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Harry S. Truman Quotes

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Once a government is committed to the principle of silencing the voice of opposition, it has only one way to go, and that is down the path of increasingly repressive measures, until it becomes a source of terror to all

Once a government is committed to the principle of silencing the voice of opposition, it has only one way to go, and that is down the path of increasingly repressive measures, until it becomes a source of terror to all its citizens and creates a country where everyone lives in fear.

Harry S. Truman
Country, Fear, Voice
United States. President (1945-1953 : Truman), Harry S. Truman (1961). “Harry S. Truman: Containing the Public Messages, Speeches, and Statements of the President, 1945-53”

An honest public servant can't become rich in politics. He can only attain greatness and satisfaction by service.

Harry S. Truman
Trust, Money, Presidential

It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.

Harry S. Truman
Inspirational, Motivational, Leadership

My choice early in life was either to be a piano player in a whorehouse or a politician. To tell the truth, there's hardly a difference.

Harry S. Truman
Life, Music, Wisdom
"The Wit & Wisdom of Harry Truman".

Work Hard. Do your best. Keep your word. Never get too big for your britches. Trust in God. Have no fear; and Never forget a friend.

Harry S. Truman
Friendship, Best Friend, God

I think one man is just as good as another so long as he's not a n*gger or a Chinaman. Uncle Will says that the Lord made a White man from dust, a n*gger from mud, then He threw up what was left and it came down a Chinaman. He does hate Chinese and Japs. So do I. It is race prejudice, I guess. But I am strongly of the opinion Negroes ought to be in Africa, Yellow men in Asia and White men in Europe and America.

Harry S. Truman
Uncles, Hate, Men

Term limits would cure both senility and seniority- both terrible legislative diseases.

Harry S. Truman
Political, Term Limits, Disease

When even one American - who has done nothing wrong - is forced by fear to shut his mind and close his mouth - then all Americans are in peril.

Harry S. Truman
Fear, War, Marijuana
United States. President (1945-1953 : Truman), Harry S. Truman (1965). “Harry S. Truman: Containing the Public Messages, Speeches, and Statements of the President, 1945-53”

Imperfect action beats perfect inaction every time.

Harry S. Truman
Perfect, Action, Beats

I never would have agreed to the formulation of the Central Intelligence Agency back in forty-seven, if I had known it would become the American Gestapo.

Harry S. Truman
Freedom, Agency, Historical

The only thing new in the world is the history you don't know.

Harry S. Truman
History, Presidential, World
"Plain Speaking : An Oral Biography of Harry S Truman" by Merle Miller, (p. 26), 1974.

America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand.

Harry S. Truman
Courage, Determination, Jobs
Harry S. Truman (1967). “The Quotable Harry S. Truman”, Anderson, S.C. : Droke House, distributed by Grosset & Dunlap

The fundamental basis of this nation’s laws was given to Moses on the Mount…If we don’t have a proper fundamental moral background, we will finally end up with a totalitarian government which does not believe in rights for anybody except the State.

Harry S. Truman
Believe, Rights, Government

An optimist is presented with a problem and sees an opportunity. A pessimist is presented with an opportunity and sees a problem.

Harry S. Truman
Opportunity, Problem, Pessimist

Never kick a fresh turd on a hot day.

Harry S. Truman
Atheism, Hot, Turds

Those who want the Government to regulate matters of the mind and spirit are like men who are so afraid of being murdered that they commit suicide to avoid assassination.

Harry S. Truman
Suicide, Men, Law
Address at National Archives, Washington, D.C., 15 Dec. 1952

Everybody has the right to express what he thinks. That, of course, lets the crackpots in. But if you cannot tell a crackpot when you see one, then you ought to be taken in.

Harry S. Truman
Taken, Thinking, Courses
Harry S. Truman (1956). “Memoirs: Years of trail and hope”

I remember when I first came to Washington. For the first six months you wonder how the hell you ever got here. For the next six months you wonder how the hell the rest of them ever got here.

Harry S. Truman
Witty, Political, Six Months

If you want a friend in Washington, buy a dog.

Harry S. Truman
Funny, Hilarious, Dog
"The Wit & Wisdom of Harry Truman".

Some day we'll awake, have a reformation of the heart, teach our kids honor and kill a few sex psychologists, put boys in high schools with men teachers (not sissies), close all the girls' finishing schools, shoot all the effeciency experts and become a nation of God's people once more.

Harry S. Truman
Girl, Teacher, Sex

Without a strong educational system — free of government control — democracy is crippled. Knowledge is not only the key to power. It is the citadel of human freedom.

Harry S. Truman
Strong, Educational, Keys
"Harry S. Truman: Containing the Public Messages, Speeches, and Statements of the President, 1945-53".

For some time I have been disturbed by the way the CIA has been diverted from its original assignment. It has become an operational and at times a policy making arm of the government.

Harry S. Truman
Government, Policy Making, World

A leader is the man who has the ability to get other people to do what they don't want to do, and like it.

Harry S. Truman
Leadership, Army, Men
Harry S. Truman (2014). “1945: Year of Decision”, p.145, New Word City

A man who is influenced by the polls or is afraid to make decisions which make him unpopular is not a man to represent the welfare of the country.

Harry S. Truman
Leadership, Country, Men
Harry S. Truman (2014). “1946-52: Years of Trial and Hope”, p.243, New Word City

There is some risk involved in action, there always is. But there is far more risk in failure to act.

Harry S. Truman
War, Risk, Action
United States. President (1945-1953 : Truman), Harry S. Truman (1964). “Harry S. Truman: Containing the Public Messages, Speeches, and Statements of the President, 1945-53”