--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The fact that you are here tonight…" description: "\"The fact that you are here tonight gathered together with us testifies to the fact you understand the need for this organization and the need for redou..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ef/walter-cronkite-1759_constitution_the-fact-that-you-are-here-tonight-gathe_2257064.png" --- # The fact that you are here tonight gathered together with… ![“The fact that you are here tonight gathered together with us testifies to the fact you understand the need for this organization and the need for redoubling our efforts in this organization to try to assure that democracy as represented by the United States must depend upon a total freedom of…” quote by Walter Cronkite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ef/walter-cronkite-1759_constitution_the-fact-that-you-are-here-tonight-gathe_2257064.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ef/walter-cronkite-1759_constitution_the-fact-that-you-are-here-tonight-gathe_2257064.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ef/walter-cronkite-1759_constitution_the-fact-that-you-are-here-tonight-gathe_2257064.png) > “The fact that you are here tonight gathered together with us testifies to the fact you understand the need for this organization and the need for redoubling our efforts in this organization to try to assure that democracy as represented by the United States must depend upon a total freedom of religion, which is written into our Constitution, of course, and the mere suggestion that anyone could maintain that one's patriotism, one's devotion to one's country can be judged by one's religion is so vile, so vile that we have to take to the streets indeed and to put it aside.” [Walter Cronkite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cronkite/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker argues that true democracy requires absolute religious freedom, and that judging patriotism by religion is abhorrent, demanding public action. **In simple terms:** Democracy needs religious freedom; judging patriotism by religion is wrong. Key Takeaway Defend religious liberty. Themes democracy religion patriotism civil rights freedom of speech Mood determined urgent defiant Type political activist When to use this quote - public rallies - legislative debates - community organizing Key Concepts Constitutional law civil liberties political activism Questions to Reflect On - How can societies balance religious liberty with security? - What actions best protect constitutional rights? A Different Perspective Religious freedom can clash with national security concerns. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Assure Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assure-democracy-5178834/) [Constitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Courses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courses/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democracy Represented](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-represented-5178832/) [Depends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depends/) [Devotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devotion/) [Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Freedom of religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-of-religion/) [Gathered Testifies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gathered-testifies-5178833/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Interfaith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interfaith/) [Judged](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judged/) [Mere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mere/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Organization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organization/) [Patriotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotism/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religion Vile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion-vile-5178835/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Streets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/streets/) [Suggestions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suggestions/) [Together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/together/) [Tonight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tonight/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [United](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) [Written](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/written/) ## Related quotes > [“Ever since the Enlightenment era in the 17th and 18th Centuries—which, among other things, gave birth to the U.S. Constitution and the de facto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gudjon-bergmann/ever-since-the-enlightenment-era-in-the-17th-and-18th-centuries-which/) [Gudjon Bergmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gudjon-bergmann/) > [It seems to rise again when the crisis times come, and this is a time of most severe crisis, as we all know, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cronkite/it-seems-to-rise-again-when-the-crisis-times-come-and-this-is-a-time/) [Walter Cronkite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cronkite/) > [Never before probably has the need for interfaith commitment been nearly as great as it is at this very moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cronkite/never-before-probably-has-the-need-for-interfaith-commitment-been/) [Walter Cronkite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cronkite/) > [If enough people are sensitive to the tragedy of Tibet, I think it will produce a change politically as well. 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For the sake of world peace, dialogue within religions and among…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-galtung/every-religion-contains-in-varying-degrees-elements-of-the-soft-and/) [Johan Galtung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-galtung/) > [As forces of hate in this country and worldwide try to pull Muslims and Christians apart, we are in desperate need of a unifying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibrahim-hooper/as-forces-of-hate-in-this-country-and-worldwide-try-to-pull-muslims/) [Ibrahim Hooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibrahim-hooper/) > [“Naskar is not linear, Naskar is not binary, remember that, before you start analyzing Naskar with your two little backwater, linear, binary brain cells.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/naskar-is-not-linear-naskar-is-not-binary-remember-that-before-you/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“This notion of shared experience is important. A hiker, for example, has much more in common with other hikers who have walked paths foreign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gudjon-bergmann/this-notion-of-shared-experience-is-important-a-hiker-for-example-has/) [Gudjon Bergmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gudjon-bergmann/) > [“Pilgrim's Regress (Sonnet 2324) Mirage mistaken as message, when ethnic cleansing feels enlightened, Sinai becomes septic, Bethlehem becomes Bedlam. Dogma decreed as divine, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/pilgrim-s-regress-sonnet-2324-mirage-mistaken-as-message-when-ethnic/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“Don't assume you understand Naskar (Sonnet 2972) Naskar Science is Naskar Theology is Naskar Poetry is Naskar Philosophy - and do not even dare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/don-t-assume-you-understand-naskar-sonnet-2972-naskar-science-is/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“It can be helpful to think of humanity like a pearl necklace. 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Seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cronkite/i-m-a-liberal-but-i-m-not-biased-seriously/) [Walter Cronkite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cronkite/) > [I've gone from the most trusted man in America to one of the most debated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cronkite/i-ve-gone-from-the-most-trusted-man-in-america-to-one-of-the-most/) [Walter Cronkite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cronkite/) > [I do think that the success, although still not complete... in the recognition of equal rights... to all Americans, regardless of color, creed and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cronkite/i-do-think-that-the-success-although-still-not-complete-in-the/) [Walter Cronkite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cronkite/) > [Be kind to an old man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cronkite/be-kind-to-an-old-man/) [Walter Cronkite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cronkite/) > [I learned early on that in the real world, the masks of tragedy and comedy adorn the proscenium of every life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cronkite/i-learned-early-on-that-in-the-real-world-the-masks-of-tragedy-and/) [Walter Cronkite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cronkite/) > [It is clear that military force and our policy of preemption are alone insufficient to make us safe. But help is on the way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cronkite/it-is-clear-that-military-force-and-our-policy-of-preemption-are/) [Walter Cronkite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cronkite/) > [In all my years as a news commentator I was never once, able to tell the truth, about anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cronkite/in-all-my-years-as-a-news-commentator-i-was-never-once-able-to-tell/) [Walter Cronkite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cronkite/) > [I think people make way too much of ratings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cronkite/i-think-people-make-way-too-much-of-ratings/) [Walter Cronkite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cronkite/) > [I grew my mustache when I was nineteen in order to look older. 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