--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We must remember not to judge any public…" description: "\"We must remember not to judge any public servant by any one act, and especially should we beware of attacking the men who are merely the occasions and ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/189/theodore-roosevelt-218_attacking_we-must-remember-not-to-judge-any-public_1153183.jpg" --- # We must remember not to judge any public servant by any… ![“We must remember not to judge any public servant by any one act, and especially should we beware of attacking the men who are merely the occasions and not the cause of disaster.” quote by Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/189/theodore-roosevelt-218_attacking_we-must-remember-not-to-judge-any-public_1153183.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/189/theodore-roosevelt-218_attacking_we-must-remember-not-to-judge-any-public_1153183.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/189/theodore-roosevelt-218_attacking_we-must-remember-not-to-judge-any-public_1153183.jpg) > “We must remember not to judge any public servant by any one act, and especially should we beware of attacking the men who are merely the occasions and not the cause of disaster.” [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. Judge public servants by overall record, not isolated actions; recognize systemic causes over individual blame. **In simple terms:** Assess officials by whole performance, not single deeds. Key Takeaway Focus on systemic issues, not just individuals. Themes leadership accountability justice Mood thoughtful critical Type ethical political When to use this quote - government oversight - public policy - media criticism - citizen activism Key Concepts political theory systems thinking Questions to Reflect On - How can we differentiate personal fault from systemic failure? - What mechanisms ensure fair evaluation of public servants? A Different Perspective Individual actions may be constrained by larger forces, limiting personal blame. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Disaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disaster/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Occasions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/occasions/) [Public servants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-servants/) [Servant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/servant/) ## Related quotes > [We must especially beware of that small group of selfish men who would clip the wings of the American Eagle in order to feather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/we-must-especially-beware-of-that-small-group-of-selfish-men-who/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/to-announce-that-there-must-be-no-criticism-of-the-president-or-that-2/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [“We must hold to a rigid accountability those public servants who show unfaithfulness to the interests of the nation or inability to rise to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/we-must-hold-to-a-rigid-accountability-those-public-servants-who-show/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Men are merely on a lower or higher stage of an eminence, whose summit is God's throne infinitely above all; and there is just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/men-are-merely-on-a-lower-or-higher-stage-of-an-eminence-whose-summit/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [Money doesn't change men, it merely unmasks them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/money-doesn-t-change-men-it-merely-unmasks-them/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [War doesn't mature men; it merely pickles them in the brine of disgust and dread.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rex-stout/war-doesn-t-mature-men-it-merely-pickles-them-in-the-brine-of-disgust/) [Rex Stout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rex-stout/) > [“When given freedom of speech, most men merely quote other men.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/when-given-freedom-of-speech-most-men-merely-quote-other-men/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“Why have such scores of lovely, gifted girls Married impossible men? Simple self-sacrifice may be ruled out, And missionary endeavour, nine times out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-graves/why-have-such-scores-of-lovely-gifted-girls-married-impossible-men-2/) [Robert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-graves/) > [We don't want to be the same as men, merely equal as human beings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heckler/we-don-t-want-to-be-the-same-as-men-merely-equal-as-human-beings/) Margaret Heckler > [The greater number of men are merely corporals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-greater-number-of-men-are-merely-corporals/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [If men do not keep on speaking terms with children, they cease to be men, and become merely machines for eating and for earning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/if-men-do-not-keep-on-speaking-terms-with-children-they-cease-to-be/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [But I do say that educated and scholarly men, if they’re brilliant and creative to begin with—which, unfortunately, is rarely the case—tend to leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-i-do-say-that-educated-and-scholarly-men-if-they-re-brilliant-and-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The superiority of some men is merely local. They are great because their associates are little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-superiority-of-some-men-is-merely-local-they-are-great-because/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“I'm not trying to tell you," he said "that only educated men are able to contribute something valuable to the world. It's not so.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-m-not-trying-to-tell-you-he-said-that-only-educated-men-are-able-to/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [Men are not against you; they are merely for themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-fowler/men-are-not-against-you-they-are-merely-for-themselves/) [Gene Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-fowler/) ## 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 Attacking quotes > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/attack-the-evil-that-is-within-yourself-rather-than-attacking-the/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Wine is the first weapon that devils use in attacking the young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-jerome/wine-is-the-first-weapon-that-devils-use-in-attacking-the-young/) [St. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-jerome/) > [Let a man who has to make his fortune in life remember this maxim: Attacking is the only secret. Dare and the world yields,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/let-a-man-who-has-to-make-his-fortune-in-life-remember-this-maxim/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [I've gotten better at calling out coverages, communication, and being vertical when they're attacking me in the paint.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivica-zubac/i-ve-gotten-better-at-calling-out-coverages-communication-and-being/) [Ivica Zubac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivica-zubac/) > [Before I signed for Liverpool, I was playing for Newcastle as a No. 10 - basically, I was always attacking. I didn't have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georginio-wijnaldum/before-i-signed-for-liverpool-i-was-playing-for-newcastle-as-a-no-10/) [Georginio Wijnaldum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georginio-wijnaldum/) > [It's a big part of my game, attacking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-walker/it-s-a-big-part-of-my-game-attacking/) [Kyle Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-walker/) > [When I was elected governor of my state, I had a legislature 87 percent Democrat. It was not lost on me that to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/when-i-was-elected-governor-of-my-state-i-had-a-legislature-87/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [Positive thinking is so firmly enshrined in our culture that knocking it is a little like attacking motherhood or apple pie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/srikumar-rao/positive-thinking-is-so-firmly-enshrined-in-our-culture-that-knocking/) [Srikumar Rao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/srikumar-rao/) > [This is really good,” Donovan Caine said, attacking his third strawberry pancake. “You sound surprised,” I said. He shrugged. “I just didn’t think an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-estep/this-is-really-good-donovan-caine-said-attacking-his-third-strawberry/) [Jennifer Estep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-estep/) > [Dravid Could play attacking cricket like me but i could never play like him](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gayle/dravid-could-play-attacking-cricket-like-me-but-i-could-never-play/) [Chris Gayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gayle/) > [Islamic fundamentalism is attacking us at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marine-le-pen/islamic-fundamentalism-is-attacking-us-at-home/) [Marine Le Pen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marine-le-pen/) > [“California cat that chased off attacking”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/california-cat-that-chased-off-attacking/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When I listen to candidates spend all their time attacking Barack Obama, I'm glad they're not driving this bus because they'd be looking through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/when-i-listen-to-candidates-spend-all-their-time-attacking-barack/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [For many years the stakes were clear. There were the Arabs attacking us and us defending ourselves, so basically there were no real problems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/for-many-years-the-stakes-were-clear-there-were-the-arabs-attacking/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) Browse all 580 Attacking quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We must remember not to judge any public servant by any one act, and especially should we beware of attacking the men who are merely the occasions and not the cause of disaster.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Theodore Roosevelt" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/we-must-remember-not-to-judge-any-public-servant-by-any-one-act-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Attacking" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/we-must-remember-not-to-judge-any-public-servant-by-any-one-act-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/189/theodore-roosevelt-218_attacking_we-must-remember-not-to-judge-any-public_1153183.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/189/theodore-roosevelt-218_attacking_we-must-remember-not-to-judge-any-public_1153183.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/189/theodore-roosevelt-218_attacking_we-must-remember-not-to-judge-any-public_1153183.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We must remember not to judge any public servant by any one act, and especially should we beware of…” — 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 remember not to judge...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/we-must-remember-not-to-judge-any-public-servant-by-any-one-act-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/we-must-remember-not-to-judge-any-public-servant-by-any-one-act-and/#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 } } ] } ```