--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We're being told that America is a zero…" description: "\"We're being told that America is a zero sum game - that the dreams of immigrants come at the expense of those native born and that the religious freedo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e90/reshma-saujani-8101_america_we-re-being-told-that-america-is-a-zero_1359509.jpg" --- # We're being told that America is a zero sum game - that… ![“We're being told that America is a zero sum game - that the dreams of immigrants come at the expense of those native born and that the religious freedom of some threatens the security of others. But we know this is a lie.” quote by Reshma Saujani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e90/reshma-saujani-8101_america_we-re-being-told-that-america-is-a-zero_1359509.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e90/reshma-saujani-8101_america_we-re-being-told-that-america-is-a-zero_1359509.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e90/reshma-saujani-8101_america_we-re-being-told-that-america-is-a-zero_1359509.jpg) > “We're being told that America is a zero sum game - that the dreams of immigrants come at the expense of those native born and that the religious freedom of some threatens the security of others. But we know this is a lie.” [Reshma Saujani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reshma-saujani/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. America is not a zero‑sum; immigrants and natives can thrive together, and religious freedom does not threaten security. **In simple terms:** Immigrants and natives can both succeed. Key Takeaway Promote inclusive narratives. Themes immigration freedom security myths Mood hopeful inspirational Type social political When to use this quote - community meetings - policy discussions - media analysis - education programs - public debates Key Concepts social cohesion economic growth civil rights Questions to Reflect On - What evidence disproves the zero‑sum myth? - How can we foster mutual benefit? A Different Perspective Some fear economic competition despite evidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Cybersecurity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cybersecurity/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Dreams Immigrants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams-immigrants-4648543/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Freedom Threatens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-threatens-4648544/) [Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/) [Immigrants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immigrants/) [Immigrants Come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immigrants-come-349122/) [Immigration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immigration/) [Lie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lie/) [Religious freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious-freedom/) [Told America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/told-america-510448/) [Zero sum game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zero-sum-game/) ## Related quotes > [When I was growing up, I don't remember being told that America was created so that everyone could get rich. I remember being told…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/when-i-was-growing-up-i-don-t-remember-being-told-that-america-was/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) > [You remember had this gigantic clock in the arena showing the size of the national debt. And Paul told America, if you elect Republicans,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-hollen/you-remember-had-this-gigantic-clock-in-the-arena-showing-the-size-of/) [Chris Van Hollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-hollen/) > [I received a call from America after finishing 'Suspect', and I told them that I would go to America if things are ready.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gong-yoo/i-received-a-call-from-america-after-finishing-suspect-and-i-told/) [Gong Yoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gong-yoo/) > [The majority of the people in this country love America, do not dislike it, do not distrust it. The majority of people in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-majority-of-the-people-in-this-country-love-america-do-not/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Despite all that good news, there's plenty of horror stories being told. All of them are untrue, but they're being told all over America,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-reid/despite-all-that-good-news-there-s-plenty-of-horror-stories-being/) [Harry Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-reid/) > [Biden told America that if we voted for Ossoff and Warnock, we're going to get $2,000 checks the next day. That is misinformation because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-dore/biden-told-america-that-if-we-voted-for-ossoff-and-warnock-we-re/) [Jimmy Dore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-dore/) > [“He had been told that in America, if you worked hard, anything was possible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-flagg/he-had-been-told-that-in-america-if-you-worked-hard-anything-was/) [Fannie Flagg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-flagg/) > [“But while Sasha told us that in America even the most successful men can have but one wife at once--my father had six--and talked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-eggers/but-while-sasha-told-us-that-in-america-even-the-most-successful-men/) [Dave Eggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-eggers/) > [We are watching people who've been educated in the public school system and in colleges for the last 25 or 30 years become adults.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-are-watching-people-who-ve-been-educated-in-the-public-school/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [The truth is, most undocumented immigrants come here for economic opportunity and the American Dream. They aren't seeking tax credits or handouts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/the-truth-is-most-undocumented-immigrants-come-here-for-economic/) [Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/) > [My parents were born and brought up in New York City. My father was trained as an electrical engineer, and my mother was an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lee/my-parents-were-born-and-brought-up-in-new-york-city-my-father-was/) [David Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lee/) > [ Immigrants are exactly what America needs. They're what we need economically, and I think they're what we need morally... \[They\] revitalize America and get… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/immigrants-are-exactly-what-america-needs-they-re-what-we-need/) [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) > [In my view, immigrants today aren't any different from immigrants who have come to America throughout our nation's history. They bring new ideas, an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-armey/in-my-view-immigrants-today-aren-t-any-different-from-immigrants-who/) [Dick Armey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-armey/) > [We need to remain a nation that doesn't just welcome but that celebrates legal immigrants who come here seeking to pursue the American Dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/we-need-to-remain-a-nation-that-doesn-t-just-welcome-but-that/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [Ed Koch once said that New York City is where immigrants come to audition for America. That's what happened to my parents; that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lin-manuel-miranda/ed-koch-once-said-that-new-york-city-is-where-immigrants-come-to/) [Lin-Manuel Miranda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lin-manuel-miranda/) ## More by Reshma Saujani > [We need policymakers to keep an eye on gender and write policies that are explicitly designed to include underserved populations like girls in computer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reshma-saujani/we-need-policymakers-to-keep-an-eye-on-gender-and-write-policies-that/) [Reshma Saujani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reshma-saujani/) > [I'm a feminist with a capital 'F' and have always had a passion for policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reshma-saujani/i-m-a-feminist-with-a-capital-f-and-have-always-had-a-passion-for/) [Reshma Saujani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reshma-saujani/) > [It's important to find people who believe in you. You also have to find people that you believe in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reshma-saujani/it-s-important-to-find-people-who-believe-in-you-you-also-have-to/) [Reshma Saujani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reshma-saujani/) > [If our American women are going to work to put food on the table and pay for the mortgage, then we better make sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reshma-saujani/if-our-american-women-are-going-to-work-to-put-food-on-the-table-and/) [Reshma Saujani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reshma-saujani/) > [We can't think of any better way of becoming our best selves, than by finding something we're great at!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reshma-saujani/we-can-t-think-of-any-better-way-of-becoming-our-best-selves-than-by/) [Reshma Saujani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reshma-saujani/) > [I had to learn how to not be a micro-manager. Maternity leave made me do that. I just couldn't anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reshma-saujani/i-had-to-learn-how-to-not-be-a-micro-manager-maternity-leave-made-me/) [Reshma Saujani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reshma-saujani/) > [I'm glad I didn't know how much patience entrepreneurship required. It took some time to turn that into a strength of mine, so that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reshma-saujani/i-m-glad-i-didn-t-know-how-much-patience-entrepreneurship-required-it/) [Reshma Saujani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reshma-saujani/) > [I never take for granted how lucky I am to be an American and what a privilege it is to spend each day at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reshma-saujani/i-never-take-for-granted-how-lucky-i-am-to-be-an-american-and-what-a/) [Reshma Saujani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reshma-saujani/) > [In the '80s, society created a caricature of what a hacker or a programmer looked like: a guy wearing a hoodie, drinking energy drinks,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reshma-saujani/in-the-80s-society-created-a-caricature-of-what-a-hacker-or-a/) [Reshma Saujani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reshma-saujani/) > [I always say if you're not failing, you're not trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reshma-saujani/i-always-say-if-you-re-not-failing-you-re-not-trying/) [Reshma Saujani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reshma-saujani/) > [There has been little to no attention from policymakers to the economic inequalities young people face. Instead of job creation policies, our country's youth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reshma-saujani/there-has-been-little-to-no-attention-from-policymakers-to-the/) [Reshma Saujani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reshma-saujani/) > [With my own son, my style of mothering has been to bring him everywhere. He's sitting on my lap during interviews. When I went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reshma-saujani/with-my-own-son-my-style-of-mothering-has-been-to-bring-him/) [Reshma Saujani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reshma-saujani/) > [There's no more powerful lesson than knowing that your setbacks will one day help you succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reshma-saujani/there-s-no-more-powerful-lesson-than-knowing-that-your-setbacks-will/) [Reshma Saujani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reshma-saujani/) > [Embracing failure is the most important trait I've developed in my career. I have tried to learn from my failures, and I believe it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reshma-saujani/embracing-failure-is-the-most-important-trait-i-ve-developed-in-my/) [Reshma Saujani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reshma-saujani/) > [The culture of tech companies cannot change if women aren't in the room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reshma-saujani/the-culture-of-tech-companies-cannot-change-if-women-aren-t-in-the/) [Reshma Saujani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reshma-saujani/) [Explore all 84 Reshma Saujani quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reshma-saujani/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [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/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [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/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“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/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We're being told that America is a zero sum game - that the dreams of immigrants come at the expense of those native born and that the religious freedom of some threatens the security of others. But we know this is a lie.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Reshma Saujani" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reshma-saujani/we-re-being-told-that-america-is-a-zero-sum-game-that-the-dreams-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "America" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reshma-saujani/we-re-being-told-that-america-is-a-zero-sum-game-that-the-dreams-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e90/reshma-saujani-8101_america_we-re-being-told-that-america-is-a-zero_1359509.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e90/reshma-saujani-8101_america_we-re-being-told-that-america-is-a-zero_1359509.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e90/reshma-saujani-8101_america_we-re-being-told-that-america-is-a-zero_1359509.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We're being told that America is a zero sum game - that the dreams of immigrants come at the expense of…” — Reshma Saujani", "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": "Reshma Saujani", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reshma-saujani/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We're being told that America is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reshma-saujani/we-re-being-told-that-america-is-a-zero-sum-game-that-the-dreams-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reshma-saujani/we-re-being-told-that-america-is-a-zero-sum-game-that-the-dreams-of/#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 } } ] } ```