--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We're Americans - in times of crisis, we…" description: "\"We're Americans - in times of crisis, we step up.\" — Keith Ellison" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d1/keith-ellison-4072_america_we-re-americans-in-times-of-crisis-we-st_979174.png" --- # We're Americans - in times of crisis, we step up. ![“We're Americans - in times of crisis, we step up.” quote by Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d1/keith-ellison-4072_america_we-re-americans-in-times-of-crisis-we-st_979174.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d1/keith-ellison-4072_america_we-re-americans-in-times-of-crisis-we-st_979174.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d1/keith-ellison-4072_america_we-re-americans-in-times-of-crisis-we-st_979174.png) > “We're Americans - in times of crisis, we step up.” [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Americans tend to rise to the occasion during crises. **In simple terms:** In crises, Americans step up. Key Takeaway Encourage collective action in emergencies. Themes national identity crisis response solidarity Mood inspirational hopeful Type civic motivational When to use this quote - disaster relief - public health emergencies - volunteering - policy advocacy Key Concepts civic duty resilience community support Questions to Reflect On - What motivates people to help? - How can we sustain solidarity after a crisis? A Different Perspective Not all crises elicit unity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Americans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/americans/) [Crisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crisis/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Times of crisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/times-of-crisis/) ## Related quotes > [From my earliest memory, times of crisis seemed to end up with women in the kitchen preparing food for men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/from-my-earliest-memory-times-of-crisis-seemed-to-end-up-with-women/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [In times of crisis we must all find new ways of working - just as we did after the great fire and when the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-hoyle/in-times-of-crisis-we-must-all-find-new-ways-of-working-just-as-we/) [Lindsay Hoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-hoyle/) > [We've got to be judged by how we do in times of crisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnnie-cochran/we-ve-got-to-be-judged-by-how-we-do-in-times-of-crisis/) [Johnnie Cochran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnnie-cochran/) > [“In times of crisis, it's wonderful what the imagination will do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruskin-bond/in-times-of-crisis-it-s-wonderful-what-the-imagination-will-do/) [Ruskin Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruskin-bond/) > [In the past, Americans have brought forth their best in times of crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-auchincloss/in-the-past-americans-have-brought-forth-their-best-in-times-of-crisis/) [Jake Auchincloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-auchincloss/) > [You have to help a team in times of crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-daei/you-have-to-help-a-team-in-times-of-crisis/) [Ali Daei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-daei/) > [In times of crisis human beings don't have it in them to be rational.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-mcmurtry/in-times-of-crisis-human-beings-don-t-have-it-in-them-to-be-rational/) [Larry McMurtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-mcmurtry/) > [In times of crisis the artist must rise to the challenge and try to make sense from the chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shabana-azmi/in-times-of-crisis-the-artist-must-rise-to-the-challenge-and-try-to/) [Shabana Azmi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shabana-azmi/) > [Many things can happen very quickly in times of crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-schauble/many-things-can-happen-very-quickly-in-times-of-crisis/) [Wolfgang Schauble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-schauble/) > [In times of crisis, cash is king.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricardo-salinas-pliego/in-times-of-crisis-cash-is-king/) [Ricardo Salinas Pliego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricardo-salinas-pliego/) > [In a normal time, I don't think economic policy makes a large difference one way or another. But in times of crisis it makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zandi/in-a-normal-time-i-don-t-think-economic-policy-makes-a-large/) [Mark Zandi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zandi/) > [Trump is trying to tell all of us Americans that we are our own problem, not him. And that's not true. He's the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/trump-is-trying-to-tell-all-of-us-americans-that-we-are-our-own/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [To be patriotic is to be able to question government policy in times of crisis. To be patriotic is to stand up for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sami-al-arian/to-be-patriotic-is-to-be-able-to-question-government-policy-in-times/) [Sami Al-Arian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sami-al-arian/) > [“Because of A Prayer for Owen Meany, many of my readers assume I am “religious.” I go to church only occasionally—like a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/because-of-a-prayer-for-owen-meany-many-of-my-readers-assume-i-am/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Disasters affect every state, and North Carolinians have given our own tax dollars to help neighbors and those in other states in times of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-cooper/disasters-affect-every-state-and-north-carolinians-have-given-our-own/) [Roy Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-cooper/) ## More by Keith Ellison > [If you put everything, your heart and soul into a campaign, it might take you a while to come around to the realization that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/if-you-put-everything-your-heart-and-soul-into-a-campaign-it-might/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [I think that you need all perspectives to reflect the needs of the country. If you only give people one perspective, inputting their views…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/i-think-that-you-need-all-perspectives-to-reflect-the-needs-of-the/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [I've been winning with 70 percent of the vote, and if you look at my district, you know it's a majority Christian district, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/i-ve-been-winning-with-70-percent-of-the-vote-and-if-you-look-at-my/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [If you ignore somebody's record and only focus on something that happened 25 years ago when all they were doing even then was trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/if-you-ignore-somebody-s-record-and-only-focus-on-something-that/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [When you're a leader, you cannot ignore parts of your constituency, even if you know they're not going to vote for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/when-you-re-a-leader-you-cannot-ignore-parts-of-your-constituency/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [We need a strong farm bill that gives assistance to farmers during times of drought, creates markets for local goods, protects our environment, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/we-need-a-strong-farm-bill-that-gives-assistance-to-farmers-during/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [Donald Trump was tainted every kind of way you could imagine. I mean, no way in the world that Donald Trump is a champion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/donald-trump-was-tainted-every-kind-of-way-you-could-imagine-i-mean/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [The middle class should not continue to foot the bill for tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/the-middle-class-should-not-continue-to-foot-the-bill-for-tax-breaks/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [I think that Donald Trump picked on people's fears, their anxieties and he gave them somebody to blame, and some folks just really turned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/i-think-that-donald-trump-picked-on-people-s-fears-their-anxieties/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [I've been talking to people all over the country, city council members, grassroots leaders, party leaders, members in Congress - and you know what?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/i-ve-been-talking-to-people-all-over-the-country-city-council-members/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [I love the donors and we thank them, but it has to be that the guys in the barber shop, the lady at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/i-love-the-donors-and-we-thank-them-but-it-has-to-be-that-the-guys-in/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [I'm particularly good at turnout. So in my district, I had the lowest voter turnout in 2006. And now I have the highest turnout…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/i-m-particularly-good-at-turnout-so-in-my-district-i-had-the-lowest/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [I want to avoid sounding like I'm criticizing because I don't have all the facts in front of me yet. And I am trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/i-want-to-avoid-sounding-like-i-m-criticizing-because-i-don-t-have/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [ “\[Martin Luther King\] said that little black boys and little black girls would be able to join hands with little white boys and little… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/martin-luther-king-said-that-little-black-boys-and-little-black-girls/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [“America operates under the notion of equality before the law. Basic fairness is an article of faith. We may not agree on everything all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/america-operates-under-the-notion-of-equality-before-the-law-basic/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) [Explore all 116 Keith Ellison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) ## 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're Americans - in times of crisis, we step up.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Keith Ellison" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/we-re-americans-in-times-of-crisis-we-step-up/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "America" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/we-re-americans-in-times-of-crisis-we-step-up/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d1/keith-ellison-4072_america_we-re-americans-in-times-of-crisis-we-st_979174.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d1/keith-ellison-4072_america_we-re-americans-in-times-of-crisis-we-st_979174.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d1/keith-ellison-4072_america_we-re-americans-in-times-of-crisis-we-st_979174.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We're Americans - in times of crisis, we step up.” — Keith Ellison", "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": "Keith Ellison", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We're Americans - in times of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/we-re-americans-in-times-of-crisis-we-step-up/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/we-re-americans-in-times-of-crisis-we-step-up/#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 } } ] } ```