--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are a country that has always been…" description: "\"We are a country that has always been known for providing opportunities to people. We have lost a lot of that opportunity.\" — Pramila Jayapal" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9c/pramila-jayapal-5245_been_we-are-a-country-that-has-always-been-kn_1876630.jpg" --- # We are a country that has always been known for providing… ![“We are a country that has always been known for providing opportunities to people. We have lost a lot of that opportunity.” quote by Pramila Jayapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9c/pramila-jayapal-5245_been_we-are-a-country-that-has-always-been-kn_1876630.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9c/pramila-jayapal-5245_been_we-are-a-country-that-has-always-been-kn_1876630.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9c/pramila-jayapal-5245_been_we-are-a-country-that-has-always-been-kn_1876630.jpg) > “We are a country that has always been known for providing opportunities to people. We have lost a lot of that opportunity.” [Pramila Jayapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The United States historically offered many chances, but recent policies have eroded access to those opportunities for many. **In simple terms:** Opportunity in the U.S. is declining. Key Takeaway Advocate for policies that restore equal opportunity. Themes politics equity opportunity policy Mood concerned determined Type political inspirational When to use this quote - voting rights activism - education funding - job training programs Key Concepts social justice economic inequality Questions to Reflect On - What concrete steps can expand opportunity? - Who benefits most from restored access? A Different Perspective Oppportunities may be restored through reform; resistance exists. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Opportunities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunities/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [You can give a bunch of opportunities to people, but if they are not ambitious, nothing is going to happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-reyez/you-can-give-a-bunch-of-opportunities-to-people-but-if-they-are-not/) [Jessie Reyez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-reyez/) > [Too many people get lost in the game of having a good time and being naive about things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-brown/too-many-people-get-lost-in-the-game-of-having-a-good-time-and-being/) [Steve Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-brown/) > [The only people who ever get anyplace interesting are the people who get lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-only-people-who-ever-get-anyplace-interesting-are-the-people-who/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [If we create enough new companies, there will be additional opportunities for people at every rung of the educational ladder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-yang/if-we-create-enough-new-companies-there-will-be-additional/) [Andrew Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-yang/) > [The future of America is not an entitlement. We have been given a treasure chest of gifts and opportunities, but some people are being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-schultz/the-future-of-america-is-not-an-entitlement-we-have-been-given-a/) [Howard Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-schultz/) > [Tech gives people more opportunities to be themselves in front of other people. Sometimes that's great; sometimes it's bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-garratt/tech-gives-people-more-opportunities-to-be-themselves-in-front-of/) [Jack Garratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-garratt/) > [Ive been given work opportunities that many people would kill for quite frankly so you have to look at life in that perspective and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-sinha/ive-been-given-work-opportunities-that-many-people-would-kill-for/) [Paul Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-sinha/) > [If you're not in the right classification, you're basically stealing funding and opportunities from other people. This is not the NFL. There's only so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-long/if-you-re-not-in-the-right-classification-you-re-basically-stealing/) [Jessica Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-long/) > [If you create great opportunities, people around the world will come support your dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/if-you-create-great-opportunities-people-around-the-world-will-come/) [Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/) > [There are so many things we can do to make sure they get those opportunities. People with disability are ready to go - it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-alcott/there-are-so-many-things-we-can-do-to-make-sure-they-get-those/) [Dylan Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-alcott/) > [I'm a recording artist who's traveled around the world so I have different opportunities than other people and people may decide how I should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrisette-michele/i-m-a-recording-artist-who-s-traveled-around-the-world-so-i-have/) [Chrisette Michele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrisette-michele/) > [Providing career growth and development opportunities for our people is of paramount importance, and that's why we surround and support our diverse employee team…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-doughtie/providing-career-growth-and-development-opportunities-for-our-people/) [Lynne Doughtie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-doughtie/) > [A lot of my friends do creative things and are doing really well at what they do - some writers, some artists. I'm in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charli-xcx/a-lot-of-my-friends-do-creative-things-and-are-doing-really-well-at/) [Charli XCX](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charli-xcx/) > [You cannot make your opportunities concur with the opportunities of people whose incomes are ten times greater than yours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/you-cannot-make-your-opportunities-concur-with-the-opportunities-of/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [The biggest accolades aren't the Grammys for me. It's creating opportunities for people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lecrae/the-biggest-accolades-aren-t-the-grammys-for-me-it-s-creating/) [Lecrae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lecrae/) ## More by Pramila Jayapal > [The fact that the immigration issue was the first thing Trump took aim at was a good thing for me, because it's what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramila-jayapal/the-fact-that-the-immigration-issue-was-the-first-thing-trump-took/) [Pramila Jayapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/) > [Some people have called me the anti-Trump, and I'm so proud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramila-jayapal/some-people-have-called-me-the-anti-trump-and-i-m-so-proud/) [Pramila Jayapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/) > [We don't get a more responsive government unless we start to systematically run organizing campaigns to change the way government works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramila-jayapal/we-don-t-get-a-more-responsive-government-unless-we-start-to/) [Pramila Jayapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/) > [I would attend a State of the Union by a president with whom I disagree if I felt she or he was otherwise respectful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramila-jayapal/i-would-attend-a-state-of-the-union-by-a-president-with-whom-i/) [Pramila Jayapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/) > [I've always believed that immigration is really about who we are as a country and what we're willing to stand up for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramila-jayapal/i-ve-always-believed-that-immigration-is-really-about-who-we-are-as-a/) [Pramila Jayapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/) > [Individuals whose asylum claims have been accepted have gone on to become professors, soldiers in our military, artists, and more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramila-jayapal/individuals-whose-asylum-claims-have-been-accepted-have-gone-on-to/) [Pramila Jayapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/) > [I feel like young people, more than anyone in the country, always have their moral compass on perfectly straight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramila-jayapal/i-feel-like-young-people-more-than-anyone-in-the-country-always-have/) [Pramila Jayapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/) > [Trump has hated Amazon for a long time, and I think that that came out in many interviews that he's done with 'Vanity Fair'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramila-jayapal/trump-has-hated-amazon-for-a-long-time-and-i-think-that-that-came-out/) [Pramila Jayapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/) > [I am on the side of the working person across the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramila-jayapal/i-am-on-the-side-of-the-working-person-across-the-country/) [Pramila Jayapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/) > [It took me 17 years to become a U.S. citizen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramila-jayapal/it-took-me-17-years-to-become-a-u-s-citizen/) [Pramila Jayapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/) > [When I was a little girl, my dad always said to me that I was going to be this great businesswoman, that I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramila-jayapal/when-i-was-a-little-girl-my-dad-always-said-to-me-that-i-was-going-to/) [Pramila Jayapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/) > [When women are told that sexual harassment is 'part of the job' or when assistants of both sexes enable harassing behavior, they have bought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramila-jayapal/when-women-are-told-that-sexual-harassment-is-part-of-the-job-or-when/) [Pramila Jayapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/) > [I'm not a complainer. I'm a doer. So if I see something is wrong, then I feel like I have to get in there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramila-jayapal/i-m-not-a-complainer-i-m-a-doer-so-if-i-see-something-is-wrong-then-i/) [Pramila Jayapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/) > [As we say we fight for working people, we have to make sure our policies reflect that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramila-jayapal/as-we-say-we-fight-for-working-people-we-have-to-make-sure-our/) [Pramila Jayapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/) > [The vast majority of immigrants - regardless of the conditions of war and poverty that may wrack their home countries - come and contribute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramila-jayapal/the-vast-majority-of-immigrants-regardless-of-the-conditions-of-war/) [Pramila Jayapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/) [Explore all 102 Pramila Jayapal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/) ## More Been quotes > [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/) [Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [Here's the reality. The image of a white Jesus has been used to justify enslavement, conquest, colonialism, the genocide of indigenous peoples. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/here-s-the-reality-the-image-of-a-white-jesus-has-been-used-to/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [I would have done well as a gypsy child, I think. A circus baby. I coulda played a great street urchin or ragamuffin. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-lyonne/i-would-have-done-well-as-a-gypsy-child-i-think-a-circus-baby-i/) [Natasha Lyonne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-lyonne/) > [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/) [Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [Well, I've been politically involved for a really long time. Growing up in the segregated South, it was a very painful experience for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/well-i-ve-been-politically-involved-for-a-really-long-time-growing-up/) [Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [Windmills and solar cells are carbon-free sources of electricity. But they are costly. If you've been investing in those, give it up. That game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-fisher/windmills-and-solar-cells-are-carbon-free-sources-of-electricity-but/) [Kenneth Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-fisher/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [There has always been a feeling with people that they love my singing but not always the choice of material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/there-has-always-been-a-feeling-with-people-that-they-love-my-singing/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [I've always been a believer in research. It's great to have an instinctual human reaction to a character, too, of course, but it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/i-ve-always-been-a-believer-in-research-it-s-great-to-have-an/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) Browse all 13,699 Been quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We are a country that has always been known for providing opportunities to people. 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