--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We can not play innocents abroad in a…" description: "\"We can not play innocents abroad in a world that is not innocent.\" — Ronald Reagan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff6/ronald-reagan-119_innocent_we-can-not-play-innocents-abroad-in-a-wo_2028759.jpg" --- # We can not play innocents abroad in a world that is not… ![“We can not play innocents abroad in a world that is not innocent.” quote by Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff6/ronald-reagan-119_innocent_we-can-not-play-innocents-abroad-in-a-wo_2028759.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff6/ronald-reagan-119_innocent_we-can-not-play-innocents-abroad-in-a-wo_2028759.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff6/ronald-reagan-119_innocent_we-can-not-play-innocents-abroad-in-a-wo_2028759.jpg) > “We can not play innocents abroad in a world that is not innocent.” [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. One cannot claim innocence while intervening abroad; moral consistency is required. **In simple terms:** You can’t act innocent while causing harm elsewhere. Key Takeaway Align actions with moral principles. Themes politics ethics foreign policy Mood critical concerned Type political philosophical When to use this quote - military interventions - diplomacy - human rights advocacy - null Key Concepts hypocrisy responsibility integrity Questions to Reflect On - How do you evaluate ethical foreign actions? - What standards guide your judgments? A Different Perspective Complex geopolitics often blur moral lines. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Innocents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innocents/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I don't get called very often to play innocents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-meloni/i-don-t-get-called-very-often-to-play-innocents/) [Christopher Meloni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-meloni/) > [How are we justly to determine in a world where there are no innocent ones to judge the guilty?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-felicite-comtesse-de-genlis/how-are-we-justly-to-determine-in-a-world-where-there-are-no-innocent/) [Stephanie Felicite, comtesse de Genlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-felicite-comtesse-de-genlis/) > [I was once so Innocent once so young once so stupid once so gullible once so care free It Truly Only Take's Once !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/destinysmith/i-was-once-so-innocent-once-so-young-once-so-stupid-once-so-gullible/) Destinysmith > [“Never had we ever kissed as lovers; if we touched lips it was as brother and sister. In one moment of emotion, our lips…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/never-had-we-ever-kissed-as-lovers-if-we-touched-lips-it-was-as/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) > [“How could a good God create a world full of innocent suffering?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-neiman/how-could-a-good-god-create-a-world-full-of-innocent-suffering/) [Susan Neiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-neiman/) > [When the Jews were burning, responded the world .. But when innocent Muslims are gassed and murdered, the world looks just on without taking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mattias-konradsson/when-the-jews-were-burning-responded-the-world-but-when-innocent/) [Mattias Konradsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mattias-konradsson/) > [To be consistent in achieving inner peace, we must perceive a world where everyone is innocent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-jampolsky/to-be-consistent-in-achieving-inner-peace-we-must-perceive-a-world/) [Gerald Jampolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-jampolsky/) > [“There comes a time when one has seen such suffering one begins to understand, in this world, even the innocent may be forced to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-skye-davies/there-comes-a-time-when-one-has-seen-such-suffering-one-begins-to/) Jessica Skye Davies > [“It is only the innocent mind which knows what love is, and the innocent mind can live in the world which is not innocent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/it-is-only-the-innocent-mind-which-knows-what-love-is-and-the/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [“I look at the world and through these innocent eyes, all I see is hatred and anger. Corrupting everything, ruining everything, but not preserving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kitauna-roberts/i-look-at-the-world-and-through-these-innocent-eyes-all-i-see-is/) Kitauna Roberts > [There are no innocents in Gaza, don't let any diplomats who want to look good in the world endanger your lives - mow them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ben-ari/there-are-no-innocents-in-gaza-don-t-let-any-diplomats-who-want-to/) Michael Ben-Ari > [“From the mouths of the innocents flows truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-carson/from-the-mouths-of-the-innocents-flows-truth/) [Rae Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-carson/) > [No cause, no God, no abstract idea can justify the mass slaughter of innocents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-said/no-cause-no-god-no-abstract-idea-can-justify-the-mass-slaughter-of/) [Edward Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-said/) > [“It's how the English run their courts. They sacrifice innocents, thinking to keep evil at bay, and call it a kind of justice. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-kent/it-s-how-the-english-run-their-courts-they-sacrifice-innocents/) [Kathleen Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-kent/) > [A guilty system recognizes no innocents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-banks/a-guilty-system-recognizes-no-innocents/) [Iain Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-banks/) ## 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 Innocent quotes > [A garden has a curious innocent way of consuming cash while all the time you are under the illusion that you are spending nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-meynell/a-garden-has-a-curious-innocent-way-of-consuming-cash-while-all-the/) [Esther Meynell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-meynell/) > [We are innocent. We are not criminals or terrorists. We are revolutionary guerillas and have been captured in the course of building a resistance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rosenberg/we-are-innocent-we-are-not-criminals-or-terrorists-we-are/) [Susan Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rosenberg/) > [My political views have never made me insensitive to the pain and suffering caused to the innocent victims of events such as the Warrington…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-fox/my-political-views-have-never-made-me-insensitive-to-the-pain-and/) [Claire Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-fox/) > [Antidepressants are the biggest fraud in the world. Number one, Prozac gives you a royal soft-on like you wouldn't believe, and number two you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-evans/antidepressants-are-the-biggest-fraud-in-the-world-number-one-prozac/) [Robert Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-evans/) > [I have clearly said we faced terrorist enemies who use Islam to justify slaughtering innocent people and we have to stop them and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-have-clearly-said-we-faced-terrorist-enemies-who-use-islam-to/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Make no mistake: conversion therapy is not about 'praying away the gay.' It's an emotional torture against our most innocent citizens: our children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-newsom/make-no-mistake-conversion-therapy-is-not-about-praying-away-the-gay/) [Gavin Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-newsom/) > [I don't like small birds. They hop around so merrily outside my window, looking so innocent. but I know that secretly, they're watching my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-like-small-birds-they-hop-around-so-merrily-outside-my-window/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You're lying through your fangs," Iggy accused. Fang tried to play innocent--but "innocent Fang" is an oxymoron, so it didn't work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/you-re-lying-through-your-fangs-iggy-accused-fang-tried-to-play/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [Adorable innocent face :3](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/massie-moxley/adorable-innocent-face-3/) [Massie Moxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/massie-moxley/) > [I may look innocent. .but I surely can put you in lot of trouble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vedica/i-may-look-innocent-but-i-surely-can-put-you-in-lot-of-trouble/) [Vedica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vedica/) > [If you're going to exude naivete, you can't really... walk out there like it's a Sting show. You can't be that well put together…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-black/if-you-re-going-to-exude-naivete-you-can-t-really-walk-out-there-like/) [Frank Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-black/) > [I was born in Tyrone, 1956, for something I didn't do. I was innocent. But they gave me life. I still remember the midwife…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mcaleer/i-was-born-in-tyrone-1956-for-something-i-didn-t-do-i-was-innocent/) Kevin McAleer > [To be innocent is to bear the weight of the entire universe. It is to throw away the counterweight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/to-be-innocent-is-to-bear-the-weight-of-the-entire-universe-it-is-to/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [We face a brutal enemy who will kill the innocent for one purpose and that is to gain control of the Middle East and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-rove/we-face-a-brutal-enemy-who-will-kill-the-innocent-for-one-purpose-and/) [Karl Rove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-rove/) > [The sexual abuse and exploitation of children is one of the most vicious crimes conceivable, a violation of mankind's most basic duty to protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-walsh/the-sexual-abuse-and-exploitation-of-children-is-one-of-the-most/) [James T. Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-t-walsh/) Browse all 2,008 Innocent quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We can not play innocents abroad in a world that is not innocent.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ronald Reagan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/we-can-not-play-innocents-abroad-in-a-world-that-is-not-innocent/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Innocent" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/we-can-not-play-innocents-abroad-in-a-world-that-is-not-innocent/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff6/ronald-reagan-119_innocent_we-can-not-play-innocents-abroad-in-a-wo_2028759.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff6/ronald-reagan-119_innocent_we-can-not-play-innocents-abroad-in-a-wo_2028759.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff6/ronald-reagan-119_innocent_we-can-not-play-innocents-abroad-in-a-wo_2028759.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We can not play innocents abroad in a world that is not innocent.” — 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": "We can not play innocents abroad...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/we-can-not-play-innocents-abroad-in-a-world-that-is-not-innocent/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/we-can-not-play-innocents-abroad-in-a-world-that-is-not-innocent/#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 } } ] } ```