--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The torch of liberty is hot; warms those…" description: "\"The torch of liberty is hot; warms those who hold it high; burns those who try to extinguish it.\" — Ronald Reagan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f39/ronald-reagan-119_freedom_the-torch-of-liberty-is-hot-warms-those_168483.jpg" --- # The torch of liberty is hot; warms those who hold it high… ![“The torch of liberty is hot; warms those who hold it high; burns those who try to extinguish it.” quote by Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f39/ronald-reagan-119_freedom_the-torch-of-liberty-is-hot-warms-those_168483.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f39/ronald-reagan-119_freedom_the-torch-of-liberty-is-hot-warms-those_168483.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f39/ronald-reagan-119_freedom_the-torch-of-liberty-is-hot-warms-those_168483.jpg) > “The torch of liberty is hot; warms those who hold it high; burns those who try to extinguish it.” [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. Freedom is powerful for its supporters but destructive to those who try to suppress it. **In simple terms:** Liberty empowers supporters and harms oppressors. Key Takeaway Protect and uphold liberty. Themes freedom resistance power dynamics Mood defiant inspirational Type political philosophical When to use this quote - activism - legislative debates - social movements Key Concepts political theory civil rights Questions to Reflect On - How does liberty affect different groups? - What responsibilities come with freedom? A Different Perspective The statement may ignore nuanced consequences of liberty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Hot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hot/) [Hot Warms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hot-warms-1828474/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Liberty Hot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty-hot-1828473/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Torch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/torch/) [Torch Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/torch-liberty-1828472/) [Torches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/torches/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) ## Related quotes > [“The American flag doesn't give her glory on a peaceful, calm day. It's when the winds pick up and become boisterous, do we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/the-american-flag-doesn-t-give-her-glory-on-a-peaceful-calm-day-it-s/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) > [When Franklin drew the lightning from the clouds, he little dreamed that in the evolution of science his discovery would illuminate the torch of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chauncey-depew/when-franklin-drew-the-lightning-from-the-clouds-he-little-dreamed/) [Chauncey Depew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chauncey-depew/) > [Call me a flaming radical burning for attention, but my real intention is to spark a discussion of how we can peacefully transform our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-change/call-me-a-flaming-radical-burning-for-attention-but-my-real-intention/) [Kathy Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-change/) > [The team developer realizes that at times the leadership 'torch' must be passed on to others. This empowerment of others serves a dual purpose;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlene-caroselli/the-team-developer-realizes-that-at-times-the-leadership-torch-must/) [Marlene Caroselli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlene-caroselli/) > [A torch lighted in the forests of America set all Europe in conflagration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/a-torch-lighted-in-the-forests-of-america-set-all-europe-in/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [The cuties I desire, I be the first to set it on off, flame on like the Human Torch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/method-man/the-cuties-i-desire-i-be-the-first-to-set-it-on-off-flame-on-like-the/) [Method Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/method-man/) > [The man who finds a truth lights a torch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/the-man-who-finds-a-truth-lights-a-torch/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [It seems all "protection" has to be monitored, considered, weighed and justified - I am suggesting we do that (but it's something Mary Shelley…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-mullen/it-seems-all-protection-has-to-be-monitored-considered-weighed-and/) [Laura Mullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-mullen/) > [Truth is a torch but a tremendous one. That is why we hurry past it, shielding our eyes, indeed, in fear of getting burned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/truth-is-a-torch-but-a-tremendous-one-that-is-why-we-hurry-past-it/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [From generation to generation, lights are extinguished and darkness threatens until some one stoops to bear the torch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-overmire/from-generation-to-generation-lights-are-extinguished-and-darkness/) [Laurence Overmire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-overmire/) > [The boundary between expert and amateur was an imposed social-cultural "protection" which actually exposed a number of women to a fatal disease, because decaying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-mullen/the-boundary-between-expert-and-amateur-was-an-imposed-social/) [Laura Mullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-mullen/) > [I feel like the torch has been passed to me. The question is what am I going to do with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ato-boldon/i-feel-like-the-torch-has-been-passed-to-me-the-question-is-what-am-i/) [Ato Boldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ato-boldon/) > [Man is a torch borne in the wind; a dream But of a shadow, summed with all his substance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-chapman/man-is-a-torch-borne-in-the-wind-a-dream-but-of-a-shadow-summed-with/) [George Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-chapman/) > [Ever hold your hand over a torch (sorry, a flashlight for you Americans).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/ever-hold-your-hand-over-a-torch-sorry-a-flashlight-for-you-americans/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [The constant man loses not his virtue in misfortune. A torch may point towards the ground, but its flame will still point upwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhartrhari/the-constant-man-loses-not-his-virtue-in-misfortune-a-torch-may-point/) [Bhartrhari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhartrhari/) ## 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 Freedom quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [We live in the greatest country in the world because of the veterans who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom and the security…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-husted/we-live-in-the-greatest-country-in-the-world-because-of-the-veterans/) [Jon Husted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-husted/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [“No one was more surprised than I to realize that my newfound freedom had been purchased by giving up on eternity and settling for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-jessop/no-one-was-more-surprised-than-i-to-realize-that-my-newfound-freedom/) [Carolyn Jessop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-jessop/) > [“In a world of fixed future, there can be no right or wrong. Right and wrong demand freedom of choice, but if each action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-a-world-of-fixed-future-there-can-be-no-right-or-wrong-right-and/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“In any case, white people, who had robbed black people of their liberty and who profited by this theft every hour that they lived,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/in-any-case-white-people-who-had-robbed-black-people-of-their-liberty/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“I have to blame myself for not finding any way of reaching him, but I can't feel that either Ruth or I had anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/i-have-to-blame-myself-for-not-finding-any-way-of-reaching-him-but-i/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [“It breaks my heart. Better than your words, your eye tells me all your peril. You are not yet free, you still search for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-breaks-my-heart-better-than-your-words-your-eye-tells-me-all-your/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [I don't want to be famous famous. I'm happy on the second tier, where I have autonomy on a professional level but I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-reece/i-don-t-want-to-be-famous-famous-i-m-happy-on-the-second-tier-where-i/) [Gabrielle Reece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-reece/) [Browse all 30,110 Freedom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The torch of liberty is hot; warms those who hold it high; burns those who try to extinguish it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ronald Reagan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-torch-of-liberty-is-hot-warms-those-who-hold-it-high-burns-those/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Freedom" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-torch-of-liberty-is-hot-warms-those-who-hold-it-high-burns-those/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f39/ronald-reagan-119_freedom_the-torch-of-liberty-is-hot-warms-those_168483.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f39/ronald-reagan-119_freedom_the-torch-of-liberty-is-hot-warms-those_168483.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f39/ronald-reagan-119_freedom_the-torch-of-liberty-is-hot-warms-those_168483.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The torch of liberty is hot; warms those who hold it high; burns those who try to extinguish it.” — 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": "The torch of liberty is hot;...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-torch-of-liberty-is-hot-warms-those-who-hold-it-high-burns-those/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-torch-of-liberty-is-hot-warms-those-who-hold-it-high-burns-those/#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 } } ] } ```