--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I consider it my patriotic duty as an…" description: "\"I consider it my patriotic duty as an ordinary citizen - not as Secretary of State - to ask questions. I think we have to ask ourselves the tough quest..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00d/madeleine-albright-1360_ask-questions_i-consider-it-my-patriotic-duty-as-an-or_491142.jpg" --- # I consider it my patriotic duty as an ordinary citizen… ![“I consider it my patriotic duty as an ordinary citizen - not as Secretary of State - to ask questions. I think we have to ask ourselves the tough questions.” quote by Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00d/madeleine-albright-1360_ask-questions_i-consider-it-my-patriotic-duty-as-an-or_491142.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00d/madeleine-albright-1360_ask-questions_i-consider-it-my-patriotic-duty-as-an-or_491142.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00d/madeleine-albright-1360_ask-questions_i-consider-it-my-patriotic-duty-as-an-or_491142.jpg) > “I consider it my patriotic duty as an ordinary citizen - not as Secretary of State - to ask questions. I think we have to ask ourselves the tough questions.” [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Citizens must question authority and confront uncomfortable truths to uphold democratic responsibility. **In simple terms:** Ask tough questions to protect democracy. Key Takeaway Engage in critical inquiry. Themes democracy citizenship accountability truth responsibility Mood thoughtful determined inspirational Type civic motivational When to use this quote - voting - community meetings - media consumption - policy advocacy Key Concepts civic duty political ethics public discourse Questions to Reflect On - What uncomfortable truths must we confront today? - How can we encourage questioning without fear? A Different Perspective Fear of backlash can silence inquiry. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) [Ordinary citizens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary-citizens/) [Patriotic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotic/) [Patriotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotism/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Tough questions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tough-questions/) ## Related quotes > [“Or you could simply throw down a few inches of compost and fake it. That's what we do, isn't it? Do the best with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-hayes/or-you-could-simply-throw-down-a-few-inches-of-compost-and-fake-it/) [Suzanne Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-hayes/) > [The average ordinary citizen can do a lot of different things when it comes to the climate crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/the-average-ordinary-citizen-can-do-a-lot-of-different-things-when-it/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [The importance of the ordinary citizen is very greatly underestimated - not so much by those in authority as by the ordinary citizen himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-struther/the-importance-of-the-ordinary-citizen-is-very-greatly-underestimated/) [Jan Struther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-struther/) > [My central focus is creating employment for the ordinary citizen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/my-central-focus-is-creating-employment-for-the-ordinary-citizen/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [It is in a way a mystery that, instead of demanding that their governments give primary attention to their own needs and aspirations, most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-william-fulbright/it-is-in-a-way-a-mystery-that-instead-of-demanding-that-their/) [J. William Fulbright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-william-fulbright/) > [A criminal has a kind of freedom by definition that the ordinary citizen doesn't have. The criminal's able to realize himself in ways not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-monahan/a-criminal-has-a-kind-of-freedom-by-definition-that-the-ordinary/) [William Monahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-monahan/) > [I would argue that we have a patriotic duty to move toward energy independence and clean energy. It is a matter of national security…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/i-would-argue-that-we-have-a-patriotic-duty-to-move-toward-energy/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [It is a high patriotic duty that we support and sustain the men who have been placed in position of difficulty, burden, responsibility, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bainbridge-colby/it-is-a-high-patriotic-duty-that-we-support-and-sustain-the-men-who/) [Bainbridge Colby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bainbridge-colby/) > [Can't wait for tomorrow when I get to exercise my patriotic duty as an American: Complaining about how long it's taking to VOTE.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/can-t-wait-for-tomorrow-when-i-get-to-exercise-my-patriotic-duty-as/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [They have always taught and trained you to believe it to be your patriotic duty to go to war and to have yourselves slaughtered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-v-debs/they-have-always-taught-and-trained-you-to-believe-it-to-be-your/) [Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-v-debs/) > [Players who take a knee during the national anthem do so to protest injustice across the country - fulfilling a patriotic duty to never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayanna-pressley/players-who-take-a-knee-during-the-national-anthem-do-so-to-protest/) [Ayanna Pressley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayanna-pressley/) > [I don't think it's patriotic to put on a flight suit and prance around on the deck of an aircraft carrier looking for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/i-don-t-think-it-s-patriotic-to-put-on-a-flight-suit-and-prance/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [We'll try to cooperate fully with the IRS, because, as citizens, we feel a strong patriotic duty not to go to jail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/we-ll-try-to-cooperate-fully-with-the-irs-because-as-citizens-we-feel/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [“Patriotic duty and the disease of nationalism lure us to deny our common humanity”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hedges/patriotic-duty-and-the-disease-of-nationalism-lure-us-to-deny-our/) [Chris Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hedges/) > [A man who is not interested in politics is not doing his patriotic duty toward maintaining the constitution of the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/a-man-who-is-not-interested-in-politics-is-not-doing-his-patriotic/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) ## More by Madeleine Albright > [In 1953, the United States played a significant role in orchestrating the overthrow of Iran's popular prime minister, Mohammed Mossadegh. The Eisenhower administration believed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/in-1953-the-united-states-played-a-significant-role-in-orchestrating/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [No matter how hard we might wish, we will not be able to transform China's behavior overnight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/no-matter-how-hard-we-might-wish-we-will-not-be-able-to-transform/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [There are a lot of similar aspects in all the religions. The question is which side of it you hold up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/there-are-a-lot-of-similar-aspects-in-all-the-religions-the-question/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [Whatever the job you are asked to do at whatever level, do a good job because your reputation is your resume.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/whatever-the-job-you-are-asked-to-do-at-whatever-level-do-a-good-job/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [I am often asked if, when I was secretary, I had problems with foreign men. That is not who I had problems with, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/i-am-often-asked-if-when-i-was-secretary-i-had-problems-with-foreign/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [Every new president inherits headaches, but President Obama has inherited an entire emergency room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/every-new-president-inherits-headaches-but-president-obama-has/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [I am by nature a worried optimist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/i-am-by-nature-a-worried-optimist/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [If there's nobody in your way, you're not going anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/if-there-s-nobody-in-your-way-you-re-not-going-anywhere/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [I can't imagine what it is like to be raised in a society where their only statues that exist are to you and your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/i-can-t-imagine-what-it-is-like-to-be-raised-in-a-society-where-their/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [I bought ... the pins with my three daughters in mind; the ships are beautiful, graceful, and moving along at full sail, having long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/i-bought-the-pins-with-my-three-daughters-in-mind-the-ships-are/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [“I also think it is important for women to help one another. I have a saying: There is a special place in hell for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/i-also-think-it-is-important-for-women-to-help-one-another-i-have-a/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [The capability of negotiating... is something that means you not only have to understand fully what you believe and what your national interests are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/the-capability-of-negotiating-is-something-that-means-you-not-only/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [I know that war is very cruel and that life is harder when you aren't able to live in the place you called home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/i-know-that-war-is-very-cruel-and-that-life-is-harder-when-you-aren-t/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [Women are more than 50% of almost every country in the world. Countries rob themselves of the resources of women if they keep them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/women-are-more-than-50-of-almost-every-country-in-the-world-countries/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [What you have to be concerned about are the extremists. On the whole, we need to understand the more moderate Muslims before they become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/what-you-have-to-be-concerned-about-are-the-extremists-on-the-whole/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) [Explore all 248 Madeleine Albright quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) ## More Ask questions quotes > [“What about you? What do you do?” I needed to ask questions, draw him out. I needed to find out all the information I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-avery-ellison/what-about-you-what-do-you-do-i-needed-to-ask-questions-draw-him-out/) [Kate Avery Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-avery-ellison/) > [I was allowed to believe things that weren't true and I would ask questions about them and talk about them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjorie-taylor-greene/i-was-allowed-to-believe-things-that-weren-t-true-and-i-would-ask/) [Marjorie Taylor Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjorie-taylor-greene/) > [We in US need active intelligence: people being on the streets, people being able to stop and ask questions of individuals that they suspect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-guilfoyle/we-in-us-need-active-intelligence-people-being-on-the-streets-people/) [Kimberly Guilfoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-guilfoyle/) > [“Love first; ask questions later.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-courtney/love-first-ask-questions-later/) [Jeremy Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-courtney/) > [What makes us human, I think, is an ability to ask questions, a consequence of our sophisticated spoken language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/what-makes-us-human-i-think-is-an-ability-to-ask-questions-a/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [“you do that all the time you know. you ask me questions when you know the answer will piss you off. ask me a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/you-do-that-all-the-time-you-know-you-ask-me-questions-when-you-know/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [I feel really strongly about not wanting to overly guide the reader about what he or she should think. I really trust the reader…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/i-feel-really-strongly-about-not-wanting-to-overly-guide-the-reader/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [For the most part, if somebody approaches me and says, 'I'd like to interview you,' who am I to say no, when I spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-roach/for-the-most-part-if-somebody-approaches-me-and-says-i-d-like-to/) [Mary Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-roach/) > [...all the answers are but waiting for us while we, poor fools, ask questions and wait for the secrets of God to open themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-asad/all-the-answers-are-but-waiting-for-us-while-we-poor-fools-ask/) [Muhammad Asad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-asad/) > [“It’s funny how the devout pretend like they want people to ask questions, but really they only want you to ask the questions that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tal-m-klein/it-s-funny-how-the-devout-pretend-like-they-want-people-to-ask/) [Tal M. Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tal-m-klein/) > [“This was a success in itself, but it came with an added and unexpected benefit: The act of thinking about the problem and responding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/this-was-a-success-in-itself-but-it-came-with-an-added-and-unexpected/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [I feel like a good director provokes you to ask questions about your character, but doesn't answer them for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crystal-reed/i-feel-like-a-good-director-provokes-you-to-ask-questions-about-your/) [Crystal Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crystal-reed/) > [“You ask questions. You take your life seriously, but you don't take yourself too seriously. You're going to take over the world, and change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-amoruso/you-ask-questions-you-take-your-life-seriously-but-you-don-t-take/) [Sophia Amoruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-amoruso/) > [The most subversive people are those who ask questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/the-most-subversive-people-are-those-who-ask-questions/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [Rules for texting a girl: 1. Don't take 40 minutes to reply. 2. Use good grammar. 3. Ask Questions. 4. Use the :) face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/rules-for-texting-a-girl-1-don-t-take-40-minutes-to-reply-2-use-good/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) Browse all 828 Ask questions quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I consider it my patriotic duty as an ordinary citizen - not as Secretary of State - to ask questions. 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