Monday Morning Quote
Quotes
Monday Morning Quotes
Monday Morning Quotes
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Since 1998 I've been sending out these reflections first thing each week--one or more quotes plus my thoughts about the intersections and contradictions. They're archived here back to 2002, and a new one is posted every Monday morning. Dialogue is still welcome . . .
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Quote #1158 - #VotingWeek
28 Oct, 2024
VOTING WEEK
"Sometimes it takes a while to recognize that someone has a special ability to get us to believe in ourselves, to tie that belief to our highest ideals, and to imagine that together we can do great things. In those rare moments, when such a person comes along, we need to put aside our plans and reach for what we know is possible."
Caroline Kennedy
"Every election is determined by the people who show up."
Larry J. Sabato
PENDULUM SWING
"By all means stay home if you want, but don't bullshit yourself that you're not voting. In reality, there is no such thing as not voting: you either vote by voting, or you vote by staying home and tacitly doubling the value of some Diehard's vote."
David Foster Wallace
We used to have a Voting Day--
Election Day--
but that's no longer true;
and as I'm hoping we all vote sometime this week,
before next Tuesday's final day of voting,
I want to put out a thought about the last few months.
Kamala Harris has brilliantly tried to be the same kind of
inspiring leader
that Caroline Kennedy is talking about,
leading with hope, and joy, and belief in possibility.
She speaks with wisdom and experience,
authority, and vision,
that even against a more rational and seasoned competitor
would shine.
And yet, that is decidedly not at all who or what she is running against.
The who is a grotesque abusive shuckster with diminishing faculties,
we all know that,
his supporters know it,
but it's the what that's important.
What is she running against?
The belief that only men, preferably white men,
preferably white men with certain credentials and money,
are allowed to be the inspiring, authoritative, wise ones.
And that the old status quo--
a diehard societal hierarchical structure--
is worth dying for
because even though it offered them no real, actual benefits,
at least
they had some kind of perceived power over some others,
and so someone they could look down upon.
True equality, true acceptance and appreciation of each other,
true freedom,
may be the scariest thing.
Do we have the capability as a country to opt for it,
for enough of us to opt for it
to get it despite all the historical impediments?
I am having trouble breathing as we wait to find out.
Shellen Lubin
October 28, 2024