Country Quote by John Wayne
“I don't feel we did wrong in taking this great country away from them. There were great numbers of people who needed new land, and the Indians were selfishly trying to keep it for themselves.”
About This Quote
Justifies the displacement of Native peoples by portraying it as a necessary expansion for settlers, framing indigenous resistance as selfish.
In simple terms: He argues taking land from Native Americans was justified because they were selfish.
Key Takeaway
Question the moral implications of historical land seizures.
Themes
colonialism
justice
historical narrative
ethics
Mood
critical
thoughtful
somber
Type
historical
political
ethical
When to use this quote
- education curriculum
- historical debate
- policy analysis
- social justice discussions
Key Concepts
settler colonialism
moral justification
Questions to Reflect On
- What are the long‑term impacts of such narratives?
- How can we re‑examine history more fairly?
A Different Perspective
Oversimplifies complex histories and ignores Indigenous perspectives.
![“I believe in white supremacy, until the blacks are educated to a point of responsibility. I don't believe giving authority and positions of leadership and judgment to irresponsible people ... I don't feel we did wrong in taking this great country away from [the Native Americans] ... Our so-called…” quote by John Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c00/john-wayne-2572_authority_i-believe-in-white-supremacy-until-the-b_1897943.jpg)
![“That country [Carthage] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws; and every step of intestine discord was marked by some deplorable victory of savage man over civilized society.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/70c/edward-gibbon-710_barbarism_that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinkin_393.jpg)
