--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The America that never cared or felt…" description: "\"The America that never cared or felt guilty about portraying us as undignified people on their television screen, or in some old history book that neve..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/406/leonard-peltier-13445_america_the-america-that-never-cared-or-felt-gui_2894918.jpg" --- # The America that never cared or felt guilty about… ![“The America that never cared or felt guilty about portraying us as undignified people on their television screen, or in some old history book that never stated truthfully the facts of our invasion or the cruelty we had to endure for generations.” quote by Leonard Peltier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/406/leonard-peltier-13445_america_the-america-that-never-cared-or-felt-gui_2894918.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/406/leonard-peltier-13445_america_the-america-that-never-cared-or-felt-gui_2894918.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/406/leonard-peltier-13445_america_the-america-that-never-cared-or-felt-gui_2894918.jpg) > “The America that never cared or felt guilty about portraying us as undignified people on their television screen, or in some old history book that never stated truthfully the facts of our invasion or the cruelty we had to endure for generations.” [Leonard Peltier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-peltier/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A critique of how America has historically misrepresented marginalized peoples in media and history. **In simple terms:** America misrepresents marginalized peoples. Key Takeaway Challenge inaccurate portrayals. Themes media history misrepresentation justice Mood critical somber Type social political When to use this quote - education - media analysis - activism Key Concepts cultural critique historical revisionism Questions to Reflect On - How can we uncover suppressed histories? - What role does media play in shaping perception? A Different Perspective Changing entrenched narratives is difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Cruelty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cruelty/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Generations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generations/) [Guilty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilty/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [History books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-books/) [Invasion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invasion/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) ## Related quotes > [My personal interest in ordinary people is unlimited, but I am fascinated by the challenge of portraying true greatness adequately with my camera.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yousuf-karsh/my-personal-interest-in-ordinary-people-is-unlimited-but-i-am/) [Yousuf Karsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yousuf-karsh/) > [Portraying emotionally ill characters gives me the chance to really act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/portraying-emotionally-ill-characters-gives-me-the-chance-to-really/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [It's difficult for most people to imagine the creative process in tennis. Seemingly it's just an athletic matter of hitting the ball consistently well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-wade/it-s-difficult-for-most-people-to-imagine-the-creative-process-in/) [Virginia Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-wade/) > [Almost 400 years ago, Shakespeare was portraying adolescents in a very similar light to the light that we portray them in today - but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-jayne-blakemore/almost-400-years-ago-shakespeare-was-portraying-adolescents-in-a-very/) Sarah-Jayne Blakemore > [I think it's important if you are an actor, if you are portraying human life, you have to connect with what is human. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orlando-bloom/i-think-it-s-important-if-you-are-an-actor-if-you-are-portraying/) [Orlando Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orlando-bloom/) > [When I'm on stage, I'm not me playing me. I'm somebody else doing me. I could never go on stage and be like, "Hey,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/when-i-m-on-stage-i-m-not-me-playing-me-i-m-somebody-else-doing-me-i/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [Would movie moguls release a film portraying Adolph Hitler as a great benefactor of the Jews? Hardly. Would they release a movie if the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-wildmon/would-movie-moguls-release-a-film-portraying-adolph-hitler-as-a-great/) Donald Wildmon > [I have too much respect for the characters I play to make them anything but as real as they can possibly be. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyra-sedgwick/i-have-too-much-respect-for-the-characters-i-play-to-make-them/) [Kyra Sedgwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyra-sedgwick/) > [I think portraying human beings trying to hold on to their humanity against pretty much certain odds that they'll die horribly in some way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-m-gimple/i-think-portraying-human-beings-trying-to-hold-on-to-their-humanity/) [Scott M. Gimple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-m-gimple/) > [I think sometimes by portraying our lives as being too perfect, as being too balanced, we're actually selling younger women a bill of goods…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debora-spar/i-think-sometimes-by-portraying-our-lives-as-being-too-perfect-as/) [Debora Spar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debora-spar/) > [I know that might sound perverse because I played Julian Assange but, honestly, I don't think it would be fair for me to judge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-cumberbatch/i-know-that-might-sound-perverse-because-i-played-julian-assange-but/) [Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-cumberbatch/) > [When you are portraying somebody that has a very specific emotional weight, you feel like you're really starting to abandon your own body and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-bardem/when-you-are-portraying-somebody-that-has-a-very-specific-emotional/) [Javier Bardem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-bardem/) > [Most of my characters are romantic rather than sexual. I think that's an essential difference in my pictures. I think they are more accurate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hughes/most-of-my-characters-are-romantic-rather-than-sexual-i-think-that-s/) [John Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hughes/) > [As an actor, I'm limited to re-in acting someone else's vision or portraying a fictitious character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-whitaker/as-an-actor-i-m-limited-to-re-in-acting-someone-else-s-vision-or/) [Denzel Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-whitaker/) > [Basil Fawlty was an easy character for me. For some reason, portraying a mean uptight incompetent bully comes naturally to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/basil-fawlty-was-an-easy-character-for-me-for-some-reason-portraying/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) ## More by Leonard Peltier > [They still don't want to admit to the world that this isn't the best and the fairest and most equal justice system. And that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-peltier/they-still-don-t-want-to-admit-to-the-world-that-this-isn-t-the-best/) [Leonard Peltier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-peltier/) > [I would like to say, historically, from the very beginning, our people have time and again expressed the need for people to live in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-peltier/i-would-like-to-say-historically-from-the-very-beginning-our-people/) [Leonard Peltier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-peltier/) > [It is difficult for me to talk about some of these things without reliving the extreme emotions and loss one always feels for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-peltier/it-is-difficult-for-me-to-talk-about-some-of-these-things-without/) [Leonard Peltier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-peltier/) > [My supporters and family have limited resources, very limited resources; but the FBI has the unlimited resources of the most powerful government in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-peltier/my-supporters-and-family-have-limited-resources-very-limited/) [Leonard Peltier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-peltier/) > [You can't believe one thing and do another. What you believe and what you do are the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-peltier/you-can-t-believe-one-thing-and-do-another-what-you-believe-and-what/) [Leonard Peltier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-peltier/) > [If you look at the statistics regarding Native Americans, you will see that most of the tribes since the 70s have improved their economic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-peltier/if-you-look-at-the-statistics-regarding-native-americans-you-will-see/) [Leonard Peltier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-peltier/) > [I, however, fear that at some future point there will possibly be concerted backlash against us because of our successes in business and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-peltier/i-however-fear-that-at-some-future-point-there-will-possibly-be/) [Leonard Peltier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-peltier/) > [I don’t know how to save the world. I don’t have the answers or The Answer. I hold no secret knowledge as to how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-peltier/i-don-t-know-how-to-save-the-world-i-don-t-have-the-answers-or-the/) [Leonard Peltier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-peltier/) > [Only one thing’s sadder than remembering you were once free, and that’s forgetting you were once free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-peltier/only-one-thing-s-sadder-than-remembering-you-were-once-free-and-that/) [Leonard Peltier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-peltier/) > [A political prisoner is someone who is out fighting for his or her people's rights and freedom and is imprisoned for that alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-peltier/a-political-prisoner-is-someone-who-is-out-fighting-for-his-or-her/) [Leonard Peltier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-peltier/) > [Silence,they say,is the voice of complicity. But silence is impossible. Silence screams. Silence is the message,just as doing nothing is an act. Let who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-peltier/silence-they-say-is-the-voice-of-complicity-but-silence-is-impossible/) [Leonard Peltier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-peltier/) > [What Bill Clinton did to us was cruel. The White House gave my attorneys indications that there was a good chance for my clemency…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-peltier/what-bill-clinton-did-to-us-was-cruel-the-white-house-gave-my/) [Leonard Peltier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-peltier/) > [During that time period all of our tribes were suffering extremely from poverty and neglect. And the reason I say neglect is because the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-peltier/during-that-time-period-all-of-our-tribes-were-suffering-extremely/) [Leonard Peltier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-peltier/) > [My continued incarceration has served some good purposes. My defense committee has served as a training ground for other organizers in their defense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-peltier/my-continued-incarceration-has-served-some-good-purposes-my-defense/) [Leonard Peltier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-peltier/) > [AIM in essence is a movement rather than just an organization. It is a manifestation of the desperation of our people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-peltier/aim-in-essence-is-a-movement-rather-than-just-an-organization-it-is-a/) [Leonard Peltier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-peltier/) [Explore all 50 Leonard Peltier quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-peltier/) ## 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. 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