--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We see political leaders replacing moral…" description: "\"We see political leaders replacing moral imperatives with a Southern strategy. We have seen all too clearly that there are men-now in power in this cou..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb3/john-lindsay-30608_america_we-see-political-leaders-replacing-moral_1938185.png" --- # We see political leaders replacing moral imperatives with… ![“We see political leaders replacing moral imperatives with a Southern strategy. We have seen all too clearly that there are men-now in power in this country-who do not respect dissent, who cannot cope with turmoil, and who believe that the people of America are ready to support repression as long…” quote by John Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb3/john-lindsay-30608_america_we-see-political-leaders-replacing-moral_1938185.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb3/john-lindsay-30608_america_we-see-political-leaders-replacing-moral_1938185.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb3/john-lindsay-30608_america_we-see-political-leaders-replacing-moral_1938185.png) > “We see political leaders replacing moral imperatives with a Southern strategy. We have seen all too clearly that there are men-now in power in this country-who do not respect dissent, who cannot cope with turmoil, and who believe that the people of America are ready to support repression as long as it is done with a quiet voice and a business suit. And it is up to us to prove that they are wrong.” [John Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lindsay/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Leaders replace moral duties with political tactics, suppressing dissent while appearing respectable. **In simple terms:** Politicians trade ethics for power, silencing opposition. Key Takeaway Challenge such leaders, protect democratic values. Themes politics ethics power dissent democracy Mood concerned defiant Type political critical When to use this quote - elections - legislative debates - media coverage - activist protests Key Concepts authororal compromise authoritarianism public image Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens hold leaders accountable? - What role does media play in exposing moral failures? A Different Perspective Assumes all leaders act uniformly; not all may be corrupt. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Dissent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dissent/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Imperatives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imperatives/) [Imperatives Southern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imperatives-southern-3072595/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-leader/) [Political leaders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-leaders/) [Prove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prove/) [Quiet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quiet/) [Quiet voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quiet-voice/) [Ready](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ready/) [Repression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repression/) [Respect Dissent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect-dissent-3072596/) [Southern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/southern/) [Southern Strategy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/southern-strategy-3072593/) [Strategy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strategy/) [Suits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suits/) [Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support/) [Support Repression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support-repression-3072594/) [Turmoil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turmoil/) [Voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voice/) ## Related quotes > [There are men - now in power in this country - who do not respect dissent, who cannot cope with turmoil, and who believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lindsay/there-are-men-now-in-power-in-this-country-who-do-not-respect-dissent/) [John Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lindsay/) > [I talked for a long time about that, what I call the hate wing of the Republican Party.And often been criticized for saying it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-dean/i-talked-for-a-long-time-about-that-what-i-call-the-hate-wing-of-the/) [Howard Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-dean/) > [“In 1963, Robert Novak had written that many Republican leaders were intent on converting the Party of Lincoln into the White Man’s Party. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-haney-l-pez/in-1963-robert-novak-had-written-that-many-republican-leaders-were/) [Ian Haney López](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-haney-l-pez/) > [Richard Nixon built his presidency on his notorious 'Southern strategy.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-kornacki/richard-nixon-built-his-presidency-on-his-notorious-southern-strategy/) [Steve Kornacki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-kornacki/) > [“Madness does not always howl. Sometimes, it is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "Hey, is there room in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/despair-inc/madness-does-not-always-howl-sometimes-it-is-the-quiet-voice-at-the/) [Despair Inc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/despair-inc/) > [I believe in the invisible. I do not believe in the definitive reality of things around us. For me, reality is the intuition and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duane-michals/i-believe-in-the-invisible-i-do-not-believe-in-the-definitive-reality/) [Duane Michals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duane-michals/) > [Nothing is wrong with me, Dan. Whats wrong with you? she said in the same eerily quiet voice, dark eyes fixated on Dan, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-hopkins/nothing-is-wrong-with-me-dan-whats-wrong-with-you-she-said-in-the/) [Martin Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-hopkins/) > [We need groups like the Women's March reminding elected officials that they have a responsibility to create pathways of opportunity, and if - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-turner/we-need-groups-like-the-women-s-march-reminding-elected-officials/) [Nina Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-turner/) > [lucid and quiet his voice hovered above the listeners, like a light, like a starry sky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/lucid-and-quiet-his-voice-hovered-above-the-listeners-like-a-light/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [I've got a quiet voice. I think it's because as a child I didn't speak very much. I used to put my fingers in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-tammet/i-ve-got-a-quiet-voice-i-think-it-s-because-as-a-child-i-didn-t-speak/) [Daniel Tammet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-tammet/) > [Locust: To say Damn in a quiet voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/locust-to-say-damn-in-a-quiet-voice/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [“He had found the one calm place in the midst of the storm, a quiet voice calling him to earth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerzy-kosi-ski/he-had-found-the-one-calm-place-in-the-midst-of-the-storm-a-quiet/) [Jerzy Kosiński](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerzy-kosi-ski/) > [The Voice of Heaven is a still small voice. The voice of peace in the home is a quiet voice. There is need for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/the-voice-of-heaven-is-a-still-small-voice-the-voice-of-peace-in-the/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [Courage doesn't always roar, sometimes it's the quiet voice at the end of the day whispering 'I will try again tomorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-anne-radmacher/courage-doesn-t-always-roar-sometimes-it-s-the-quiet-voice-at-the-end/) [Mary Anne Radmacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-anne-radmacher/) > [I've never had a very quiet voice. I tried in choir to make it smaller, and it just didn't work out. And I listened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ditto/i-ve-never-had-a-very-quiet-voice-i-tried-in-choir-to-make-it-smaller/) [Beth Ditto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ditto/) ## More by John Lindsay > [Technology tends to fuel the imagination. People with a technological bent can get excited by sometimes the most hazardous technologies, if they think they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lindsay/technology-tends-to-fuel-the-imagination-people-with-a-technological/) [John Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lindsay/) > [There's something about the awareness of the limits that makes you tune in more to your surroundings and I've experienced a lot of pleasure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lindsay/there-s-something-about-the-awareness-of-the-limits-that-makes-you/) [John Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lindsay/) > [I try to build the things so that they're fairly indestructible. I've learned from my mistakes and some of those units, even if human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lindsay/i-try-to-build-the-things-so-that-they-re-fairly-indestructible-i-ve/) [John Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lindsay/) > [These girls play tennis first and foremost, the fact that many of them are very glamorous is a major bonus for any promoter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lindsay/these-girls-play-tennis-first-and-foremost-the-fact-that-many-of-them/) [John Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lindsay/) > [Those who suppress freedom always do so in the name of law and order.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lindsay/those-who-suppress-freedom-always-do-so-in-the-name-of-law-and-order/) [John Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lindsay/) > [Obviously technologies that are sustainable are a logical first step to creating a just society, one that doesn't trample life in all its forms,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lindsay/obviously-technologies-that-are-sustainable-are-a-logical-first-step/) [John Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lindsay/) > [I'm definitely more interested in technologies that are more accessible, that are as accessible as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lindsay/i-m-definitely-more-interested-in-technologies-that-are-more/) [John Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lindsay/) > [The soil of Palestine still enjoys her sabbaths, and only waits for the return of her banished children, and the application of industry, commensurate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lindsay/the-soil-of-palestine-still-enjoys-her-sabbaths-and-only-waits-for/) [John Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lindsay/) > [New York was something like a circus performer walking a tightrope an juggling at the same time…It could barely maintain its position, but an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lindsay/new-york-was-something-like-a-circus-performer-walking-a-tightrope-an/) [John Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lindsay/) > [There are men - now in power in this country - who do not respect dissent, who cannot cope with turmoil, and who believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lindsay/there-are-men-now-in-power-in-this-country-who-do-not-respect-dissent/) [John Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lindsay/) > [Technology has to be accessible otherwise it enslaves us, and I'm not really in favour of that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lindsay/technology-has-to-be-accessible-otherwise-it-enslaves-us-and-i-m-not/) [John Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lindsay/) > [You've got to be happy if they get your facts right. Since January I don't think I've recognized a damned thing that I've filed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lindsay/you-ve-got-to-be-happy-if-they-get-your-facts-right-since-january-i/) [John Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lindsay/) > [New York has total depth in every area. Washington has only politics; after that, the second biggest thing is white marble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lindsay/new-york-has-total-depth-in-every-area-washington-has-only-politics/) [John Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lindsay/) > [Not only is New York City the nation's melting pot, it is also the casserole, the chafing dish and the charcoal grill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lindsay/not-only-is-new-york-city-the-nation-s-melting-pot-it-is-also-the/) [John Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lindsay/) > [I like the analogy that the way that we live in Western Society, the energy that we consume in the form of fossil fuels,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lindsay/i-like-the-analogy-that-the-way-that-we-live-in-western-society-the/) [John Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lindsay/) [Explore all 17 John Lindsay quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lindsay/) ## 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": "We see political leaders replacing moral imperatives with a Southern strategy. 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