--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Civic participation over a lifetime…" description: "\"Civic participation over a lifetime, working in neighborhoods and communities and service of all kinds - military and civilian, full-time and part-time..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/263/john-mccain-465_america_civic-participation-over-a-lifetime-work_1052817.jpg" --- # Civic participation over a lifetime, working in… ![“Civic participation over a lifetime, working in neighborhoods and communities and service of all kinds - military and civilian, full-time and part-time, national and international - will strengthen America's civic purpose.” quote by John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/263/john-mccain-465_america_civic-participation-over-a-lifetime-work_1052817.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/263/john-mccain-465_america_civic-participation-over-a-lifetime-work_1052817.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/263/john-mccain-465_america_civic-participation-over-a-lifetime-work_1052817.jpg) > “Civic participation over a lifetime, working in neighborhoods and communities and service of all kinds - military and civilian, full-time and part-time, national and international - will strengthen America's civic purpose.” [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Long‑term civic engagement across all sectors builds a stronger national purpose. **In simple terms:** Consistent community service strengthens a nation. Key Takeaway Commit to regular civic involvement. Themes civic duty community service national purpose Mood motivational serious Type inspirational advice When to use this quote - volunteering - local politics - military service - nonprofit work Key Concepts political science social capital public service Questions to Reflect On - What community need can you address today? - How can you sustain long‑term involvement? A Different Perspective Civic engagement may wane without visible impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Civic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civic/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Service](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/service/) ## Related quotes > [The British Museum was founded with a civic purpose: to allow the citizen, through reasoned inquiry and comparison, to resist the certainties that endanger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macgregor/the-british-museum-was-founded-with-a-civic-purpose-to-allow-the/) [Neil MacGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-macgregor/) > [I have always argued that newspapers should not have any civic purpose beyond telling readers what is happening... A reporter who doesn't quickly tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-germond/i-have-always-argued-that-newspapers-should-not-have-any-civic/) [Jack Germond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-germond/) > [We have to create more awareness around the importance of civic participation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-biden/we-have-to-create-more-awareness-around-the-importance-of-civic/) [Ashley Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-biden/) > [Our ancestors went through so much in a fight for us to vote. So I believe that we should engage in all civic participation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-burton/our-ancestors-went-through-so-much-in-a-fight-for-us-to-vote-so-i/) [Susan Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-burton/) > [We like to say we're in the promise keeping business. And literally from the first day of this administration we've been working to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/we-like-to-say-we-re-in-the-promise-keeping-business-and-literally/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [If America has a civic religion, the First Amendment is its central article of faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-louis-gates/if-america-has-a-civic-religion-the-first-amendment-is-its-central/) [Henry Louis Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-louis-gates/) > [“Yet the old faith in the power of Bryce's "amazing solvent" to fulfill Washington's conception of Americans as "one people" held fast. However much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr-2/yet-the-old-faith-in-the-power-of-bryce-s-amazing-solvent-to-fulfill/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr-2/) > [“Be proud to support a cause that you believe is a worthy mission because your dedication to promoting civic participation helps the community.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/be-proud-to-support-a-cause-that-you-believe-is-a-worthy-mission/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [If you believe, as I do, that the scope and range of presidential authority is great, that puts a lot of weight on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-wittes/if-you-believe-as-i-do-that-the-scope-and-range-of-presidential/) [Benjamin Wittes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-wittes/) > [One must always be civic-minded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiroo-onoda/one-must-always-be-civic-minded/) [Hiroo Onoda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiroo-onoda/) > [The Civic University operates on a global scale but uses its location to form its identity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-goddard/the-civic-university-operates-on-a-global-scale-but-uses-its-location/) [John Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-goddard/) > [High levels of homeownership have been shown to foster greater involvement in school and civic organizations, higher graduation rates, and greater neighborhood stability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bernanke/high-levels-of-homeownership-have-been-shown-to-foster-greater/) [Ben Bernanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bernanke/) > [What's similar between Britain and America is the lack of good-quality civic buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zaha-hadid/what-s-similar-between-britain-and-america-is-the-lack-of-good/) [Zaha Hadid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zaha-hadid/) > [My parents were active in the anti-war movement in the 1960s, so I grew up with a tradition of civic activism around our dinner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-polis/my-parents-were-active-in-the-anti-war-movement-in-the-1960s-so-i/) [Jared Polis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-polis/) > [In her religious role, the Queen is head of the Church of England, but in her civic role she cares for all her subjects,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/in-her-religious-role-the-queen-is-head-of-the-church-of-england-but/) [Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/) ## More by John McCain > [I have the utmost confidence in General Mattis, General Flynn, General Kelly, Dan Coates. I couldn't have picked a better team. And so I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-have-the-utmost-confidence-in-general-mattis-general-flynn-general/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Washington is a Hollywood for ugly people. Hollywood is a Washington for the simpleminded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/washington-is-a-hollywood-for-ugly-people-hollywood-is-a-washington/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [I think that it's important that we understand the importance of the Hispanic vote in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-think-that-it-s-important-that-we-understand-the-importance-of-the/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [ I will not agree to have this bill \[to repeal DADT \] go forward, because our economy is in the tank. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-will-not-agree-to-have-this-bill-to-repeal-dadt-go-forward-because/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [I don't know a politician who enjoys fundraising. The system is such that the American people have lost faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-don-t-know-a-politician-who-enjoys-fundraising-the-system-is-such/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [It is perhaps my greatest hope, Mr. President, that some day we'll consider tax and spending measures with no one else in mind but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/it-is-perhaps-my-greatest-hope-mr-president-that-some-day-we-ll/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [This kind of horror has become all too familiar to us. As parents, Cindy and I offer our prayers to the memory of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/this-kind-of-horror-has-become-all-too-familiar-to-us-as-parents/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Thousands of Americans have given their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq upholding their oaths and defending this nation. Chelsea Manning broke her oath and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/thousands-of-americans-have-given-their-lives-in-afghanistan-and-iraq/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [The truth is sometimes a hard pill to swallow. It sometimes causes us difficulties at home and abroad. It is sometimes used by our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/the-truth-is-sometimes-a-hard-pill-to-swallow-it-sometimes-causes-us/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Countries, not just their armies, win wars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/countries-not-just-their-armies-win-wars/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [My greatest fear is the Iranians acquire a nuclear weapon and give it to a terrorist organization. And there is a real threat of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/my-greatest-fear-is-the-iranians-acquire-a-nuclear-weapon-and-give-it/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Presidential ambition is a disease that can only be cured by embalming fluid .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/presidential-ambition-is-a-disease-that-can-only-be-cured-by/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [3 "amnesty" didn't mean rewarding illegal behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/3-amnesty-didn-t-mean-rewarding-illegal-behavior/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [On the subject of Osama bin Laden... we will track him down. We will capture him. We will bring him to justice, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/on-the-subject-of-osama-bin-laden-we-will-track-him-down-we-will/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [That's Joe Biden right there - unbowed, unbroken and unable to stop talking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/that-s-joe-biden-right-there-unbowed-unbroken-and-unable-to-stop/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) [Explore all 539 John McCain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) ## 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": "Civic participation over a lifetime, working in neighborhoods and communities and service of all kinds - military and civilian, full-time and part-time, national and international - will strengthen America's civic purpose.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John McCain" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/civic-participation-over-a-lifetime-working-in-neighborhoods-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "America" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/civic-participation-over-a-lifetime-working-in-neighborhoods-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/263/john-mccain-465_america_civic-participation-over-a-lifetime-work_1052817.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/263/john-mccain-465_america_civic-participation-over-a-lifetime-work_1052817.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/263/john-mccain-465_america_civic-participation-over-a-lifetime-work_1052817.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Civic participation over a lifetime, working in neighborhoods and communities and service of all kinds…” — John McCain", "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 McCain", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Civic participation over a lifetime, working...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/civic-participation-over-a-lifetime-working-in-neighborhoods-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/civic-participation-over-a-lifetime-working-in-neighborhoods-and/#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 } } ] } ```