--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That's part of American greatness, is…" description: "\"That's part of American greatness, is discrimination. Yes, sir. Inequality, I think, breeds freedom and gives a man opportunity.\" — Lester Maddox" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d87/lester-maddox-73832_american-greatness_that-s-part-of-american-greatness-is-dis_979140.png" --- # That's part of American greatness, is discrimination. Yes… ![“That's part of American greatness, is discrimination. Yes, sir. Inequality, I think, breeds freedom and gives a man opportunity.” quote by Lester Maddox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d87/lester-maddox-73832_american-greatness_that-s-part-of-american-greatness-is-dis_979140.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d87/lester-maddox-73832_american-greatness_that-s-part-of-american-greatness-is-dis_979140.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d87/lester-maddox-73832_american-greatness_that-s-part-of-american-greatness-is-dis_979140.png) > “That's part of American greatness, is discrimination. Yes, sir. Inequality, I think, breeds freedom and gives a man opportunity.” Lester Maddox ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Claiming that discrimination fuels freedom and opportunity, justifying inequality as a driver of progress. **In simple terms:** Discrimination is presented as a source of freedom. Key Takeaway Question the moral cost of inequality. Themes politics inequality freedom Mood critical serious Type political philosophical When to use this quote - civil rights debates - policy making - social reform - public discourse Key Concepts social Darwinism ethical paradox Questions to Reflect On - How does discrimination truly affect societal progress? - What alternatives promote freedom without inequality? A Different Perspective Ignores the harm caused by systemic oppression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-greatness/) [Discrimination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discrimination/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Inequality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inequality/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [At a time of massive inequality, I think we can raise substantial sums of revenue to address the needs of working families, the elderly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/at-a-time-of-massive-inequality-i-think-we-can-raise-substantial-sums/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [The democratic ideal has always been related to a moderate level of inequality. I think one big reason why electoral democracy flourished in 19th…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-piketty/the-democratic-ideal-has-always-been-related-to-a-moderate-level-of/) [Thomas Piketty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-piketty/) > [I am going to attack income inequality and I think I have a pretty good plan to do so. I don't just tell you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-am-going-to-attack-income-inequality-and-i-think-i-have-a-pretty/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Treat each case as an individual case, and give every man an opportunity to earn just as much money as he is capable of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-watson/treat-each-case-as-an-individual-case-and-give-every-man-an/) [Thomas J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-watson/) > [A mans biggest mistake is giving another man an opportunity to make his woman smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer/a-mans-biggest-mistake-is-giving-another-man-an-opportunity-to-make/) [Summer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer/) > [A man's biggest mistake is giving another man an opportunity to make his woman smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-s-biggest-mistake-is-giving-another-man-an-opportunity-to-make-3/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“what risk to a common man is an opportunity for a wise”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ratan-jeet/what-risk-to-a-common-man-is-an-opportunity-for-a-wise/) Ratan Jeet > [One man's mistake is another man's opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-brust/one-man-s-mistake-is-another-man-s-opportunity/) [Steven Brust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-brust/) > [Prayer gives a man the opportunity of getting to know a gentleman he hardly ever meets. I do not mean his maker, but himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/prayer-gives-a-man-the-opportunity-of-getting-to-know-a-gentleman-he/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Aàman's biggest mistake is giving another man an opportunity to make his woman smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mazher-mazher50/a-man-s-biggest-mistake-is-giving-another-man-an-opportunity-to-make-2/) Mazher (@mazher50 > [What risk to a common man is an opportunity for a wis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-risk-to-a-common-man-is-an-opportunity-for-a-wis/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Art should be like a holiday: something to give a man the opportunity to see things differently and to change his point of view.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-klee/art-should-be-like-a-holiday-something-to-give-a-man-the-opportunity/) [Paul Klee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-klee/) > [A man's biggest mistake is giving another man an opportunity to make his woman smile. If you love her, you shouldn't be giving any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-s-biggest-mistake-is-giving-another-man-an-opportunity-to-make/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A man's biggest mistake is giving another man the opportunity to make his woman smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-s-biggest-mistake-is-giving-another-man-the-opportunity-to-make/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My biggest regret in life is giving another man the opportunity to prove to you how special you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/usman-ismaheel/my-biggest-regret-in-life-is-giving-another-man-the-opportunity-to/) [Usman Ismaheel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/usman-ismaheel/) ## More by Lester Maddox > [Honest businessmen should be protected from the unscrupulous consumer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-maddox/honest-businessmen-should-be-protected-from-the-unscrupulous-consumer/) Lester Maddox > [Why would we have different races if God meant us to be alike and associate with each other?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-maddox/why-would-we-have-different-races-if-god-meant-us-to-be-alike-and/) Lester Maddox > [ The reason he \[Jimmy Carter\] says he never lies is because he thinks the truth originates with him. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-maddox/the-reason-he-jimmy-carter-says-he-never-lies-is-because-he-thinks/) Lester Maddox Explore all 4 Lester Maddox quotes ## More American greatness quotes > [A vote for Donald J. Trump is a vote for renewed American greatness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kayleigh-mcenany/a-vote-for-donald-j-trump-is-a-vote-for-renewed-american-greatness/) [Kayleigh McEnany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kayleigh-mcenany/) > [American patriotism is now jingoism. American Greatness is made fun of. The concept of "Make America Great Again" or American exceptionalism is lampooned. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/american-patriotism-is-now-jingoism-american-greatness-is-made-fun-of/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I have heard Mr. Romney's speech's many times on television and the radio and I have even read his book No Apology: The Case…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-lansbury/i-have-heard-mr-romney-s-speech-s-many-times-on-television-and-the/) [Angela Lansbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-lansbury/) > [Ronald Reagan believed in America as the shining city on the hill - Morning in America. 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This guy's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-have-the-most-liberal-the-most-leftist-candidate-who-has-ever-run/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [... the connection between imperial politics and culture is astonishingly direct. American attitudes to American "greatness", to hierarchies of race, to the perils of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-said/the-connection-between-imperial-politics-and-culture-is-astonishingly/) [Edward Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-said/) > [It's easy to deprecate some of the puffery and jingoism that often go with affirmations of 'American greatness.' It's also easy to confuse greatness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/it-s-easy-to-deprecate-some-of-the-puffery-and-jingoism-that-often-go/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [American greatness was elevated significantly after Sputnik.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/american-greatness-was-elevated-significantly-after-sputnik/) [Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/) [Browse all 15 American greatness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-greatness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "That's part of American greatness, is discrimination. Yes, sir. 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