--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have been lied to and terrorized by…" description: "\"We have been lied to and terrorized by our own government, and it is time to take action.\" — John Mellencamp" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c6/john-mellencamp-5745_action_we-have-been-lied-to-and-terrorized-by-o_828844.jpg" --- # We have been lied to and terrorized by our own government… ![“We have been lied to and terrorized by our own government, and it is time to take action.” quote by John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c6/john-mellencamp-5745_action_we-have-been-lied-to-and-terrorized-by-o_828844.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c6/john-mellencamp-5745_action_we-have-been-lied-to-and-terrorized-by-o_828844.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c6/john-mellencamp-5745_action_we-have-been-lied-to-and-terrorized-by-o_828844.jpg) > “We have been lied to and terrorized by our own government, and it is time to take action.” [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A call to recognize governmental deception and mobilize collective resistance. **In simple terms:** Government lies demand action. Key Takeaway Demand accountability now. Themes political awareness activism trust citizen rights government accountability Mood urgent defiant motivational Type activist political When to use this quote - protests - community organizing - voting - media literacy - public discourse Key Concepts propaganda social control civic duty Questions to Reflect On - What evidence supports your claim? - How can you safely mobilize others? A Different Perspective Change may be slow and face repression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“Progress does not compel us to settle centuries-old debates about the role of government for all time — but it does require us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/progress-does-not-compel-us-to-settle-centuries-old-debates-about-the/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [No government has ever been, or can ever be, wherein time-servers and blockheads will not be uppermost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/no-government-has-ever-been-or-can-ever-be-wherein-time-servers-and/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Traditionally people are on the side of the government all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immortal-technique/traditionally-people-are-on-the-side-of-the-government-all-the-time/) [Immortal Technique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immortal-technique/) > [Progress does not compel us to settle centuries-long debates about the role of government for all time, but it does require us to act…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/progress-does-not-compel-us-to-settle-centuries-long-debates-about/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Our most dangerous tendency is to expect too much of government, and at the same time do for it too little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/our-most-dangerous-tendency-is-to-expect-too-much-of-government-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's no coincidence that trust in government is at an all-time low now that the size of government is at an all-time high.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/it-s-no-coincidence-that-trust-in-government-is-at-an-all-time-low/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [I think all of us have a sense if we imagine the kind of world we would face if the people who bombed the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/i-think-all-of-us-have-a-sense-if-we-imagine-the-kind-of-world-we/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [I'm terrorized by a fear of failure. Failure is always there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurizio-cattelan/i-m-terrorized-by-a-fear-of-failure-failure-is-always-there/) [Maurizio Cattelan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurizio-cattelan/) > [No matter what these terrorists do, I refuse to be terrorized. All this requires is just a few alterations in our day to day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/no-matter-what-these-terrorists-do-i-refuse-to-be-terrorized-all-this/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [That is scary, when you consider what we're doing to children all over the planet. They're the ones who are truly being terrorized by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/that-is-scary-when-you-consider-what-we-re-doing-to-children-all-over/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“All the trauma terrorized her feelings. She sensed them harden. Fade. Vanish. Her emotions decayed and disintegrated like a waning timeworn woman would forget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-anderson/all-the-trauma-terrorized-her-feelings-she-sensed-them-harden-fade/) [C.J. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-anderson/) > [Been stuck in airports, terrorized; sent to meetings, hypnotized; overexposed, commercialized. Handle me with care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/been-stuck-in-airports-terrorized-sent-to-meetings-hypnotized/) [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) > [Society feeds terror and is in turn terrorized; we are afraid to lose, so we consume.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-jodorowsky/society-feeds-terror-and-is-in-turn-terrorized-we-are-afraid-to-lose/) [Alejandro Jodorowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-jodorowsky/) > [Ever since 9/11, our intelligence agencies, as part of the 'war on terror,' have expanded their operations to include American citizens. I was 'terrorized'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/ever-since-9-11-our-intelligence-agencies-as-part-of-the-war-on/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) > [Once the people are terrorized, you can force a police state on them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-brussell/once-the-people-are-terrorized-you-can-force-a-police-state-on-them/) [Mae Brussell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-brussell/) ## More by John Mellencamp > [My grandmother made sure that I went to church every Sunday. And she'd come over and pick us boys up, and we would go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/my-grandmother-made-sure-that-i-went-to-church-every-sunday-and-she-d/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [I thought I knew a lot about music. Then you start digging and the deeper you go, the more there is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/i-thought-i-knew-a-lot-about-music-then-you-start-digging-and-the/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [You shouldn't even be in a band if you can't play Buddy Holly's Not Fade Away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/you-shouldn-t-even-be-in-a-band-if-you-can-t-play-buddy-holly-s-not/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [Oh, I think country has changed tremendously. I think country has totally changed. Country music when I was a kid was Hank Williams. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/oh-i-think-country-has-changed-tremendously-i-think-country-has/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [I'm looking for trouble. A lot of people get to be a certain age and they just kind of lose interest or they give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/i-m-looking-for-trouble-a-lot-of-people-get-to-be-a-certain-age-and/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [I know there's a balance/I see it when I swing past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/i-know-there-s-a-balance-i-see-it-when-i-swing-past/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [Growing up leads to growing old and then to dying And dying to me don't sound like all that much fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/growing-up-leads-to-growing-old-and-then-to-dying-and-dying-to-me-don/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [This is not a rock opera. This is not Tommy. I can write songs that emote, and that's it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/this-is-not-a-rock-opera-this-is-not-tommy-i-can-write-songs-that/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [Hold on to 16 as long as you can,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/hold-on-to-16-as-long-as-you-can/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [Country sure has changed in the last 10 years. It was one thing, then it was another. Country has slowly marched toward a rock…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/country-sure-has-changed-in-the-last-10-years-it-was-one-thing-then/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [I just think if the song's good, sing it. I don't care who's doing it. I don't care if it's a country act. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/i-just-think-if-the-song-s-good-sing-it-i-don-t-care-who-s-doing-it-i/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [I'm not a nostalgic person. I'm not nostalgic about much of anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/i-m-not-a-nostalgic-person-i-m-not-nostalgic-about-much-of-anything/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [Most people in life, give up too early.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/most-people-in-life-give-up-too-early/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [My voice has gotten better from smoking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/my-voice-has-gotten-better-from-smoking/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [Music actually meant something when I started doing it. Too bad I wasn't mature enough to write anything that meant anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/music-actually-meant-something-when-i-started-doing-it-too-bad-i-wasn/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) [Explore all 100 John Mellencamp quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. 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