make no mistake about this: The American Dream starts with the neigborhoods. If we wish to rebuild our cities, we must first rebuild our neighborhoods. And to do that, we must understand that the quality of life is more important than the standard of living.” quote by Harvey Milk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d47/harvey-milk-9963_american-dream_lets-make-no-mistake-about-this-the-amer_1479152.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d47/harvey-milk-9963_american-dream_lets-make-no-mistake-about-this-the-amer_1479152.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d47/harvey-milk-9963_american-dream_lets-make-no-mistake-about-this-the-amer_1479152.jpg) > “Lets make no mistake about this: The American Dream starts with the neigborhoods. If we wish to rebuild our cities, we must first rebuild our neighborhoods. And to do that, we must understand that the quality of life is more important than the standard of living.” [Harvey Milk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-milk/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The American Dream depends on strong neighborhoods; rebuilding cities starts with improving local communities. **In simple terms:** Neighborhoods are the foundation of the American Dream. Key Takeaway Focus on strengthening local communities first. Themes community urban renewal American Dream Mood inspirational activist Type social political When to use this quote - city planning - local policy - community organizing - housing initiatives Key Concepts social equity neighborhood development Questions to Reflect On - What steps can improve neighborhood quality? - How to balance life standards with life quality? A Different Perspective Revitalizing neighborhoods alone may not address systemic inequality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-dream/) [Cities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Neighborhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neighborhood/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Quality of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality-of-life/) [Standards of living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/standards-of-living/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [If we wish to rebuild our cities, we must first rebuild our neighborhoods. 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The Americans seemed to confuse standard of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevanian/it-was-not-their-irritating-assumption-of-equality-that-annoyed/) [Trevanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevanian/) > [Make the wrong choices now and future generations will live with a changed climate, depleted resources and without the green space and biodiversity that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/make-the-wrong-choices-now-and-future-generations-will-live-with-a/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [There is a difference between standard of living and quality of life. Quality of life is more important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/there-is-a-difference-between-standard-of-living-and-quality-of-life/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [You know, what God uses to impress a pagan world is really the quality of life, the standard of living that we have. Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kong-hee/you-know-what-god-uses-to-impress-a-pagan-world-is-really-the-quality/) [Kong Hee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kong-hee/) > [Good economic policy requires not so much the bravado to implement drastic change as the strength and wisdom to make reasonable trade-offs over the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-blair-henry/good-economic-policy-requires-not-so-much-the-bravado-to-implement/) [Peter Blair Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-blair-henry/) > [Take good care of the things you have. Careless people spend more for a given standard of living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-crook-de-camp/take-good-care-of-the-things-you-have-careless-people-spend-more-for/) [Catherine Crook de Camp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-crook-de-camp/) > [We have broken the shackles of conservative socialism. The growing middle classes want the kind of standard of living you enjoy in the West.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-mallya/we-have-broken-the-shackles-of-conservative-socialism-the-growing/) [Vijay Mallya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-mallya/) > [But the higher our standard of living, the higher our levels of education, the further people will look around. And we can see which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhang-xin/but-the-higher-our-standard-of-living-the-higher-our-levels-of/) [Zhang Xin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhang-xin/) > [My single biggest financial concern is the loss of the dollar as the reserve currency. I can't imagine anything more disastrous to our country.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-zell/my-single-biggest-financial-concern-is-the-loss-of-the-dollar-as-the/) [Sam Zell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-zell/) > [It is a great profession. There is the fascination of watching a figment of the imagination emerge through the aid of science to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-hoover/it-is-a-great-profession-there-is-the-fascination-of-watching-a/) [Herbert Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-hoover/) > [When in one area of the world the standard of living and the size of the middle class increases, it is going to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-lagarde/when-in-one-area-of-the-world-the-standard-of-living-and-the-size-of/) [Christine Lagarde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-lagarde/) ## More by Harvey Milk > [Some people call me the unofficial mayor of Castro Street.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-milk/some-people-call-me-the-unofficial-mayor-of-castro-street/) [Harvey Milk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-milk/) > [“Let's make no mistake about this: The American Dream starts with the neighborhoods. If we wish to rebuild our cities, we must first rebuild…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-milk/let-s-make-no-mistake-about-this-the-american-dream-starts-with-the/) [Harvey Milk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-milk/) > [We will not win our rights by staying quietly in our closets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-milk/we-will-not-win-our-rights-by-staying-quietly-in-our-closets/) [Harvey Milk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-milk/) > [If it were true that children mimicked their teachers, you'd sure have a helluva lot more nuns running around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-milk/if-it-were-true-that-children-mimicked-their-teachers-you-d-sure-have/) [Harvey Milk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-milk/) > [Never take an elevator in city hall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-milk/never-take-an-elevator-in-city-hall/) [Harvey Milk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-milk/) > [Out of the bars and into the streets!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-milk/out-of-the-bars-and-into-the-streets/) [Harvey Milk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-milk/) > [Rights are won only by those who make their voices heard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-milk/rights-are-won-only-by-those-who-make-their-voices-heard/) [Harvey Milk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-milk/) > [We are coming out to tell the truths about gays, for I am tired of the conspiracy of silence, so I'm going to talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-milk/we-are-coming-out-to-tell-the-truths-about-gays-for-i-am-tired-of-the/) [Harvey Milk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-milk/) > [The first gay people we elect must be strong. They must not be content to sit in the back of the bus. They must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-milk/the-first-gay-people-we-elect-must-be-strong-they-must-not-be-content/) [Harvey Milk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-milk/) > [Let me have my tax money go for my protection and not for my prosecution. Let my tax money go for the protection of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-milk/let-me-have-my-tax-money-go-for-my-protection-and-not-for-my/) [Harvey Milk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-milk/) > [I wish I had time to explain everything I did. Almost everything was done with an eye on the GLBT movement...last week I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-milk/i-wish-i-had-time-to-explain-everything-i-did-almost-everything-was/) [Harvey Milk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-milk/) > [Freedom is too enormous to be slipped under a closet door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-milk/freedom-is-too-enormous-to-be-slipped-under-a-closet-door/) [Harvey Milk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-milk/) > [It takes no compromising to give people their rights. It takes no money to respect the individual. It takes no survey to remove repressions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-milk/it-takes-no-compromising-to-give-people-their-rights-it-takes-no/) [Harvey Milk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-milk/) > [If I turned around every time somebody called me a faggot, I'd be walking backward - and I don't want to walk backward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-milk/if-i-turned-around-every-time-somebody-called-me-a-faggot-i-d-be/) [Harvey Milk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-milk/) > [“You’ve gotta give them hope. If a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet destroy every closet door”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-milk/you-ve-gotta-give-them-hope-if-a-bullet-should-enter-my-brain-let/) [Harvey Milk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-milk/) [Explore all 69 Harvey Milk quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-milk/) ## More American dream quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [Are we a nation of guarantees or are we a nation of opportunities to achieve the American dream?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-mcdonnell/are-we-a-nation-of-guarantees-or-are-we-a-nation-of-opportunities-to/) [Bob McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-mcdonnell/) > [I believe keeping our promises should be our highest priority and that means saving Social Security and Medicare while preserving the American dream for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-coburn/i-believe-keeping-our-promises-should-be-our-highest-priority-and/) [Tom Coburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-coburn/) > [Our families and our homes are the center of American life, Everything we do is to make those homes-and the lives in them-more beautiful,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-stewart/our-families-and-our-homes-are-the-center-of-american-life-everything/) [Martha Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-stewart/) > [I want people to know where I come from. I think I have come really far from that, and I did it on my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aj-lee/i-want-people-to-know-where-i-come-from-i-think-i-have-come-really/) [AJ Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aj-lee/) > [We need to remain a nation that doesn't just welcome but that celebrates legal immigrants who come here seeking to pursue the American Dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/we-need-to-remain-a-nation-that-doesn-t-just-welcome-but-that/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [By disgracing and degrading the presidency of the United States, by fleeing the White House like a diseased cur, Richard Nixon broke the heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/by-disgracing-and-degrading-the-presidency-of-the-united-states-by/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [So many Korean Americans like me came to this country with the hope of achieving their own American Dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-steel/so-many-korean-americans-like-me-came-to-this-country-with-the-hope/) [Michelle Steel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-steel/) > [“Let's make no mistake about this: The American Dream starts with the neighborhoods. If we wish to rebuild our cities, we must first rebuild…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-milk/let-s-make-no-mistake-about-this-the-american-dream-starts-with-the/) [Harvey Milk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-milk/) > [As a kid, I learned from my parents, teachers, coaches, and friends that what mattered most was Truth - to uncover it, share it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shiva-ayyadurai/as-a-kid-i-learned-from-my-parents-teachers-coaches-and-friends-that/) [Shiva Ayyadurai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shiva-ayyadurai/) > [Theres a zoom up in the TV screen Living cancer to our self-esteem yea Cause if this an airless beauty queen But everything aint…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valentinooo-c/theres-a-zoom-up-in-the-tv-screen-living-cancer-to-our-self-esteem/) Valentinooo\_c > [College is part of the American dream. It shouldnt be part of a financial nightmare for families](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-mikulski/college-is-part-of-the-american-dream-it-shouldnt-be-part-of-a/) [Barbara Mikulski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-mikulski/) > [“New Rule: Americans must realize what makes NFL football so great: socialism. That's right, the NFL takes money from the rich teams and gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-americans-must-realize-what-makes-nfl-football-so-great/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [I believe it from the bottom of my heart, and your sons and daughters, too, can have the American dream come true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-a-ribicoff/i-believe-it-from-the-bottom-of-my-heart-and-your-sons-and-daughters/) [Abraham A. Ribicoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-a-ribicoff/) > [I dare to imagine a country where every child I hold in my hands, are all God's children, regardless of the color of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wellstone/i-dare-to-imagine-a-country-where-every-child-i-hold-in-my-hands-are/) [Paul Wellstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wellstone/) [Browse all 1,001 American dream quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-dream/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Lets make no mistake about this: The American Dream starts with the neigborhoods. If we wish to rebuild our cities, we must first rebuild our neighborhoods. 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