--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If there's one American belief I hold…" description: "\"If there's one American belief I hold above all others, it's that those who would set themselves up in judgment on matters of what is \"right\" and what ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87e/stephen-king-13_behavior_if-there-s-one-american-belief-i-hold-ab_1113793.jpg" --- # If there's one American belief I hold above all others… ![“If there's one American belief I hold above all others, it's that those who would set themselves up in judgment on matters of what is "right" and what is "best" should be given no rest; that they should have to defend their behavior most stringently. ... As a nation, we've been through too many…” quote by Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87e/stephen-king-13_behavior_if-there-s-one-american-belief-i-hold-ab_1113793.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87e/stephen-king-13_behavior_if-there-s-one-american-belief-i-hold-ab_1113793.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87e/stephen-king-13_behavior_if-there-s-one-american-belief-i-hold-ab_1113793.jpg) > “If there's one American belief I hold above all others, it's that those who would set themselves up in judgment on matters of what is "right" and what is "best" should be given no rest; that they should have to defend their behavior most stringently. ... As a nation, we've been through too many fights to preserve our rights of free thought to let them go just because some prude with a highlighter doesn't approve of them” [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author argues that those who judge others' morality should not be exempt from scrutiny and must defend their own actions rigorously. **In simple terms:** Judgmental people must also be held accountable. Key Takeaway Question the moral authority of self‑appointed judges. Themes ethics free speech judgment Mood critical reflective Type philosophical social When to use this quote - debate forums - media analysis - education - policy discussion - personal reflection Key Concepts moral relativism accountability public discourse Questions to Reflect On - Who decides what is “right” in society? - How can we balance free thought with respectful discourse? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on judgment can stifle dialogue. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Free thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-thought/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Judgment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judgment/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Prudes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prudes/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) ## Related quotes > [“If there's one American belief I hold above all others, it's that those who would set themselves up in judgment on matters of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/if-there-s-one-american-belief-i-hold-above-all-others-it-s-that-2/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [If you defend a behavior by arguing that people are programmed directly for it, then how do you continue to defend it if your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/if-you-defend-a-behavior-by-arguing-that-people-are-programmed/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [When people feel criticized, they almost always defend the behavior you want them to change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/when-people-feel-criticized-they-almost-always-defend-the-behavior/) [Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) > [Fear is giving away your energy and power to a thought or belief you hold to be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/fear-is-giving-away-your-energy-and-power-to-a-thought-or-belief-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Every belief that you hold manifests itself in some manner by either causing you to take some form of action or by preventing you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-prentiss/every-belief-that-you-hold-manifests-itself-in-some-manner-by-either/) [Chris Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-prentiss/) > [No one contends that the other Amendments that preserve rights of 'the people' -the First, Fourth, Ninth and Tenth-do not preserve individuals' rights. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-babbin/no-one-contends-that-the-other-amendments-that-preserve-rights-of-the/) Jed Babbin > [For most cosmologists, a supernatural God is an unnecessary hypothesis. For most Americans, He is an unassailable fact. The American belief machine apparently has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-sloan/for-most-cosmologists-a-supernatural-god-is-an-unnecessary-hypothesis/) [Gary Sloan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-sloan/) > [Here is my advice as we begin the century that will lead to 2081. First, guard the freedom of ideas at all costs. Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-k-o-neill/here-is-my-advice-as-we-begin-the-century-that-will-lead-to-2081/) [Gerard K. 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