---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My fellow Americans, I must speak to you…"
description: "\"My fellow Americans, I must speak to you tonight about a mounting danger in Central America that threatens the security of the United States. This dang..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/ronald-reagan-119_action_my-fellow-americans-i-must-speak-to-you_436480.jpg"
---

#  My fellow Americans, I must speak to you tonight about a…

![“My fellow Americans, I must speak to you tonight about a mounting danger in Central America that threatens the security of the United States. This danger will not go away it will grow worse, much worse, if we fail to take action now.” quote by Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/ronald-reagan-119_action_my-fellow-americans-i-must-speak-to-you_436480.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/ronald-reagan-119_action_my-fellow-americans-i-must-speak-to-you_436480.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/ronald-reagan-119_action_my-fellow-americans-i-must-speak-to-you_436480.jpg)

> “My fellow Americans, I must speak to you tonight about a mounting danger in Central America that threatens the security of the United States. This danger will not go away it will grow worse, much worse, if we fail to take action now.”

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He warns that a growing danger in Central America will worsen U.S. security unless immediate action is taken.

**In simple terms:** Urgent warning about escalating threat.

Key Takeaway

Act now to prevent worsening danger.

Themes

politics security foreign policy urgency action

Mood

serious urgent

Type

political informative

When to use this quote

- government briefings
- policy debates
- public awareness campaigns

Key Concepts

geopolitics risk assessment policy making

Questions to Reflect On

- What concrete steps can be taken now?
- How can we balance urgency with measured response?

A Different Perspective

Overemphasis on threat can cause panic or misallocation of resources.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Central america](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/central-america/) [Danger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danger/) [Going away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-away/) [Security](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/security/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/)

## Related quotes

> [People are afraid of things they don't understand. They don't know how to relate. It threatens their security, their existence, their career, image.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-laswell/people-are-afraid-of-things-they-don-t-understand-they-don-t-know-how/)

[Bill Laswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-laswell/)

> [The people of Central America - and, in a broader sense, the entire developing world - need to know first-hand that freedom and opportunity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-people-of-central-america-and-in-a-broader-sense-the-entire/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [If we don't want to see the map of Central America covered in a sea of red, eventually lapping at our own borders, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/if-we-don-t-want-to-see-the-map-of-central-america-covered-in-a-sea/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [The populations of Central America are very, very small indeed, so that while no one was denying and this was one of the great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-negroponte/the-populations-of-central-america-are-very-very-small-indeed-so-that/)

[John Negroponte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-negroponte/)

> [I think if you're going to do a movie about Reagan, you do it about the fact that he created the huge deficit, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/i-think-if-you-re-going-to-do-a-movie-about-reagan-you-do-it-about/)

[Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/)

> [Adventure-travel is any activity used as a conduit to observe, share, enjoy, suffer, encounter, or experience that which is outside the boundaries of one's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-wayne-white/adventure-travel-is-any-activity-used-as-a-conduit-to-observe-share/)

[Randy Wayne White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-wayne-white/)

> [“All told, U.S. allies in Central America during Reagan's two terms killed over 300,000 people, tortured hundreds of thousands, and drove millions into exile.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-grandin/all-told-u-s-allies-in-central-america-during-reagan-s-two-terms/)

[Greg Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-grandin/)

> [If there is no peace in Central America, it will not be because Costa Rica, and myself as president, have not done what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scar-arias/if-there-is-no-peace-in-central-america-it-will-not-be-because-costa/)

[Óscar Arias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scar-arias/)

> [Free trade will go a long way toward alleviating poverty in Central America. Yet trade alone is not enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scar-arias/free-trade-will-go-a-long-way-toward-alleviating-poverty-in-central/)

[Óscar Arias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scar-arias/)

> [The need for physical border security is a very real one. But equally important is the need to focus on the source of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-crenshaw/the-need-for-physical-border-security-is-a-very-real-one-but-equally/)

[Dan Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-crenshaw/)

> [Costa Rica, with its tourist-based economy and lack of a national army, has focused on keeping safe its beaches, parks and other public draws.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-chinchilla/costa-rica-with-its-tourist-based-economy-and-lack-of-a-national-army/)

[Laura Chinchilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-chinchilla/)

> [When Marxist dictators shoot their way into power in Central America, the Democrats don't blame the guerrillas and their Soviet allies, they blame United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeane-kirkpatrick/when-marxist-dictators-shoot-their-way-into-power-in-central-america/)

[Jeane Kirkpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeane-kirkpatrick/)

> [Nicaragua was destabilizing Central America, meaning moving in a direction the US didn't like. So Nicaragua was crushed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/nicaragua-was-destabilizing-central-america-meaning-moving-in-a/)

[Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/)

> [Mexico is sex and Canada is mind. There is much about Canada that I find admirable - the treatment of immigrants, for example, particularly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/mexico-is-sex-and-canada-is-mind-there-is-much-about-canada-that-i/)

[Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/)

> [It appears fashionable these days, and almost politically correct, to blame hard-working immigrants, especially those from Mexico and Central America, for the social and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-mahony/it-appears-fashionable-these-days-and-almost-politically-correct-to/)

[Roger Mahony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-mahony/)

## More by Ronald Reagan

> [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/)

> [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [You know, by the time you reach my age, you've made plenty of mistakes if you've lived your life properly. So you learn. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/you-know-by-the-time-you-reach-my-age-you-ve-made-plenty-of-mistakes/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [Yes, across Europe, this wall will fall. For it cannot withstand faith; it cannot withstand truth. The wall cannot withstand freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/yes-across-europe-this-wall-will-fall-for-it-cannot-withstand-faith/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [Simple fairness dictates that government must not raise taxes on families struggling to pay their bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/simple-fairness-dictates-that-government-must-not-raise-taxes-on/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [The time has come to turn to God and reassert our trust in Him for the healing of America - our country is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-time-has-come-to-turn-to-god-and-reassert-our-trust-in-him-for/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [Professional politicians like to talk about the value of experience in government. Nuts! The only experience you gain in politics is how to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/professional-politicians-like-to-talk-about-the-value-of-experience/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [The WPA was one of the most productive elements of FDR's alphabet soup of agencies because it put people to work building roads, bridges,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-wpa-was-one-of-the-most-productive-elements-of-fdr-s-alphabet/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [Where there's liberty, art succeeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/where-there-s-liberty-art-succeeds/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [Since I came to the White House, I got two hearing aids, a colon operation, skin cancer, a prostate operation, and I was shot.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/since-i-came-to-the-white-house-i-got-two-hearing-aids-a-colon/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [A moment I've been dreading. George brought his ne're-do-well son around this morning and asked me to find the kid a job. Not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/a-moment-i-ve-been-dreading-george-brought-his-ne-re-do-well-son/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [On Father's Day, we pay tribute to all in our society who have taken on the responsibilitie s and joys of fatherhood. Whether our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/on-father-s-day-we-pay-tribute-to-all-in-our-society-who-have-taken/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [There is no limit to the amount of good you can do if you don't care who gets the credit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/there-is-no-limit-to-the-amount-of-good-you-can-do-if-you-don-t-care/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [It's not that liberals aren't smart, it's just that so much of what they know isn't so](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/it-s-not-that-liberals-aren-t-smart-it-s-just-that-so-much-of-what/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [Love your country, not for her power or wealth, but for her selflessness and her idealism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/love-your-country-not-for-her-power-or-wealth-but-for-her/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

[Explore all 1,244 Ronald Reagan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

## More Action quotes

> [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/)

[Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/)

> [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/)

[Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/)

> [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/)

[Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/)

> [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/)

[William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/)

> [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/)

[Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/)

> [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/)

[Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/)

> [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/)

[Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/)

> [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/)

[Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/)

> [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

> [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/)

[Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/)

> [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/)

[Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/)

> [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/)

[Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/)

> [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/)

[Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/)

[Browse all 14,940 Action quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "My fellow Americans, I must speak to you tonight about a mounting danger in Central America that threatens the security of the United States. This danger will not go away it will grow worse, much worse, if we fail to take action now.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Ronald Reagan"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/my-fellow-americans-i-must-speak-to-you-tonight-about-a-mounting/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Action"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/my-fellow-americans-i-must-speak-to-you-tonight-about-a-mounting/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/ronald-reagan-119_action_my-fellow-americans-i-must-speak-to-you_436480.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/ronald-reagan-119_action_my-fellow-americans-i-must-speak-to-you_436480.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/ronald-reagan-119_action_my-fellow-americans-i-must-speak-to-you_436480.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“My fellow Americans, I must speak to you tonight about a mounting danger in Central America that threatens…” — Ronald Reagan",
                "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": "Ronald Reagan",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "My fellow Americans, I must speak...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/my-fellow-americans-i-must-speak-to-you-tonight-about-a-mounting/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/my-fellow-americans-i-must-speak-to-you-tonight-about-a-mounting/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
