--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't think anybody in America ought to…" description: "\"I don't think anybody in America ought to be scared.\" — John Kennedy" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86d/john-kennedy-6970_america_i-don-t-think-anybody-in-america-ought-t_1525602.jpg" --- # I don't think anybody in America ought to be scared. ![“I don't think anybody in America ought to be scared.” quote by John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86d/john-kennedy-6970_america_i-don-t-think-anybody-in-america-ought-t_1525602.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86d/john-kennedy-6970_america_i-don-t-think-anybody-in-america-ought-t_1525602.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86d/john-kennedy-6970_america_i-don-t-think-anybody-in-america-ought-t_1525602.jpg) > “I don't think anybody in America ought to be scared.” [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Americans should not live in fear; confidence and courage are essential for national progress **In simple terms:** Americans need courage, not fear Key Takeaway Embrace confidence, reject fear Themes courage patriotism psychology Mood inspirational determined Type motivational political When to use this quote - public speaking - community organizing - personal development - education reform Key Concepts political leadership social psychology civic duty Questions to Reflect On - What fuels fear in society? - How can leaders inspire confidence? A Different Perspective Fear can be rational in certain threats; context matters for resilience ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ## Related quotes > [“You shouldn't be afraid of me because I'm a vampire. You ought to be scared because you just trash-talked my girlfriend to her face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/you-shouldn-t-be-afraid-of-me-because-i-m-a-vampire-you-ought-to-be/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [“Every decent man in America ought to swoon with joy for the opportunity to crush with his heel the woolly head of this black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-wright/every-decent-man-in-america-ought-to-swoon-with-joy-for-the/) [Richard Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-wright/) > [Neutrality is a negative word. It does not express what America ought to feel. We are not trying to keep out of trouble; we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/neutrality-is-a-negative-word-it-does-not-express-what-america-ought/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) > [I'm cheering for America as always. Our interest ought to come first and to the extent that making temporary alliances with other countries serve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-carlson/i-m-cheering-for-america-as-always-our-interest-ought-to-come-first/) [Tucker Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-carlson/) > [I believe I'm a better authority than anybody else in America on my own wife. I have never known a person with a stronger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/i-believe-i-m-a-better-authority-than-anybody-else-in-america-on-my/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [I can say unequivocally that the boycott does not work. It's never complete enough to have impact unless it's backed by force, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-suzman/i-can-say-unequivocally-that-the-boycott-does-not-work-it-s-never/) [Helen Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-suzman/) > [I think the rest of the world would like to tell us how to manage our own environment. And I think that anybody in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-haley/i-think-the-rest-of-the-world-would-like-to-tell-us-how-to-manage-our/) [Nikki Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-haley/) > [You just have to come to grips with the fact that people don't like to be invaded or bombed by anybody. And America has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scheuer/you-just-have-to-come-to-grips-with-the-fact-that-people-don-t-like/) [Michael Scheuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scheuer/) > [“It's the worst thing that ever happened to anybody in America!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-bouvier-beale/it-s-the-worst-thing-that-ever-happened-to-anybody-in-america/) [Edith Bouvier Beale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-bouvier-beale/) > [I don't think there's anybody in America who thinks my personality is best suited to being Number Two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-christie/i-don-t-think-there-s-anybody-in-america-who-thinks-my-personality-is/) [Chris Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-christie/) > [You aren't really anybody in America if you're not on TV.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-kidman/you-aren-t-really-anybody-in-america-if-you-re-not-on-tv/) [Nicole Kidman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-kidman/) > [Take control of who you report to, what you do, what you create. Or start a business on the side. Deliver some value, any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/take-control-of-who-you-report-to-what-you-do-what-you-create-or/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [I would never refuse to work with anybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coleen-nolan/i-would-never-refuse-to-work-with-anybody/) [Coleen Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coleen-nolan/) > [The reason I got into acting was not to explore myself. I was a reader, I didn't care about acting. I got into it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-scott/the-reason-i-got-into-acting-was-not-to-explore-myself-i-was-a-reader/) [Campbell Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-scott/) > [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) ## More by John Kennedy > [Louisiana's spicy, colorful politics have saddled our state with a reputation for tolerating lax ethical standards in government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/louisiana-s-spicy-colorful-politics-have-saddled-our-state-with-a/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [I think the FBI is the premier law enforcement agency in all of human history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/i-think-the-fbi-is-the-premier-law-enforcement-agency-in-all-of-human/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [If you believe that tax policy has nothing to do with the economy, then you're pretty much like a rock, only dumber.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/if-you-believe-that-tax-policy-has-nothing-to-do-with-the-economy/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [I think the American people, with some justification, think that most politicians live in la-la land.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/i-think-the-american-people-with-some-justification-think-that-most/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [Just because you've seen 'My Cousin Vinny' doesn't qualify you to be a federal judge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/just-because-you-ve-seen-my-cousin-vinny-doesn-t-qualify-you-to-be-a/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [Jurisdictions across the U.S. are snapping up algorithms as tools to help judges make bail and bond decisions. They're being sold as race- and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/jurisdictions-across-the-u-s-are-snapping-up-algorithms-as-tools-to/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [I happen to believe there is evil in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/i-happen-to-believe-there-is-evil-in-the-world/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [In theory, the MSRB is supposed to protect the public interest, investors, and state and local governments. In practice, the MSRB membership structure is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/in-theory-the-msrb-is-supposed-to-protect-the-public-interest/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [I would rather drink weedkiller than support Obamacare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/i-would-rather-drink-weedkiller-than-support-obamacare/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [The Second Amendment is just as important as all the other Amendments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/the-second-amendment-is-just-as-important-as-all-the-other-amendments/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [The Democratic position seems to be everything is going to be free. Free education. Free health care. Free housing. Free love. Free kittens, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/the-democratic-position-seems-to-be-everything-is-going-to-be-free/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [I don't know a country in the world that doesn't have borders and doesn't want to know who is coming into their country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/i-don-t-know-a-country-in-the-world-that-doesn-t-have-borders-and/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [This is America. You're entitled to believe what you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/this-is-america-you-re-entitled-to-believe-what-you-want/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [I don't like to be bored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/i-don-t-like-to-be-bored/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [What I think we need to do is pass a bill that says number one, you own your data. Number two, you can license…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/what-i-think-we-need-to-do-is-pass-a-bill-that-says-number-one-you/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) [Explore all 95 John Kennedy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) ## 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. 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/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't think anybody in America ought to be scared.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Kennedy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/i-don-t-think-anybody-in-america-ought-to-be-scared/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "America" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/i-don-t-think-anybody-in-america-ought-to-be-scared/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86d/john-kennedy-6970_america_i-don-t-think-anybody-in-america-ought-t_1525602.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86d/john-kennedy-6970_america_i-don-t-think-anybody-in-america-ought-t_1525602.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86d/john-kennedy-6970_america_i-don-t-think-anybody-in-america-ought-t_1525602.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't think anybody in America ought to be scared.” — John Kennedy", "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": "John Kennedy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I don't think anybody in America...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/i-don-t-think-anybody-in-america-ought-to-be-scared/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/i-don-t-think-anybody-in-america-ought-to-be-scared/#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 } } ] } ```