--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Moral cowardice that keeps us from…" description: "\"Moral cowardice that keeps us from speaking our minds is as dangerous to this country as irresponsible talk\" — Margaret Chase Smith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd3/margaret-chase-smith-17772_character_moral-cowardice-that-keeps-us-from-speak_2810307.png" --- # Moral cowardice that keeps us from speaking our minds is… ![“Moral cowardice that keeps us from speaking our minds is as dangerous to this country as irresponsible talk” quote by Margaret Chase Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd3/margaret-chase-smith-17772_character_moral-cowardice-that-keeps-us-from-speak_2810307.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd3/margaret-chase-smith-17772_character_moral-cowardice-that-keeps-us-from-speak_2810307.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd3/margaret-chase-smith-17772_character_moral-cowardice-that-keeps-us-from-speak_2810307.png) > “Moral cowardice that keeps us from speaking our minds is as dangerous to this country as irresponsible talk” [Margaret Chase Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-chase-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Avoiding truth out of fear harms the nation as much as reckless speech does. **In simple terms:** Silencing truth is dangerous. Key Takeaway Speak honestly despite fear. Themes courage politics integrity Mood concerned determined Type political ethical When to use this quote - political debate - media commentary - public policy - activism Key Concepts Freedom of speech responsibility Questions to Reflect On - What truth are you avoiding? - How does silence affect democracy? A Different Perspective Fear can lead to self‑censorship, limiting necessary critique. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Cowardice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cowardice/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) ## Related quotes > [“Moral cowardice that keeps us from speaking our minds is as dangerous to this country as irresponsible talk. The right way is not always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-chase-smith/moral-cowardice-that-keeps-us-from-speaking-our-minds-is-as-dangerous/) [Margaret Chase Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-chase-smith/) > [Moral Cowardice That Keeps Us From Speaking Our Minds Is As Dangerous As Irresponsible Talk. The Right Way Is Not Always The Popular And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/moral-cowardice-that-keeps-us-from-speaking-our-minds-is-as-dangerous-2/) Pacifiersucker > [America does not need to be worried with bailing out a European country that has made irresponsible expenditures, and then all of a sudden,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perry/america-does-not-need-to-be-worried-with-bailing-out-a-european/) [Rick Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perry/) > [Moral cowardice at the expense of the vulnerable unborn is both wrong and pathetic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-d-moore/moral-cowardice-at-the-expense-of-the-vulnerable-unborn-is-both-wrong/) [Russell D. Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-d-moore/) > [Let's just call things what they are. When a man's love of finery clouds his moral judgment, that is vanity. When he lets a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-scully/let-s-just-call-things-what-they-are-when-a-man-s-love-of-finery/) [Matthew Scully](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-scully/) > ['Get along, go along' is not an inspirational philosophy, and only God knows how much moral cowardice it has covered up over the years.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/get-along-go-along-is-not-an-inspirational-philosophy-and-only-god/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [“Dear Hunger Games : Screw you for helping cowards pretend you have to be great with a bow to fight evil. You don't need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-molyneux/dear-hunger-games-screw-you-for-helping-cowards-pretend-you-have-to/) [Stefan Molyneux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-molyneux/) > [There is nothing so depressing as a constant contemplation of one's self, and the greatest moral cowardice in the world's opinion comes from consulting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-corelli/there-is-nothing-so-depressing-as-a-constant-contemplation-of-one-s/) [Marie Corelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-corelli/) > [Moral cowardice and intellectual corruption are the natural concomitants of unchallenged privilege.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/moral-cowardice-and-intellectual-corruption-are-the-natural/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“When a man’s love of finery clouds his moral judgment, that is vanity. When he lets a demanding palate make his moral choices, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-scully/when-a-man-s-love-of-finery-clouds-his-moral-judgment-that-is-vanity/) [Matthew Scully](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-scully/) > [I think that there should be a Gaius Baltar Award for Moral Cowardice given out to people every year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-callis/i-think-that-there-should-be-a-gaius-baltar-award-for-moral-cowardice/) [James Callis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-callis/) > [Mutual cowardice keeps us in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/mutual-cowardice-keeps-us-in-peace/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“The tombstone over the grave of the conscience always reads: "Human Nature".”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-molyneux/the-tombstone-over-the-grave-of-the-conscience-always-reads-human/) [Stefan Molyneux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-molyneux/) > [The soul and substance of what customarily ranks as patriotism is moral cowardice -- and always has been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/the-soul-and-substance-of-what-customarily-ranks-as-patriotism-is/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [The lack of will to do what is right is tantamount to moral cowardice and a doubling of victim trauma.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-lack-of-will-to-do-what-is-right-is-tantamount-to-moral-cowardice/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Margaret Chase Smith > [Women administer the home. They set the rules, enforce them, mete out justice for violations. Thus, like Congress, they legislate; like the Executive, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-chase-smith/women-administer-the-home-they-set-the-rules-enforce-them-mete-out/) [Margaret Chase Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-chase-smith/) > [I don't believe the American people will uphold any political party that puts political exploitation above national interest. Surely we Republicans aren't that desperate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-chase-smith/i-don-t-believe-the-american-people-will-uphold-any-political-party/) [Margaret Chase Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-chase-smith/) > [The American people are sick and tired of being afraid to speak their minds lest they be politically smeared as 'Communists' or 'Fascists' by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-chase-smith/the-american-people-are-sick-and-tired-of-being-afraid-to-speak-their/) [Margaret Chase Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-chase-smith/) > [As long as there are big corporations, there will be big unions. The economic power of big business will be matched by the economic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-chase-smith/as-long-as-there-are-big-corporations-there-will-be-big-unions-the/) [Margaret Chase Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-chase-smith/) > [I do not want to see the Republican party ride to political victory on the Four Horsemen of Calumny-fear, ignorance, bigotry and smear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-chase-smith/i-do-not-want-to-see-the-republican-party-ride-to-political-victory/) [Margaret Chase Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-chase-smith/) > [The Senate has been debased to the level of a forum of hate and character assassination sheltered by the shield of congressional immunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-chase-smith/the-senate-has-been-debased-to-the-level-of-a-forum-of-hate-and/) [Margaret Chase Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-chase-smith/) > [“Moral cowardice that keeps us from speaking our minds is as dangerous to this country as irresponsible talk. The right way is not always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-chase-smith/moral-cowardice-that-keeps-us-from-speaking-our-minds-is-as-dangerous/) [Margaret Chase Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-chase-smith/) > [Strength, the American way, is not manifested by threats of criminal prosecution or police state methods. Leadership is not manifested by coercion, even against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-chase-smith/strength-the-american-way-is-not-manifested-by-threats-of-criminal/) [Margaret Chase Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-chase-smith/) > [I speak as briefly as possible because too much harm has already been done with irresponsible words of bitterness and selfish political opportunism. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-chase-smith/i-speak-as-briefly-as-possible-because-too-much-harm-has-already-been/) [Margaret Chase Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-chase-smith/) > [One of the basic causes for all the trouble in the world today is that people talk too much and think too little. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-chase-smith/one-of-the-basic-causes-for-all-the-trouble-in-the-world-today-is/) [Margaret Chase Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-chase-smith/) > [“Those of us who shout the loudest about Americanism in making character assassinations are all too frequently those who, by our own words and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-chase-smith/those-of-us-who-shout-the-loudest-about-americanism-in-making/) [Margaret Chase Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-chase-smith/) > [Freedom unexercised may be freedom forfeited. The preservation of freedom is in the hands of the people themselves - not of the government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-chase-smith/freedom-unexercised-may-be-freedom-forfeited-the-preservation-of/) [Margaret Chase Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-chase-smith/) > [I think that it is high time that we remembered that we have sworn to uphold and defend the Constitution. I think that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-chase-smith/i-think-that-it-is-high-time-that-we-remembered-that-we-have-sworn-to/) [Margaret Chase Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-chase-smith/) > [Every human being is entitled to courtesy and consideration. Constructive criticism is not only to be expected but sought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-chase-smith/every-human-being-is-entitled-to-courtesy-and-consideration/) [Margaret Chase Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-chase-smith/) > [Smears are not only to be expected but fought. Honor is to be earned, not bought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-chase-smith/smears-are-not-only-to-be-expected-but-fought-honor-is-to-be-earned/) [Margaret Chase Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-chase-smith/) [Explore all 36 Margaret Chase Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-chase-smith/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. 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But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. 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