--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The United States was built on the idea…" description: "\"The United States was built on the idea that we could create a free country that would serve as a haven for those fleeing persecution.\" — Ted Lieu" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23d/ted-lieu-4499_country_the-united-states-was-built-on-the-idea_3209487.jpg" --- # The United States was built on the idea that we could… ![“The United States was built on the idea that we could create a free country that would serve as a haven for those fleeing persecution.” quote by Ted Lieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23d/ted-lieu-4499_country_the-united-states-was-built-on-the-idea_3209487.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23d/ted-lieu-4499_country_the-united-states-was-built-on-the-idea_3209487.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23d/ted-lieu-4499_country_the-united-states-was-built-on-the-idea_3209487.jpg) > “The United States was built on the idea that we could create a free country that would serve as a haven for those fleeing persecution.” [Ted Lieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-lieu/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The U.S. was founded on offering liberty and refuge to the oppressed. **In simple terms:** America promises freedom and shelter. Key Takeaway Protect and expand sanctuary for the persecuted. Themes freedom refuge founding ideals Mood hopeful determined Type political inspirational When to use this quote - immigration policy - asylum seekers - civil rights activism Key Concepts political philosophy human rights Questions to Reflect On - How can we reconcile national security with humanitarian refuge? - What policies best protect those fleeing persecution? A Different Perspective Balancing security concerns with open borders is challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Country Serve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country-serve-5990838/) [Create](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/create/) [Fleeing Persecution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fleeing-persecution-4146687/) [Free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free/) [Free country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-country/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea/) [Persecution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persecution/) [States Built](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states-built-2664662/) ## Related quotes > [Fleeing persecution is not a crime. And we do not seek to pander to a noisy, tiny minority who will never embrace modern multicultural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-shorten/fleeing-persecution-is-not-a-crime-and-we-do-not-seek-to-pander-to-a/) [Bill Shorten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-shorten/) > [Out of the best and most productive years of each man's life, he should carve a segment in which he puts his private career…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lilienthal/out-of-the-best-and-most-productive-years-of-each-man-s-life-he/) [David Lilienthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lilienthal/) > [ The heyday perhaps of American public infrastructure is the Sputnik moment of the 1950s, the \[Dwaight\] Eisenhower administration, for instance, which rolls out the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-woodruff/the-heyday-perhaps-of-american-public-infrastructure-is-the-sputnik/) [Judy Woodruff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-woodruff/) > [“States are built not on the ideals but on the nature of men.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/states-are-built-not-on-the-ideals-but-on-the-nature-of-men/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) > [... the United States was not built by those who waited and rested and wished to look behind them. 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Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-w-hunter/) > [“Socrates: Have you noticed on our journey how often the citizens of this new land remind each other it is a free country? Plato:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/socrates-have-you-noticed-on-our-journey-how-often-the-citizens-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Everybody else got off the train at Hell, but I figured, it’s a free country.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everybody-else-got-off-the-train-at-hell-but-i-figured-it-s-a-free/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For your information, I'm staying like this, and everyone else can just get used to it! 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