In prison, I fell in love with my country. I had loved her before then, but like most young people, my affection was little more than a simple appreciation for the comforts and privileges most Americans enjoyed and took for granted. It wasn't until I had lost America for a time that I realized how much I loved her. John McCain
About This Quote

Nelson Mandela said, “In prison, I fell in love with my country. I had loved her before then, but like most young people, my affection was little more than a simple appreciation for the comforts and privileges most Americans enjoyed and took for granted. It wasn't until I had lost America for a time that I realized how much I loved her.” He went on to say: “When I returned to my homeland after 27 years of imprisonment, it was as though I had been freed from a great storm that had stranded me on an island of the unknown.” He wrote that upon his return he began to see what others did not: “The greatness of America is not just in the size of her physical resources or her high standard of living. It lies in the character of her people, their justice and fair play."

Source: Faith Of My Fathers: A Family Memoir

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