--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A society is judged by the way it cares…" description: "\"A society is judged by the way it cares for its most vulnerable citizens. As an American, I am ashamed that we have turned out backs on millions of our..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7b/marlo-thomas-8603_ashamed_a-society-is-judged-by-the-way-it-cares_1342076.jpg" --- # A society is judged by the way it cares for its most… ![“A society is judged by the way it cares for its most vulnerable citizens. As an American, I am ashamed that we have turned out backs on millions of our children. I want to do my part to rectify this terrible situation.” quote by Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7b/marlo-thomas-8603_ashamed_a-society-is-judged-by-the-way-it-cares_1342076.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7b/marlo-thomas-8603_ashamed_a-society-is-judged-by-the-way-it-cares_1342076.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7b/marlo-thomas-8603_ashamed_a-society-is-judged-by-the-way-it-cares_1342076.jpg) > “A society is judged by the way it cares for its most vulnerable citizens. As an American, I am ashamed that we have turned out backs on millions of our children. I want to do my part to rectify this terrible situation.” [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A society's moral standing is reflected in how it treats its most vulnerable, especially children, and neglect indicates a failure of collective responsibility. **In simple terms:** How we treat vulnerable people shows our society's values. Key Takeaway Act to support vulnerable children. Themes social responsibility compassion justice Mood concerned determined Type advocacy call to action When to use this quote - policy advocacy - volunteering - donations - community outreach Key Concepts ethics collective duty child welfare Questions to Reflect On - How can individuals influence systemic change? - What policies best protect vulnerable children? A Different Perspective Addressing systemic neglect requires sustained political will and resources. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American Ashamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-ashamed-4536967/) [Ashamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ashamed/) [Cancer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cancer/) [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Cares Vulnerable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cares-vulnerable-2688043/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Citizens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizens/) [Ending poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ending-poverty/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Hunger poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hunger-poverty/) [Judged](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judged/) [Millions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/millions/) [Our children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-children/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [Rectify](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rectify/) [Situation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/situation/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/) [Society Judged](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society-judged-325138/) [Terrible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrible/) [Vulnerable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vulnerable/) [Vulnerable Citizens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vulnerable-citizens-337889/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [But while I am proud to be an American, I am ashamed of what the Trump administration is doing in our name. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-boot/but-while-i-am-proud-to-be-an-american-i-am-ashamed-of-what-the-trump/) [Max Boot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-boot/) > [The measure of a country's greatness should be based on how well it cares for its most vulnerable populations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-measure-of-a-country-s-greatness-should-be-based-on-how-well-it/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [For far too many, the housing crisis has become a human crisis, with people being criminalised who should instead be protected as our most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/layla-moran/for-far-too-many-the-housing-crisis-has-become-a-human-crisis-with/) [Layla Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/layla-moran/) > [We owe our children – the most vulnerable citizens in any society – a life free from violence and fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-owe-our-children-the-most-vulnerable-citizens-in-any-society-a/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Safety and security don't just happen, they are the result of collective consensus and public investment. We owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/safety-and-security-don-t-just-happen-they-are-the-result-of/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [We have a responsibility as a state to protect our most vulnerable citizens: our children, seniors, people with disabilities. That is our moral obligation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lynch/we-have-a-responsibility-as-a-state-to-protect-our-most-vulnerable/) [John Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lynch/) > [COVID-19 has had a major impact on our most vulnerable citizens and their families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-parson/covid-19-has-had-a-major-impact-on-our-most-vulnerable-citizens-and/) [Mike Parson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-parson/) > [The future of healthcare security should include flexibility from the federal government to allow us to serve the state's most vulnerable citizens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-future-of-healthcare-security-should-include-flexibility-from-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A society can be judged by the way it treats its children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/a-society-can-be-judged-by-the-way-it-treats-its-children/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/the-degree-of-civilization-in-a-society-can-be-judged-by-entering-its/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [This is our first task-caring for our children. It's our first job. If we don't get that right, we don't get anything right. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/this-is-our-first-task-caring-for-our-children-it-s-our-first-job-if/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [From the way children are treated society can be judged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/from-the-way-children-are-treated-society-can-be-judged/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [A society will be judged on the basis of how it treats its weakest members; and among the most vulnerable are surely the unborn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/a-society-will-be-judged-on-the-basis-of-how-it-treats-its-weakest/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [A society will be judged by how it treats its weakest members](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/a-society-will-be-judged-by-how-it-treats-its-weakest-members/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [A society should be judged by how it treats its children. A country that fails to invest in its children is imperilling its future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-jones/a-society-should-be-judged-by-how-it-treats-its-children-a-country/) [Owen Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-jones/) ## More by Marlo Thomas > [I know George Burns was a very happy man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/i-know-george-burns-was-a-very-happy-man/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [“Steady as she goes”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/steady-as-she-goes/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [What I love about the theater is the work ethic. I grew up with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/what-i-love-about-the-theater-is-the-work-ethic-i-grew-up-with-it/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [Marriage is like a vacuum cleaner. You stick it to your ear and it sucks out all your energy and ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/marriage-is-like-a-vacuum-cleaner-you-stick-it-to-your-ear-and-it/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [I realize now that I was a feminist and the minute I heard the word I certainly knew it meant me, but at that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/i-realize-now-that-i-was-a-feminist-and-the-minute-i-heard-the-word-i/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [Living with these teenage boys allowed me to see how much their psyches were like their girl counterparts. They were more familiar to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/living-with-these-teenage-boys-allowed-me-to-see-how-much-their/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [I find that balancing my life with my work with the kids at St. Jude, working on books, working on my career as an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/i-find-that-balancing-my-life-with-my-work-with-the-kids-at-st-jude/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [I wish someone would have told me that, just because I'm a girl, I don't have to get married.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/i-wish-someone-would-have-told-me-that-just-because-i-m-a-girl-i-don/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [Laughter is important, not only because it makes us happy, it also has actual health benefits. And that's because laughter completely engages the body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/laughter-is-important-not-only-because-it-makes-us-happy-it-also-has/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [It's fascinating for us women to begin looking at our lives in five-year plans. It really does help you keep on track. If that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/it-s-fascinating-for-us-women-to-begin-looking-at-our-lives-in-five/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [The Golden Girls certainly proved that there was a large audience for a show about older women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/the-golden-girls-certainly-proved-that-there-was-a-large-audience-for/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [There's no doubt about it... I was born a feminist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/there-s-no-doubt-about-it-i-was-born-a-feminist/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [One woman is a pest and two women is a team, but three women or more is a coalition. If you can bring a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/one-woman-is-a-pest-and-two-women-is-a-team-but-three-women-or-more/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [Never face facts; if you do, you'll never get up in the morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/never-face-facts-if-you-do-you-ll-never-get-up-in-the-morning/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [What I'm loving about Hilary Clinton is that she has the job that's been held mostly by men. She's made it her job, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/what-i-m-loving-about-hilary-clinton-is-that-she-has-the-job-that-s/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) [Explore all 79 Marlo Thomas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) ## More Ashamed quotes > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [I know what you're thinking... and you oughtta be ashamed of yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-preston/i-know-what-you-re-thinking-and-you-oughtta-be-ashamed-of-yourself/) [Robert Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-preston/) > [You never meet the writer when you're making a TV movie in America - they're too ashamed to show up and see how their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-don-baker/you-never-meet-the-writer-when-you-re-making-a-tv-movie-in-america/) [Joe Don Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-don-baker/) > [I'm not ashamed of the things I believe and why I believe them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-huckabee/i-m-not-ashamed-of-the-things-i-believe-and-why-i-believe-them/) [Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-huckabee/) > [If, with all the time at my disposal, with all the wealth of the resources of this vast universe, to do with as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/if-with-all-the-time-at-my-disposal-with-all-the-wealth-of-the/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [“with her own life. And I was ashamed.” Humiliated. Broken. Miserable. If Wilcher had stood by Jaymee, if her father hadn’t berated her, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-green/with-her-own-life-and-i-was-ashamed-humiliated-broken-miserable-if/) [Stacy Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-green/) > [You should avoid hedging, at least that's what I think. You should be ashamed to die until you've made some contribution to mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-johns/you-should-avoid-hedging-at-least-that-s-what-i-think-you-should-be/) [Vernon Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-johns/) > [There was no mistake in us making abortion legal and available on demand. That was what we call progress. Just like it was no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ruffalo/there-was-no-mistake-in-us-making-abortion-legal-and-available-on/) [Mark Ruffalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ruffalo/) > [“When all are undressed, one is somehow not ashamed, but when one's the only one undressed and everybody is looking, it's degrading,' he kept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/when-all-are-undressed-one-is-somehow-not-ashamed-but-when-one-s-the/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [There are a great many colored people who are ashamed of the cake-walk, but I think they ought to be proud of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-weldon-johnson/there-are-a-great-many-colored-people-who-are-ashamed-of-the-cake/) [James Weldon Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-weldon-johnson/) > [I love him who is ashamed when the dice fall in his favour, and who then asketh: "Am I a dishonest player?" - for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/i-love-him-who-is-ashamed-when-the-dice-fall-in-his-favour-and-who/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zondervan-publishing/whoever-is-ashamed-of-me-and-my-words-the-son-of-man-will-be-ashamed/) [Zondervan Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zondervan-publishing/) > [You were never created to live depressed, defeated, guilty, condemned, ashamed or unworthy. You were created to be victorious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/you-were-never-created-to-live-depressed-defeated-guilty-condemned/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I never wonder to see men wicked, but I often wonder to see them not ashamed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/i-never-wonder-to-see-men-wicked-but-i-often-wonder-to-see-them-not/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [“To survive during the Khmer Rouge, you had to steal, cheat, lie, point fingers at others, even kill. And now you are ashamed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-brinkley/to-survive-during-the-khmer-rouge-you-had-to-steal-cheat-lie-point/) [Joel Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-brinkley/) [Browse all 1,607 Ashamed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ashamed/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A society is judged by the way it cares for its most vulnerable citizens. As an American, I am ashamed that we have turned out backs on millions of our children. 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