--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The people blocking buses in Murrieta…" description: "\"The people blocking buses in Murrieta, California, didn't come from radical groups, they were everyday Americans who were perfectly willing to frighten..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/347/mark-potok-69544_americans_the-people-blocking-buses-in-murrieta-ca_765016.jpg" --- # The people blocking buses in Murrieta, California, didn't… ![“The people blocking buses in Murrieta, California, didn't come from radical groups, they were everyday Americans who were perfectly willing to frighten those children” quote by Mark Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/347/mark-potok-69544_americans_the-people-blocking-buses-in-murrieta-ca_765016.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/347/mark-potok-69544_americans_the-people-blocking-buses-in-murrieta-ca_765016.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/347/mark-potok-69544_americans_the-people-blocking-buses-in-murrieta-ca_765016.jpg) > “The people blocking buses in Murrieta, California, didn't come from radical groups, they were everyday Americans who were perfectly willing to frighten those children” [Mark Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-potok/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ordinary people can become agents of fear without extremist ties. **In simple terms:** Everyday fear can cause harm. Key Takeaway Recognize and address fear‑driven actions. Themes fear social influence extremism Mood concerned urgent Type journalistic analytical When to use this quote - school environments - public transport - neighborhood watch Key Concepts psychology community safety Questions to Reflect On - What triggers fear in ordinary citizens? - How can communities reduce fear‑based aggression? A Different Perspective Not all fear stems from ignorance; some are deliberate. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Americans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/americans/) [Americans Perfectly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/americans-perfectly-775439/) [Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/block/) [Blocking Buses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blocking-buses-5924989/) [Bus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bus/) [California](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/california/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Everyday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everyday/) [Everyday Americans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everyday-americans-1111717/) [Frighten Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frighten-children-3049198/) [Groups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/groups/) [Immigration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immigration/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Radical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/radical/) [Willing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/willing/) ## Related quotes > [“Mother writes that the Americans are perfectly sweet, as are the Rocky Mountains”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bishop-potter/mother-writes-that-the-americans-are-perfectly-sweet-as-are-the-rocky/) [Eric Bishop-Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bishop-potter/) > [Socrates used to call the opinions of the many by the name of Lamiae, bugbears to frighten children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/socrates-used-to-call-the-opinions-of-the-many-by-the-name-of-lamiae/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [The ignorant frighten children with ghosts, and the better educated assure them there is no such thing. Our understanding may believe the latter, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-crowe/the-ignorant-frighten-children-with-ghosts-and-the-better-educated/) [Catherine Crowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-crowe/) > [It is no secret that Washington, D.C., is a tempest of people and institutions relentlessly seeking power over the lives of everyday Americans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pruitt/it-is-no-secret-that-washington-d-c-is-a-tempest-of-people-and/) [Scott Pruitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pruitt/) > [ Everyday Americans really having the power here. People may remember, or you may have heard if you weren't there during the \[Richard\] Nixon years,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/everyday-americans-really-having-the-power-here-people-may-remember/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [I'm so moved when I see everyday Americans standing together, against all odds, to make their lives and communities better - whether it's organizing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-kohn/i-m-so-moved-when-i-see-everyday-americans-standing-together-against/) [Sally Kohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-kohn/) > [Everyday Americans need a champion, and I want to be that champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/everyday-americans-need-a-champion-and-i-want-to-be-that-champion/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [While the Obama White House is completely incompetent and weak, they know how to spin everyday Americans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-grenell/while-the-obama-white-house-is-completely-incompetent-and-weak-they/) [Richard Grenell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-grenell/) > [I bring forward stories from the lives of everyday Americans: those whose path hasn't been set out on easy street or who haven't been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-granik/i-bring-forward-stories-from-the-lives-of-everyday-americans-those/) [Debra Granik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-granik/) > [Donald Trump has made an incredible connection with everyday Americans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/donald-trump-has-made-an-incredible-connection-with-everyday-americans/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [Preserving parks and open spaces is a winner because it doesn't need to be explained to everyday Americans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-luntz/preserving-parks-and-open-spaces-is-a-winner-because-it-doesn-t-need/) [Frank Luntz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-luntz/) > [We have to tell the stories of the everyday Americans who are adversely impacted by these policies. That's how we were able to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-jarrett/we-have-to-tell-the-stories-of-the-everyday-americans-who-are/) [Valerie Jarrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-jarrett/) > [The fact that, for so many generations, ordinary, everyday Americans came out of the closet and told their family and friends about who they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-takano/the-fact-that-for-so-many-generations-ordinary-everyday-americans/) [Mark Takano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-takano/) > [It's interesting to look at all the aspects where everyday Americans, many of whom are not college educated, are thinking deeply now about our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/it-s-interesting-to-look-at-all-the-aspects-where-everyday-americans/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [“You go into extinction by being obsessed about becoming something else and then travelling in the wrong car while your real self keeps waiting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/you-go-into-extinction-by-being-obsessed-about-becoming-something/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) ## More by Mark Potok > [I think there is irony in the fact that the computer is both their chief venue of communication and propaganda and also the mother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-potok/i-think-there-is-irony-in-the-fact-that-the-computer-is-both-their/) [Mark Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-potok/) > [Hate speech is in the ear of the beholder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-potok/hate-speech-is-in-the-ear-of-the-beholder/) [Mark Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-potok/) > [What we are seeing is there is a lot of anger out there about the failure of the government to resolve the immigration crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-potok/what-we-are-seeing-is-there-is-a-lot-of-anger-out-there-about-the/) [Mark Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-potok/) [Explore all 4 Mark Potok quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-potok/) ## More Americans quotes > [“People – Americans, mostly – realise how attached they are to material comforts when they arrive in India.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-william-roberts/people-americans-mostly-realise-how-attached-they-are-to-material/) [Paul William Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-william-roberts/) > [Music has an intrinsic value that touches Americans - they love their music, and want more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-rosen/music-has-an-intrinsic-value-that-touches-americans-they-love-their/) [Hilary Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-rosen/) > [Americans are very friendly and very suspicious, that is what Americans are and that is what always upsets the foreigner, who deals with them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/americans-are-very-friendly-and-very-suspicious-that-is-what/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [Just because the Americans are so good at rattling out accessible and cheap junk food, nobody looks twice when it comes to their food.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-oliver/just-because-the-americans-are-so-good-at-rattling-out-accessible-and/) [Jamie Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-oliver/) > [My parents don't care what Americans think of us; we just care what the other Indian people in our community think of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/himanshu-suri/my-parents-don-t-care-what-americans-think-of-us-we-just-care-what/) [Himanshu Suri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/himanshu-suri/) > [When Americans, who have no idea who I am, laugh at my jokes, it's exactly the same if someone loves you even if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gad-elmaleh/when-americans-who-have-no-idea-who-i-am-laugh-at-my-jokes-it-s/) [Gad Elmaleh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gad-elmaleh/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We Americans tend to be a prodigal lot. We are as careless with our personal resources as we are with the resources of nature,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-crook-de-camp/we-americans-tend-to-be-a-prodigal-lot-we-are-as-careless-with-our/) [Catherine Crook de Camp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-crook-de-camp/) > [Americans will put up with anything provided it doesn't block traffic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-rather/americans-will-put-up-with-anything-provided-it-doesn-t-block-traffic/) [Dan Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-rather/) > [Most Americans believe in fairness; we believe that people should work hard but there should be a safety net. We believe in saving the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-maclean/most-americans-believe-in-fairness-we-believe-that-people-should-work/) [Nancy MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-maclean/) > [“Using a wide variety of media, we could demonstrate for our fellow Americans their anxieties, desires, insufficiencies, and frustrations--and how to assuage them all.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/using-a-wide-variety-of-media-we-could-demonstrate-for-our-fellow/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [The Americans say that we are ungrateful-but I ask them for heaven's sake, what should we be grateful to them for-for murdering our fathers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-walker/the-americans-say-that-we-are-ungrateful-but-i-ask-them-for-heaven-s/) [David Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-walker/) > [So many Korean Americans like me came to this country with the hope of achieving their own American Dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-steel/so-many-korean-americans-like-me-came-to-this-country-with-the-hope/) [Michelle Steel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-steel/) > [You are Americans. You love this country. Together we are entrusted with the principles that represent mankind's greatest political and social achievement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tsongas/you-are-americans-you-love-this-country-together-we-are-entrusted/) [Paul Tsongas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tsongas/) [Browse all 1,536 Americans quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/americans/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The people blocking buses in Murrieta, California, didn't come from radical groups, they were everyday Americans who were perfectly willing to frighten those children", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mark Potok" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-potok/the-people-blocking-buses-in-murrieta-california-didn-t-come-from/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Americans" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-potok/the-people-blocking-buses-in-murrieta-california-didn-t-come-from/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/347/mark-potok-69544_americans_the-people-blocking-buses-in-murrieta-ca_765016.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/347/mark-potok-69544_americans_the-people-blocking-buses-in-murrieta-ca_765016.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/347/mark-potok-69544_americans_the-people-blocking-buses-in-murrieta-ca_765016.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The people blocking buses in Murrieta, California, didn't come from radical groups, they were everyday…” — Mark Potok", "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": "Mark Potok", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-potok/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The people blocking buses in Murrieta,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-potok/the-people-blocking-buses-in-murrieta-california-didn-t-come-from/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-potok/the-people-blocking-buses-in-murrieta-california-didn-t-come-from/#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 } } ] } ```