--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We must diligently strive to make our…" description: "\"We must diligently strive to make our young men decent, God-fearing, law-abiding, honor-loving, justice-doing and also fearless and strong.\" — Theodore..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e8/theodore-roosevelt-218_abiding_we-must-diligently-strive-to-make-our-yo_1849466.jpg" --- # We must diligently strive to make our young men decent… ![“We must diligently strive to make our young men decent, God-fearing, law-abiding, honor-loving, justice-doing and also fearless and strong.” quote by Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e8/theodore-roosevelt-218_abiding_we-must-diligently-strive-to-make-our-yo_1849466.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e8/theodore-roosevelt-218_abiding_we-must-diligently-strive-to-make-our-yo_1849466.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e8/theodore-roosevelt-218_abiding_we-must-diligently-strive-to-make-our-yo_1849466.jpg) > “We must diligently strive to make our young men decent, God-fearing, law-abiding, honor-loving, justice-doing and also fearless and strong.” [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He urges shaping young men to be moral, law‑abiding, courageous, and strong. **In simple terms:** Raise virtuous, brave youth. Key Takeaway Instill values early. Themes morality courage lawfulness character strength Mood inspirational serious Type educational motivational When to use this quote - parenting - school curricula - community programs - youth mentorship Key Concepts civic virtue character building leadership Questions to Reflect On - How can we teach courage without encouraging recklessness? - What role should families play in moral education? A Different Perspective Balancing fearlessness with humility can be hard. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fearless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fearless/) [Honor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honor/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Young men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-men/) ## Related quotes > [For most people, the question why be good - as distinguished from merely law abiding - is a simple one. Because God commands it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/for-most-people-the-question-why-be-good-as-distinguished-from-merely/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [ You know what the \[Barack\] Obama administration keeps getting wrong is whenever anything bad happens they focus on law-abiding citizens instead of focusing on… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/you-know-what-the-barack-obama-administration-keeps-getting-wrong-is/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [Ethics are not necessarily to do with being law-abiding. I am very interested in the moral path, doing the right thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-atkinson/ethics-are-not-necessarily-to-do-with-being-law-abiding-i-am-very/) [Kate Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-atkinson/) > [“One legislator accused me of having a 19th-century attitude on law and order. That is a totally false charge. I have an 18th-century attitude.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-legislator-accused-me-of-having-a-19th-century-attitude-on-law/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is simply no room for anti-Semitism in a democratic and law-abiding state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksander-kwasniewski/there-is-simply-no-room-for-anti-semitism-in-a-democratic-and-law/) [Aleksander Kwasniewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksander-kwasniewski/) > [“The one thing our nation needs desperately is law-abiding citizens, not just those who abide by human laws but those who abide by divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-pawson/the-one-thing-our-nation-needs-desperately-is-law-abiding-citizens/) [David Pawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-pawson/) > [I am pathetically law-abiding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-moran/i-am-pathetically-law-abiding/) [Caitlin Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-moran/) > [A satyagrahi is nothing if not instinctively law-abiding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/a-satyagrahi-is-nothing-if-not-instinctively-law-abiding/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Law-abiding Americans deserve to know that their government will not secretly tap their phones, read their medical records, access their library accounts or otherwise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-neas/law-abiding-americans-deserve-to-know-that-their-government-will-not/) Ralph Neas > [“Unconditional love is like a country of two with no laws and no government. Which is all fine if everyone is peaceful and law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/unconditional-love-is-like-a-country-of-two-with-no-laws-and-no/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [I say the phone records of law abiding citizens are none of their damn business!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-say-the-phone-records-of-law-abiding-citizens-are-none-of-their/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [I'M FEARFUL because in the back of my mind I know that although I'm a law abiding citizen I could still be looked upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-watson/i-m-fearful-because-in-the-back-of-my-mind-i-know-that-although-i-m-a/) [Benjamin Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-watson/) > [All the research shows that being married, with all its ups and downs, is by far the most effective way of making young men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferdinand-mount/all-the-research-shows-that-being-married-with-all-its-ups-and-downs/) [Ferdinand Mount](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferdinand-mount/) > [Blatant attempts to attack a constitutionally guaranteed right and a law-abiding industry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bishop/blatant-attempts-to-attack-a-constitutionally-guaranteed-right-and-a/) [Rob Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bishop/) > [Armed and law-abiding citizens are a greater deterrent to violent crime than 1,000 laws passed by Congress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perry/armed-and-law-abiding-citizens-are-a-greater-deterrent-to-violent/) [Rick Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perry/) ## More by Theodore Roosevelt > [No people is wholly civilized where a distinction is drawn between stealing an office and stealing a purse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/no-people-is-wholly-civilized-where-a-distinction-is-drawn-between/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [There can be no effective control of corporations while their political activity remains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/there-can-be-no-effective-control-of-corporations-while-their/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Get action. Seize the moment. Man was never intended to become an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/get-action-seize-the-moment-man-was-never-intended-to-become-an-oyster/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Argument weak; speak loudly!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/argument-weak-speak-loudly/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Let the watchwords of all our people be the old familiar watchwords of honesty, decency, fair-dealing, and commonsense."... "We must treat each man on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/let-the-watchwords-of-all-our-people-be-the-old-familiar-watchwords/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [The forces that tend for evil are great and terrible, but the forces of truth and love and courage and honesty and generosity and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/the-forces-that-tend-for-evil-are-great-and-terrible-but-the-forces/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Every reform movement has a lunatic fringe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/every-reform-movement-has-a-lunatic-fringe/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Conservation and rural-life policies are really two sides of the same policy; and down at the bottom this policy rests upon the fundamental law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/conservation-and-rural-life-policies-are-really-two-sides-of-the-same/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [It is a great mistake to think that the extremist is a better man than the moderate. Usually the difference is not that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/it-is-a-great-mistake-to-think-that-the-extremist-is-a-better-man/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [I am a strong individualist by personal habit, inheritance, and conviction; but it is a mere matter of common sense to recognize that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/i-am-a-strong-individualist-by-personal-habit-inheritance-and/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Alone of human beings the good and wise mother stands on a plane of equal honor with the bravest soldier; for she has gladly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/alone-of-human-beings-the-good-and-wise-mother-stands-on-a-plane-of/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [The greatest privilege and greatest duty for any man is to be happily married, and no other form of success or service, for either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/the-greatest-privilege-and-greatest-duty-for-any-man-is-to-be-happily/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [For unflagging interest and enjoyment, a household of children, if things go reasonably well, certainly all other forms of success and achievement lose their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/for-unflagging-interest-and-enjoyment-a-household-of-children-if/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [There can be no effective control of corporations while their political activity remains. To put an end to it will be neither a short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/there-can-be-no-effective-control-of-corporations-while-their-2/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [If elected, I shall see to it that every man has a square deal, no less and no more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/if-elected-i-shall-see-to-it-that-every-man-has-a-square-deal-no-less/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) [Explore all 876 Theodore Roosevelt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) ## More Abiding quotes > [If there is an abiding theme in 'The Pursuit of Happiness,' it is the idea that you come into the world already shaped by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-kennedy/if-there-is-an-abiding-theme-in-the-pursuit-of-happiness-it-is-the/) [Douglas Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-kennedy/) > [Why is it, my shadow-striding friend, that we don't fear dreams? 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I think it's important for us to recognize that we've got a tradition of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-think-we-have-two-conflicting-traditions-in-this-country-i-think-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [A wicked mortal is not the idea of God. He is little else than the expression of error. To suppose that sin, lust, hatred,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-baker-eddy/a-wicked-mortal-is-not-the-idea-of-god-he-is-little-else-than-the/) [Mary Baker Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-baker-eddy/) > [When the penalty for a policeman's mistake is to put a criminal back out on the street, then we are hurting America; we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/when-the-penalty-for-a-policeman-s-mistake-is-to-put-a-criminal-back/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) > [The value of a dollar is to buy just things; a dollar goes on increasing in value with all the genius and all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-value-of-a-dollar-is-to-buy-just-things-a-dollar-goes-on/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The aims of these three groups are entirely irreconcilable. The aim of the High is to remain where they are. The aim of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/the-aims-of-these-three-groups-are-entirely-irreconcilable-the-aim-of/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [After more than two decades of trying to destroy the firearms rights of more than 80 million law-abiding American gun owners - and statistically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-gottlieb/after-more-than-two-decades-of-trying-to-destroy-the-firearms-rights/) Alan Gottlieb > [When you defile the pleasant streams, And the wild bird's abiding place, You massacre a million dreams, And cast your spittle in God's face](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-drinkwater/when-you-defile-the-pleasant-streams-and-the-wild-bird-s-abiding/) [John Drinkwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-drinkwater/) > [How can we hope to retain our freedom through the generations if we fail to teach our young that our liberty springs from an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-falwell/how-can-we-hope-to-retain-our-freedom-through-the-generations-if-we/) [Jonathan Falwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-falwell/) > [Love and friendship, two of life's abiding rewards, are endangered species in Hollywood. People crave both, mistaking alliance for friendship, lust for love, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynda-obst/love-and-friendship-two-of-life-s-abiding-rewards-are-endangered/) [Lynda Obst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynda-obst/) > [In a government like ours, the Crown is the abiding and unshakable element in government; politicians may come and go, but the Crown remains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/in-a-government-like-ours-the-crown-is-the-abiding-and-unshakable/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [I sometimes forget that life is fragile. The fact that I have more time to dream my dreams and take my ease is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luci-swindoll/i-sometimes-forget-that-life-is-fragile-the-fact-that-i-have-more/) [Luci Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luci-swindoll/) Browse all 387 Abiding quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We must diligently strive to make our young men decent, God-fearing, law-abiding, honor-loving, justice-doing and also fearless and strong.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Theodore Roosevelt" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/we-must-diligently-strive-to-make-our-young-men-decent-god-fearing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abiding" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/we-must-diligently-strive-to-make-our-young-men-decent-god-fearing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e8/theodore-roosevelt-218_abiding_we-must-diligently-strive-to-make-our-yo_1849466.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e8/theodore-roosevelt-218_abiding_we-must-diligently-strive-to-make-our-yo_1849466.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e8/theodore-roosevelt-218_abiding_we-must-diligently-strive-to-make-our-yo_1849466.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We must diligently strive to make our young men decent, God-fearing, law-abiding, honor-loving…” — Theodore Roosevelt", "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": "Theodore Roosevelt", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We must diligently strive to make...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/we-must-diligently-strive-to-make-our-young-men-decent-god-fearing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/we-must-diligently-strive-to-make-our-young-men-decent-god-fearing/#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 } } ] } ```