--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was too important to go to Vietnam." description: "\"I was too important to go to Vietnam.\" — Mitt Romney" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ed/mitt-romney-268_army_i-was-too-important-to-go-to-vietnam-468_46821.png" --- # I was too important to go to Vietnam. ![“I was too important to go to Vietnam.” quote by Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ed/mitt-romney-268_army_i-was-too-important-to-go-to-vietnam-468_46821.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ed/mitt-romney-268_army_i-was-too-important-to-go-to-vietnam-468_46821.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ed/mitt-romney-268_army_i-was-too-important-to-go-to-vietnam-468_46821.png) > “I was too important to go to Vietnam.” [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A self‑deprecating remark highlighting how personal status can shield one from dangerous or undesirable duties. **In simple terms:** Status can exempt one from hardship. Key Takeaway Privilege can create distance from conflict. Themes privilege self‑deprecation war responsibility social hierarchy Mood ironic critical reflective Type political humorous When to use this quote - political leaders avoiding combat - public figures justifying non‑participation - individuals reflecting on missed obligations Key Concepts social status military service personal accountability Practical Applications - historical analysis of elite avoidance of war - media commentary on political hypocrisy Questions to Reflect On - Does privilege change one's sense of duty? - How does humor affect perception of serious topics? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Vietnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vietnam/) ## Related quotes > [It is time to acknowledge the extraordinary sacrifice of all of our veterans. While many Massachusetts soldiers served our nation in a period technically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/it-is-time-to-acknowledge-the-extraordinary-sacrifice-of-all-of-our/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [I longed in many respects to actually be in Vietnam and be representing our country there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-longed-in-many-respects-to-actually-be-in-vietnam-and-be/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [Having grown up as a young Army officer in the Vietnam era, I had an instinctual sort of notion that you have to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-reed/having-grown-up-as-a-young-army-officer-in-the-vietnam-era-i-had-an/) [Jack Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-reed/) > [My father was a Vietnam vet, and he was Green Beret.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ransone/my-father-was-a-vietnam-vet-and-he-was-green-beret/) [James Ransone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ransone/) > [Majored in staying out of Vietnam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butch-trucks/majored-in-staying-out-of-vietnam/) [Butch Trucks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/butch-trucks/) > [I built bridges and worked for the army and SAS in Vietnam and Zimbabwe. I also sold watches and Jaguars in the Philippines and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-christo/i-built-bridges-and-worked-for-the-army-and-sas-in-vietnam-and/) [Bob Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-christo/) > [With respect to where we are now, we have a voluntary army. And if we ever go back to conscription I hope that at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/with-respect-to-where-we-are-now-we-have-a-voluntary-army-and-if-we/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [The 50,000 Korean mercenaries we had in Vietnam were professional killers and just massacred people outright. And the American army did plenty of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-50-000-korean-mercenaries-we-had-in-vietnam-were-professional/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [A great read; an exciting, frightening account of organized crime today. 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We cannot heed the call of those who say it is time to furl the sail.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/sometimes-a-party-must-sail-against-the-wind-we-cannot-heed-the-call/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [ We went to America a few times and \[Brian\] Epstein always tried to waffle on at us about saying nothing about Vietnam. So there… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/we-went-to-america-a-few-times-and-brian-epstein-always-tried-to/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [It might interest you that just as the U.S. was ramping up its involvement in Vietnam, LBJ launched an illegal invasion of the Dominican…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/it-might-interest-you-that-just-as-the-u-s-was-ramping-up-its/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [Many people in the United States happen to believe that United States policy is wrong in Vietnam and the Vietcong are correct in wanting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/many-people-in-the-united-states-happen-to-believe-that-united-states/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) ## More by Mitt Romney > [I look at what's happening around the world and I see Iran four years closer to a bomb. 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We have freed other nations from dictators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/america-has-not-dictated-to-other-nations-we-have-freed-other-nations/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [The right course is for the Palestinians and the Israelis to sit down at the table together. The Palestinians need to recognize that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/the-right-course-is-for-the-palestinians-and-the-israelis-to-sit-down/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [If I'm President of the United States, when I'm President of the United States, we will stand with Israel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/if-i-m-president-of-the-united-states-when-i-m-president-of-the/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [President Obama instituted the most anti-growth, anti-investment, anti-jobs measures that we have seen in our lifetime. Now he called his agenda ambitious, I call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/president-obama-instituted-the-most-anti-growth-anti-investment-anti/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [Our economy is on the move and we are creating thousands of new jobs, but we need to keep our foot on the gas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/our-economy-is-on-the-move-and-we-are-creating-thousands-of-new-jobs/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) [Explore all 781 Mitt Romney quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) ## More Army quotes > [There are no more worlds to conquer!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/there-are-no-more-worlds-to-conquer/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) > [Every army in the history of the world has always had some deserters, usually much greater than we have today, because once again every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-hilferty/every-army-in-the-history-of-the-world-has-always-had-some-deserters/) [Bryan Hilferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-hilferty/) > [It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-the-rule-in-war-if-our-forces-are-ten-to-the-enemy-s-one-to/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [The surprise of an army is now next to an impossibility. ... 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