Fact-Check: "America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves." - Abraham Lincoln
What We Know
The quote attributed to Abraham Lincoln, "America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves," is widely circulated but is not an accurate representation of his words. This phrase is a paraphrase of sentiments expressed in Lincoln's 1838 Lyceum Address, where he warned about the dangers of internal division and the need for unity. In that speech, Lincoln stated, "If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher" (source-3).
The earliest known instance of this misattributed quote appeared in the early 2000s, and it has since been presented as authentic in various media, including social media memes and political commentary (source-1). Notably, a version of this quote was popularized by PragerU and later by Donald Trump in a tweet (source-2).
Analysis
The claim that Lincoln said the specific words attributed to him is false. While the essence of the quote reflects Lincoln's concerns about internal threats to democracy, it does not accurately quote him. The PolitiFact analysis confirms that Lincoln never spoke or wrote those exact words. Lincoln's original remarks emphasized the importance of maintaining political institutions and warned against mob violence and factionalism, which he believed could lead to self-destruction.
The sources discussing this quote include reputable fact-checking organizations like Reuters and PolitiFact, which provide thorough investigations into the origins and misattributions of the quote. These sources are credible and rely on historical context and expert opinions, such as those from Lincoln historians, to clarify the inaccuracies surrounding the quote.
Moreover, the claim has been propagated through various memes and social media posts, often without proper attribution or context, which raises concerns about the reliability of the information being shared. The lack of direct evidence linking the quote to Lincoln further supports the conclusion that it is a distortion of his actual words.
Conclusion
The verdict is False. The quote attributed to Abraham Lincoln is not a direct citation from his speeches or writings. Instead, it is a paraphrase that misrepresents his original thoughts on the internal challenges facing democracy. While it captures the spirit of his warnings about self-destruction through internal conflict, it does not reflect his actual words or intent.
