--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Fall is where the nation is. The Fall…" description: "\"The Fall is where the nation is. The Fall is the locus of America.\" — William Stringfellow" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/871/william-stringfellow-33326_america_the-fall-is-where-the-nation-is-the-fall_1301252.png" --- # The Fall is where the nation is. The Fall is the locus of… ![“The Fall is where the nation is. The Fall is the locus of America.” quote by William Stringfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/871/william-stringfellow-33326_america_the-fall-is-where-the-nation-is-the-fall_1301252.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/871/william-stringfellow-33326_america_the-fall-is-where-the-nation-is-the-fall_1301252.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/871/william-stringfellow-33326_america_the-fall-is-where-the-nation-is-the-fall_1301252.png) > “The Fall is where the nation is. The Fall is the locus of America.” [William Stringfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stringfellow/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that the nation's most critical moment—its decline—holds the key to understanding its identity and future direction. **In simple terms:** America’s decline is central to its identity. Key Takeaway Study crises to shape renewal. Themes history national identity crisis Mood analytical critical Type sociopolitical philosophical When to use this quote - political reform - community rebuilding - educational curricula - public discourse Key Concepts sociopolitical analysis theology cultural critique Questions to Reflect On - How does a nation's crisis reveal its core values? - What can be learned from confronting decline? A Different Perspective Focusing on decline may overlook existing strengths and resilience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall/) [Fall Locus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall-locus-4273414/) [Fall Nation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall-nation-4273413/) [Nation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nation/) [Nation Fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nation-fall-419452/) ## Related quotes > [If a nation has not God that nation must fall, but if a nation has God then all the powers of evil, and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-caldwell/if-a-nation-has-not-god-that-nation-must-fall-but-if-a-nation-has-god/) [Taylor Caldwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-caldwell/) > [“History is guided by leaders in turn affected by the sentiments of their population. Such sentiments are cyclical, allowing for predictions of a nation's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-slatyer/history-is-guided-by-leaders-in-turn-affected-by-the-sentiments-of/) [Will Slatyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-slatyer/) > [If I were to offer advice to any president of the United States, it would be this: do whatever you can do to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/if-i-were-to-offer-advice-to-any-president-of-the-united-states-it/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [I'm falling back on what some of the standard protocols for politics are after victory. We in America do not prosecute defeated political enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-m-falling-back-on-what-some-of-the-standard-protocols-for-politics/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [We need to remain a nation that doesn't just welcome but that celebrates legal immigrants who come here seeking to pursue the American Dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/we-need-to-remain-a-nation-that-doesn-t-just-welcome-but-that/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [Marylanders have led the nation in adopting a balanced approach to revenues and investments because we know that in order to maintain and build…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-malley/marylanders-have-led-the-nation-in-adopting-a-balanced-approach-to/) [Martin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-malley/) > [This position is untenable, and there can be no pause in the agitation for full political power and responsibility until these are granted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-kelley/this-position-is-untenable-and-there-can-be-no-pause-in-the-agitation/) [Florence Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-kelley/) > [We are a nation of innovators and problem-solvers who sparked revolutions in democratic government, civil rights, communications, flight, rural electrification and technology. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-a-mcchrystal/we-are-a-nation-of-innovators-and-problem-solvers-who-sparked/) [Stanley A. McChrystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-a-mcchrystal/) > [Together, we must prioritize the wellbeing of those who have selflessly served our nation. This is the least that a grateful nation can do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-n-green/together-we-must-prioritize-the-wellbeing-of-those-who-have/) [Al N. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-n-green/) > [We must recognize that every nation determines its policies in terms of its own interests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/we-must-recognize-that-every-nation-determines-its-policies-in-terms/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [Our nation's promise to have veterans' backs must extend to their families, who for their own service and sacrifices, deserve the full support of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-kim/our-nation-s-promise-to-have-veterans-backs-must-extend-to-their/) [Andy Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-kim/) > [“Patriotism is a fierce love for the nation’s soul - its land, its people, its core, coupled with a burning contempt for a government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/njau-kihia/patriotism-is-a-fierce-love-for-the-nation-s-soul-its-land-its-people/) [Njau Kihia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/njau-kihia/) > [My dream is to see India as a nation of well-looked-after and respected sportspeople in all fields.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saina-nehwal/my-dream-is-to-see-india-as-a-nation-of-well-looked-after-and/) [Saina Nehwal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saina-nehwal/) > [Tell me how much a nation knows about its own language, and I will tell you how much that nation knows about its own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ciardi/tell-me-how-much-a-nation-knows-about-its-own-language-and-i-will/) [John Ciardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ciardi/) > [Imagination is the greatest nation in the world!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/imagination-is-the-greatest-nation-in-the-world/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) ## More by William Stringfellow > [“When I write that my own situation in those months of pain and decision can be described as prayer, I do not only recall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stringfellow/when-i-write-that-my-own-situation-in-those-months-of-pain-and/) [William Stringfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stringfellow/) > [“Thus the vocation of the baptized person is a simple thing: it is to live from day to day, whatever the day brings, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stringfellow/thus-the-vocation-of-the-baptized-person-is-a-simple-thing-it-is-to/) [William Stringfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stringfellow/) > [Listening is a rare happening among human beings. You cannot listen to the word another is speaking if you are preoccupied with your appearance,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stringfellow/listening-is-a-rare-happening-among-human-beings-you-cannot-listen-to/) [William Stringfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stringfellow/) > [Where money is an idol, to be poor is a sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stringfellow/where-money-is-an-idol-to-be-poor-is-a-sin/) [William Stringfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stringfellow/) > [Dorothy Day, of blessed memory, did not like to be called (as she often was, for good reason) a saint, because it usually meant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stringfellow/dorothy-day-of-blessed-memory-did-not-like-to-be-called-as-she-often/) [William Stringfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stringfellow/) > [“Hence the vocation of the Church of Christ in the world, in political conflict and social strife, is inherently eschatological. The Church is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stringfellow/hence-the-vocation-of-the-church-of-christ-in-the-world-in-political/) [William Stringfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stringfellow/) > [Perhaps the moral ambiguity of money is most plainly evidenced in the popular belief that money itself has value and that the worth of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stringfellow/perhaps-the-moral-ambiguity-of-money-is-most-plainly-evidenced-in-the/) [William Stringfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stringfellow/) > [Biocides, for example, are designed to kill bacteria—it's not a benign material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stringfellow/biocides-for-example-are-designed-to-kill-bacteria-it-s-not-a-benign/) [William Stringfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stringfellow/) > [Being holy . . . does not mean being perfect but being whole; it does not mean being exceptionally religious or being religious at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stringfellow/being-holy-does-not-mean-being-perfect-but-being-whole-it-does-not/) [William Stringfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stringfellow/) > [“The separation of religion from the practical affairs of society is a convenient doctrine for those who fear that social change would threaten of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stringfellow/the-separation-of-religion-from-the-practical-affairs-of-society-is-a/) [William Stringfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stringfellow/) > [“Listening is a rare happening among human beings. You cannot listen to the word another is speaking if you are preoccupied with your appearance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stringfellow/listening-is-a-rare-happening-among-human-beings-you-cannot-listen-to-2/) [William Stringfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stringfellow/) > [The practice of the Christian life consists of the discernment of (the seeing and hearing), and the reliance upon (the reckless and uncalculating dependence),…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stringfellow/the-practice-of-the-christian-life-consists-of-the-discernment-of-the/) [William Stringfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stringfellow/) > [The biblical lifestyle is always a witness of resistance to the status quo in politics, economics, and all society. It is a witness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stringfellow/the-biblical-lifestyle-is-always-a-witness-of-resistance-to-the/) [William Stringfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stringfellow/) > [The characteristic place to find Christians is among their enemies. The first place to look for Christ is in Hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stringfellow/the-characteristic-place-to-find-christians-is-among-their-enemies/) [William Stringfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stringfellow/) [Explore all 15 William Stringfellow quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stringfellow/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The Fall is where the nation is. The Fall is the locus of America.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Stringfellow" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stringfellow/the-fall-is-where-the-nation-is-the-fall-is-the-locus-of-america/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "America" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stringfellow/the-fall-is-where-the-nation-is-the-fall-is-the-locus-of-america/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/871/william-stringfellow-33326_america_the-fall-is-where-the-nation-is-the-fall_1301252.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/871/william-stringfellow-33326_america_the-fall-is-where-the-nation-is-the-fall_1301252.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/871/william-stringfellow-33326_america_the-fall-is-where-the-nation-is-the-fall_1301252.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The Fall is where the nation is. The Fall is the locus of America.” — William Stringfellow", "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": "William Stringfellow", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stringfellow/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The Fall is where the nation...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stringfellow/the-fall-is-where-the-nation-is-the-fall-is-the-locus-of-america/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stringfellow/the-fall-is-where-the-nation-is-the-fall-is-the-locus-of-america/#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 } } ] } ```