--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Those who think of freedom in this…" description: "\"Those who think of freedom in this country as one long, broad path leading ever onward and upward are dead damned wrong.\" — Molly Ivins" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/975/molly-ivins-1296_country_those-who-think-of-freedom-in-this-count_250975.png" --- # Those who think of freedom in this country as one long… ![“Those who think of freedom in this country as one long, broad path leading ever onward and upward are dead damned wrong.” quote by Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/975/molly-ivins-1296_country_those-who-think-of-freedom-in-this-count_250975.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/975/molly-ivins-1296_country_those-who-think-of-freedom-in-this-count_250975.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/975/molly-ivins-1296_country_those-who-think-of-freedom-in-this-count_250975.png) > “Those who think of freedom in this country as one long, broad path leading ever onward and upward are dead damned wrong.” [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Viewing freedom as a single, ever‑rising path is a mistaken, overly simplistic view. **In simple terms:** Freedom isn’t a straight, endless road. Key Takeaway Recognize freedom’s complexity and limits. Themes freedom politics misconception complexity ideology Mood critical inquisitive Type political philosophical When to use this quote - public policy - civic education - activism - journalism - debate Key Concepts political philosophy critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - What are the real limits of freedom? - How can we discuss freedom without oversimplifying? A Different Perspective Simplistic views can ignore real constraints and trade‑offs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Onward and upward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/onward-and-upward/) [Path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/path/) ## Related quotes > [I will not stop fighting against Islam until I have achieved freedom for our country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geert-wilders/i-will-not-stop-fighting-against-islam-until-i-have-achieved-freedom/) [Geert Wilders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geert-wilders/) > [We want freedom for our country, but not at the expense or exploitation of others, not us to degrade other countries...I want the freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lal-bahadur-shastri/we-want-freedom-for-our-country-but-not-at-the-expense-or/) [Lal Bahadur Shastri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lal-bahadur-shastri/) > [I know that I can be a leader, and the idea of achieving freedom for my country seems beautiful to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-laporta/i-know-that-i-can-be-a-leader-and-the-idea-of-achieving-freedom-for/) [Joan Laporta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-laporta/) > [We want freedom for our country, but not at the expense or exploitation of others, not so as to degrade other countries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/we-want-freedom-for-our-country-but-not-at-the-expense-or-2/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Talking about freedom in the country where people are afraid of losing their jobs is absurdity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/talking-about-freedom-in-the-country-where-people-are-afraid-of/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [Nelson, you made a history, you brought freedom in the country. Now that God had set you free from aging of the world we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/south-africa/nelson-you-made-a-history-you-brought-freedom-in-the-country-now-that/) South Africa > [And so, lifting as we climb, onward and upward we go, struggling and striving, and hoping that the buds and blossoms of our desires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-church-terrell/and-so-lifting-as-we-climb-onward-and-upward-we-go-struggling-and/) [Mary Church Terrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-church-terrell/) > [“Excelsior," Gansey said bleakly. Blue asked, "What does that even mean?" Gansey looked over his shoulder at her. He was once more, just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/excelsior-gansey-said-bleakly-blue-asked-what-does-that-even-mean/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“you don’t have to go vegan all at once. Veganism isn’t an on off switch. It’s more of a journey. It is fine to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-pyke/you-don-t-have-to-go-vegan-all-at-once-veganism-isn-t-an-on-off/) [Timothy Pyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-pyke/) > [On the darkest days you have to search for a spot of brightness, on the coldest days you have to seek out a spot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/on-the-darkest-days-you-have-to-search-for-a-spot-of-brightness-on/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [Books are good but they are only maps. Reading a book by direction of a man I read that so many inches of rain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/books-are-good-but-they-are-only-maps-reading-a-book-by-direction-of/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [And so, lifting as we climb, onward and upward we go, struggling and striving, and hoping that the buds and blossoms of our desires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-church-terrell/and-so-lifting-as-we-climb-onward-and-upward-we-go-struggling-and-2/) [Mary Church Terrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-church-terrell/) > [“Onward and upward has been replaced by forward and toward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-winkle-giulioni/onward-and-upward-has-been-replaced-by-forward-and-toward/) [Julie Winkle Giulioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-winkle-giulioni/) > [The path to eternal life is not on a plateau. Rather, it is an incline, ever onward and upward. Hence, ever-increasing spiritual understanding and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-k-hilbig/the-path-to-eternal-life-is-not-on-a-plateau-rather-it-is-an-incline/) [Keith K. Hilbig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-k-hilbig/) > [Generally there is in man a divinity which strives to push him onward and upward. We believe that this power within him is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/generally-there-is-in-man-a-divinity-which-strives-to-push-him-onward/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Molly Ivins > [Preemptive war is what Israel did in '67 with Arab armies on its borders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/preemptive-war-is-what-israel-did-in-67-with-arab-armies-on-its/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [The idols of one's adolescence tend to endure - you never forget how you worshipped them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/the-idols-of-one-s-adolescence-tend-to-endure-you-never-forget-how/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [Having breast cancer is massive amounts of no fun,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/having-breast-cancer-is-massive-amounts-of-no-fun/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [How the American right managed to convince itself that the programs to alleviate poverty are responsible for the consequences of poverty will someday be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/how-the-american-right-managed-to-convince-itself-that-the-programs/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [To mistake Midland for the volk heartland is the West Texas equivalent of assuming that Greenwich, Connecticut, is Levittown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/to-mistake-midland-for-the-volk-heartland-is-the-west-texas/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [I only aim at the powerful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/i-only-aim-at-the-powerful/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [Even for southerners, Arkansans are amazingly friendly and extend hospitality to all strangers with astonishing openness. You couldn't find a pretension in that state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/even-for-southerners-arkansans-are-amazingly-friendly-and-extend/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [It's hard to convince people that you're killing them for their own good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/it-s-hard-to-convince-people-that-you-re-killing-them-for-their-own/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [the pyramids were built for pharaohs on the happy theory that they could take their stuff with them. Versailles was built for kings on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/the-pyramids-were-built-for-pharaohs-on-the-happy-theory-that-they/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [Any nation that can survive what we have lately in the way of government, is on the high road to permanent glory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/any-nation-that-can-survive-what-we-have-lately-in-the-way-of/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [I think provincialism is an endemic characteristic with mankind, I think everybody everywhere is provincial, but it is particularly striking with Texans, and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/i-think-provincialism-is-an-endemic-characteristic-with-mankind-i/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [During a recent panel on the numerous failures of American journalism, I proposed that almost all stories about government should begin: “Look out! They're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/during-a-recent-panel-on-the-numerous-failures-of-american-journalism/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [Naturally, when it comes to voting, we in Texas are accustomed to discerning that fine hair’s-breadth worth of difference that makes one hopeless dipstick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/naturally-when-it-comes-to-voting-we-in-texas-are-accustomed-to/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [Be outrageous, ridicule the fraidy-cats, rejoice in all the oddities that freedom can produce.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/be-outrageous-ridicule-the-fraidy-cats-rejoice-in-all-the-oddities/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [Texas is not a civilized place. Texans shoot one another a lot. They also knife, razor, and stomp one another to death with some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/texas-is-not-a-civilized-place-texans-shoot-one-another-a-lot-they/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) [Explore all 260 Molly Ivins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) ## More Country quotes > [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [For the Scottish government, the practice of having meetings in different parts of the country is well established, but for the U.K. government, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/for-the-scottish-government-the-practice-of-having-meetings-in/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) > [There's no reason someone who has fought for their country should be homeless of jobless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kyle/there-s-no-reason-someone-who-has-fought-for-their-country-should-be/) [Chris Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kyle/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [It's very nice to be a rebel saying, 'I stand on my principles,' but if in fact that's not going to have any impact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-grieve/it-s-very-nice-to-be-a-rebel-saying-i-stand-on-my-principles-but-if/) [Dominic Grieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-grieve/) > [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [That's what this country is. It's made up of immigrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bria-vinaite/that-s-what-this-country-is-it-s-made-up-of-immigrants/) [Bria Vinaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bria-vinaite/) > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [The reason I was drawn to the Band Perry was because they have a knack for doing rollicking country music that can sound a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/the-reason-i-was-drawn-to-the-band-perry-was-because-they-have-a/) [Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > ['Lovecraft Country' is reclaiming all these pulp genres for people of color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misha-green/lovecraft-country-is-reclaiming-all-these-pulp-genres-for-people-of/) [Misha Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misha-green/) > [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/) [Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/) [Browse all 29,881 Country quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Those who think of freedom in this country as one long, broad path leading ever onward and upward are dead damned wrong.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Molly Ivins" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/those-who-think-of-freedom-in-this-country-as-one-long-broad-path/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Country" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/those-who-think-of-freedom-in-this-country-as-one-long-broad-path/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/975/molly-ivins-1296_country_those-who-think-of-freedom-in-this-count_250975.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/975/molly-ivins-1296_country_those-who-think-of-freedom-in-this-count_250975.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/975/molly-ivins-1296_country_those-who-think-of-freedom-in-this-count_250975.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Those who think of freedom in this country as one long, broad path leading ever onward and upward are dead…” — Molly Ivins", "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": "Molly Ivins", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Those who think of freedom in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/those-who-think-of-freedom-in-this-country-as-one-long-broad-path/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/those-who-think-of-freedom-in-this-country-as-one-long-broad-path/#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 } } ] } ```