--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When even one American—who has done…" description: "\"“When even one American—who has done nothing wrong—is forced by fear to shut his mind and close his mouth—then all Americans are in peril.” Harry S. Tr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c61/max-allan-collins-17045_fear_when-even-one-american-who-has-done-noth_3165254.jpg" --- # When even one American—who has done nothing wrong—is… ![“When even one American—who has done nothing wrong—is forced by fear to shut his mind and close his mouth—then all Americans are in peril.” Harry S. Truman, thirty-third President of the United States of America. Served 1945–1953.” quote by Max Allan Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c61/max-allan-collins-17045_fear_when-even-one-american-who-has-done-noth_3165254.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c61/max-allan-collins-17045_fear_when-even-one-american-who-has-done-noth_3165254.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c61/max-allan-collins-17045_fear_when-even-one-american-who-has-done-noth_3165254.jpg) > ““When even one American—who has done nothing wrong—is forced by fear to shut his mind and close his mouth—then all Americans are in peril.” Harry S. Truman, thirty-third President of the United States of America. Served 1945–1953.”” [Max Allan Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-allan-collins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If one innocent American is silenced by fear, all Americans are endangered. **In simple terms:** Silencing one endangers all. Key Takeaway Protect free speech and courage. Themes freedom fear collective responsibility democracy Mood cautious determined inspired Type political historical motivational When to use this quote - public debates - media coverage - education - community activism Key Concepts civic duty political philosophy social cohesion Questions to Reflect On - How does fear affect public discourse? - What safeguards protect free expression? A Different Perspective Fear can be exploited to suppress dissent; vigilance required. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [United states of america](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states-of-america/) ## Related quotes > [When even one American - who has done nothing wrong - is forced by fear to shut his mind and close his mouth -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman-2/when-even-one-american-who-has-done-nothing-wrong-is-forced-by-fear/) [Harry S Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman-2/) > [My favourite president, and the one I admired most, was Harry Truman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/my-favourite-president-and-the-one-i-admired-most-was-harry-truman/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [My father's political heroes were Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/my-father-s-political-heroes-were-franklin-roosevelt-and-harry-truman/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [Harry S. Truman had his moods. His birthplace is the only tourist attraction in America where you don't see Japanese with cameras.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-whitney-brown/harry-s-truman-had-his-moods-his-birthplace-is-the-only-tourist/) [A. Whitney Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-whitney-brown/) > [I loved Harry Truman with all my heart and soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-scott/i-loved-harry-truman-with-all-my-heart-and-soul/) [Willard Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-scott/) > [ He \[Harry S. Truman\] loved politicians - even Republicans. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-truman-daniel/he-harry-s-truman-loved-politicians-even-republicans/) [Margaret Truman Daniel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-truman-daniel/) > [Harry Truman was courageous enough to command that racial segregation be ended in the military. I was serving in a submarine in the U.S.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/harry-truman-was-courageous-enough-to-command-that-racial-segregation/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [“Roosevelt loved the subtleties of human relations...He was sensitive to nuances in a way that Harry Truman never was and never would be. Truman,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/roosevelt-loved-the-subtleties-of-human-relations-he-was-sensitive-to/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [“Buy only what you really need and cannot do without,” President Harry Truman once said on TV.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-h-naylor/buy-only-what-you-really-need-and-cannot-do-without-president-harry/) Thomas H Naylor > [Let me tell you, the first president to recognize the state of Israel was Harry Truman, a Democrat. And every president since, Democrat and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-durbin/let-me-tell-you-the-first-president-to-recognize-the-state-of-israel/) [Dick Durbin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-durbin/) > [Some of our finest leaders were not intellectuals at all, and I admire them enormously because they weren't. Harry Truman wasn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ignatieff/some-of-our-finest-leaders-were-not-intellectuals-at-all-and-i-admire/) [Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/) > [ “If there had been any formidable body of cannibals in the country he \[Harry Truman\] would have promised to provide them with free missionaries,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken-2/if-there-had-been-any-formidable-body-of-cannibals-in-the-country-he/) [H.L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/) > [Despite its flaws, the American electoral system has produced Lincoln, the two Roosevelts, and Harry Truman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/despite-its-flaws-the-american-electoral-system-has-produced-lincoln/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [ Leo Crowley, Harry \[Truman\]'s Foreign Economic Administrator, tells Congressmen the theory...: 'If you create good governments in foreign countries, automatically you will have better… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/leo-crowley-harry-truman-s-foreign-economic-administrator-tells/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Harry Truman wrote scathing letters, but he almost never sent them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/harry-truman-wrote-scathing-letters-but-he-almost-never-sent-them/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) ## More by Max Allan Collins > [“cite the following books: The Supreme Court Explained by Ellen Greenberg, Norton Publishing, 1997; The Complete Idiot’s Guide to the Supreme Court by Lita…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-allan-collins/cite-the-following-books-the-supreme-court-explained-by-ellen/) [Max Allan Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-allan-collins/) > [“background. Nancy had an antique brass bed. I had the feeling these girls weren’t two of a kind. Meanwhile, I was going through things.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-allan-collins/background-nancy-had-an-antique-brass-bed-i-had-the-feeling-these/) [Max Allan Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-allan-collins/) > [“If Columbus had an advisory committee, he would probably still be at the dock.” Arthur J. Goldberg, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, 1962–1965,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-allan-collins/if-columbus-had-an-advisory-committee-he-would-probably-still-be-at/) [Max Allan Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-allan-collins/) > [“Sometimes I wonder if I've changed so much, my wife is even gonna recognize me whenever it is I get back to her, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-allan-collins/sometimes-i-wonder-if-i-ve-changed-so-much-my-wife-is-even-gonna/) [Max Allan Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-allan-collins/) > [“People are very quick to ridicule others for showing fear. But we rarely know the secret springboards behind human action. The man who shows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-allan-collins/people-are-very-quick-to-ridicule-others-for-showing-fear-but-we/) [Max Allan Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-allan-collins/) > [“People are very quick to ridicule others for showing fear. 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Goldberg, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, 1962–1965, United”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-allan-collins/if-columbus-had-an-advisory-committee-he-would-probably-still-be-at-3/) [Max Allan Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-allan-collins/) > [ Rick: Can you swim? Evelyn: Well, of course I can swim if the occasion calls for it. Rick: \[throwing her overboard\] Trust me. It… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-allan-collins/rick-can-you-swim-evelyn-well-of-course-i-can-swim-if-the-occasion/) [Max Allan Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-allan-collins/) > [“If Columbus had an advisory committee, he would probably still be at the dock.” Arthur J. Goldberg, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, 1962–1965,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-allan-collins/if-columbus-had-an-advisory-committee-he-would-probably-still-be-at-4/) [Max Allan Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-allan-collins/) > [“The government, which was designed for the people, has got into the hands of the bosses and their employers, the special interests. An invisible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-allan-collins/the-government-which-was-designed-for-the-people-has-got-into-the/) [Max Allan Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-allan-collins/) > [“People are very quick to ridicule others for showing fear. But we rarely know the secret springboards behind human action. The man who shows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-allan-collins/people-are-very-quick-to-ridicule-others-for-showing-fear-but-we-3/) [Max Allan Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-allan-collins/) > [“Law not served by power is an illusion; but power not ruled by law is a menace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-allan-collins/law-not-served-by-power-is-an-illusion-but-power-not-ruled-by-law-is/) [Max Allan Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-allan-collins/) > [ “Evelyn: \[drunk\] You're wondering, 'What is a place like me doing in a girl like this?' Rick: Yeah, something like that.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-allan-collins/evelyn-drunk-you-re-wondering-what-is-a-place-like-me-doing-in-a-girl/) [Max Allan Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-allan-collins/) [Explore all 38 Max Allan Collins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-allan-collins/) ## More Fear 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/) > [“That horrible stinging sensation returned, the muscles behind my eyes straining as the first tear began to fall. “I’m scared, too. 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Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/) [Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/) > [“Snip off the little worries and expressions of worry” like little branches atop a tall tree.28 If you are truly worried, sharing your concerns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-sanders/snip-off-the-little-worries-and-expressions-of-worry-like-little/) [Tim Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-sanders/) > [“Fear and desire for pleasure. Aggressiveness comes out of fear, predominantly, and sexuality predominantly out of the other. 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