---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The building housing America's military…"
description: "\"The building housing America's military brass is a five-sided pentagon, but somehow, the people in it still manage to make it the squarest place on ear..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/463/jon-stewart-455_america_the-building-housing-america-s-military_2948775.jpg"
---

#  The building housing America's military brass is a…

![“The building housing America's military brass is a five-sided pentagon, but somehow, the people in it still manage to make it the squarest place on earth. The latest evidence? A current military document that lists homosexuality as a mental disorder in the same league as mental retardation…” quote by Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/463/jon-stewart-455_america_the-building-housing-america-s-military_2948775.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/463/jon-stewart-455_america_the-building-housing-america-s-military_2948775.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/463/jon-stewart-455_america_the-building-housing-america-s-military_2948775.jpg)

> “The building housing America's military brass is a five-sided pentagon, but somehow, the people in it still manage to make it the squarest place on earth. The latest evidence? A current military document that lists homosexuality as a mental disorder in the same league as mental retardation - noting, of course, the one difference: retarded people can still get into heaven.”

[Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The Pentagon’s contradictions—its shape and policies—highlight absurdities, especially regarding outdated mental health classifications.

**In simple terms:** Pentagon’s design and policies are absurdly contradictory.

Key Takeaway

Critique institutional hypocrisy with humor.

Themes

politics military Lity

Mood

sarcastic critical

Type

political comedic

When to use this quote

- policy analysis
- public discourse
- L advocacy
- media commentary

Key Concepts

satire social critique

Questions to Reflect On

- How can satire influence public opinion?
- What reforms address outdated classifications?

A Different Perspective

Humor may not change entrenched policies.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Brass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brass/) [Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) [Homosexuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homosexuality/) [Housing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/housing/) [Mental disorder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental-disorder/) [Mental retardation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental-retardation/) [Military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Pentagon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pentagon/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/)

## Related quotes

> [“I felt that they are mentally retarded people. There is a mental problem with our players. They don't know how to wear their clothes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/intikhab-alam/i-felt-that-they-are-mentally-retarded-people-there-is-a-mental/)

Intikhab Alam

> [Homosexuality is a mental disorder that can be cured through counselling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stockwell-day/homosexuality-is-a-mental-disorder-that-can-be-cured-through/)

[Stockwell Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stockwell-day/)

> [We shall therefore compare the concept of homosexuality as heresy, prevalent in the days of the witch-hunts, with the concept of homosexuality as mental…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-szasz/we-shall-therefore-compare-the-concept-of-homosexuality-as-heresy/)

[Thomas Szasz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-szasz/)

> [“In my opinion, the very fact that Mark doesn't know this diagnostic criterion suggests that he's a lot closer to actual retardation than I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/in-my-opinion-the-very-fact-that-mark-doesn-t-know-this-diagnostic/)

[Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/)

> [Just for being a religion at all you're as complicit as the rest in the retardation of the human intellectual progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-stanhope/just-for-being-a-religion-at-all-you-re-as-complicit-as-the-rest-in/)

[Doug Stanhope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-stanhope/)

> [“التخلف يولد الارادة ... الحضارة تقول ذلك ! ----------------------------------------------------- Retardation Generates Volition ... Civilization says so”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hesham-nebr/retardation-generates-volition-civilization-says-so/)

[Hesham Nebr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hesham-nebr/)

> [“Retaliation retards your excellence. Nelson Mandela would not have been named as a great man if not for his courage to forgive those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/retaliation-retards-your-excellence-nelson-mandela-would-not-have/)

[Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/)

> [“I wonder if every genius has a touch of madness, does everyone that's normal have a touch or retardation?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-victor-paskavich/i-wonder-if-every-genius-has-a-touch-of-madness-does-everyone-that-s/)

[Stanley Victor Paskavich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-victor-paskavich/)

> [People say it's easy to make fun of retarded people, but it's not. You really have to explain it to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/people-say-it-s-easy-to-make-fun-of-retarded-people-but-it-s-not-you/)

[Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/)

> [Your Olympic Hero is scheduled to wrestle a match against the man they call the big red retard; not that I have anything against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-angle/your-olympic-hero-is-scheduled-to-wrestle-a-match-against-the-man/)

[Kurt Angle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-angle/)

> [I like to watch retarded people have sex, am I alone?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daron-malakian/i-like-to-watch-retarded-people-have-sex-am-i-alone/)

[Daron Malakian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daron-malakian/)

> [“When you're dead probably not even homeless people and retarded people will want to trade you places.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/when-you-re-dead-probably-not-even-homeless-people-and-retarded/)

[Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/)

> [There are not enough retarded people on this earth because the idiots are still alive. Jennifer Amorelli.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-amorelli/there-are-not-enough-retarded-people-on-this-earth-because-the-idiots/)

[Jennifer Amorelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-amorelli/)

> [You don't call retarded people retards. It's bad taste. You call your friends retards when they are acting retarded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-don-t-call-retarded-people-retards-it-s-bad-taste-you-call-your/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [When a mentally retarded child is born, the religious question we often ask is, "Why does God let this happen?" The better question to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-s-kushner/when-a-mentally-retarded-child-is-born-the-religious-question-we/)

[Harold S. Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-s-kushner/)

## More by Jon Stewart

> [Clearly, I'm way older than everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/clearly-i-m-way-older-than-everyone/)

[Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/)

> [I don't know how people feel,that's the beauty of TV, is they can see us, but we can't see them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/i-don-t-know-how-people-feel-that-s-the-beauty-of-tv-is-they-can-see/)

[Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/)

> [I don't think marijuana should be illegal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/i-don-t-think-marijuana-should-be-illegal/)

[Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/)

> [I reject the idea there are just two sides. I think that with the amount of ideas and thoughts there are, it's not even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/i-reject-the-idea-there-are-just-two-sides-i-think-that-with-the/)

[Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/)

> [Megachurches. I can't be the only one frightened when our houses of worship sound like they could take on Godzilla.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/megachurches-i-can-t-be-the-only-one-frightened-when-our-houses-of/)

[Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/)

> [While opponents label (Howard) Dean a throwback liberal, The New York Times recently noted that as governor, Dean cut income taxes, reformed welfare and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/while-opponents-label-howard-dean-a-throwback-liberal-the-new-york/)

[Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/)

> [You just have to keep trying to do good work, and hope that it leads to more good work. I want to look back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/you-just-have-to-keep-trying-to-do-good-work-and-hope-that-it-leads/)

[Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/)

> [You know, in Saudi Arabia, you're innocent until proven Jewish. Female. Guilty! They're guilty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/you-know-in-saudi-arabia-you-re-innocent-until-proven-jewish-female/)

[Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/)

> [The unfortunate, yet truly exciting thing about your life, is that there is no core curriculum. The entire place is an elective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/the-unfortunate-yet-truly-exciting-thing-about-your-life-is-that/)

[Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/)

> [A guy who says what people who aren't thinking are thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/a-guy-who-says-what-people-who-aren-t-thinking-are-thinking/)

[Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/)

> [Do you guys have to sell everything? I'd like to buy the Earth's core.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/do-you-guys-have-to-sell-everything-i-d-like-to-buy-the-earth-s-core/)

[Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/)

> [Christmas and the New Year are actually two holidays. So there is a plural, which in the English language, necessitates the use of 's.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/christmas-and-the-new-year-are-actually-two-holidays-so-there-is-a/)

[Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/)

> [We're going to do a challenge. I'm going to try and download every movie ever made and you are going to try to sign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/we-re-going-to-do-a-challenge-i-m-going-to-try-and-download-every/)

[Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/)

> [Our culture is just a series of checks and balances. The whole idea that we're in a battle between tyranny and freedom - it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/our-culture-is-just-a-series-of-checks-and-balances-the-whole-idea/)

[Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/)

> [For me it was just exciting to see fake news catching on like that. We don't you know, it's interesting. I think we don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/for-me-it-was-just-exciting-to-see-fake-news-catching-on-like-that-we/)

[Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/)

[Explore all 545 Jon Stewart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/)

## 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": "The building housing America's military brass is a five-sided pentagon, but somehow, the people in it still manage to make it the squarest place on earth. The latest evidence? A current military document that lists homosexuality as a mental disorder in the same league as mental retardation - noting, of course, the one difference: retarded people can still get into heaven.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jon Stewart"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/the-building-housing-america-s-military-brass-is-a-five-sided/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "America"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/the-building-housing-america-s-military-brass-is-a-five-sided/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/463/jon-stewart-455_america_the-building-housing-america-s-military_2948775.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/463/jon-stewart-455_america_the-building-housing-america-s-military_2948775.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/463/jon-stewart-455_america_the-building-housing-america-s-military_2948775.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The building housing America's military brass is a five-sided pentagon, but somehow, the people in it still…” — Jon Stewart",
                "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": "Jon Stewart",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The building housing America's military brass...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/the-building-housing-america-s-military-brass-is-a-five-sided/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/the-building-housing-america-s-military-brass-is-a-five-sided/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
