If I still had my legs, I would be in line for a battalion command, and instead, I'm flying a desk.
Tammy DuckworthRead
I actually lost both my legs. I can walk because I got really good health care.
Interpretation
Access to quality health care can significantly impact one's ability to overcome challenges.
In this quote, Tammy Duckworth highlights the critical role that health care plays in recovery and quality of life. Despite losing both her legs, her ability to walk again illustrates not only her personal resilience but also the importance of accessible health care in enabling individuals to regain their independence and manage their disabilities effectively.
In practice
This quote can inspire discussions at health care forums about the importance of accessibility in medical services.
If I still had my legs, I would be in line for a battalion command, and instead, I'm flying a desk.
It was the combination of hard work and a hand up that allowed me to become one of the first women to fly in combat missions and achieve my American Dream.
I went to Iraq in 2004 because I believe in doing my duty, not because I agreed with the war.
The women putting their lives at risk for our country deserve better than to be treated as second-class citizens.
The wheelchair and the prosthesis give me a soapbox to stand on. If it helps me get my message across, I'm glad; then we need to talk about what we need to do for this country.
As I recovered at Walter Reed, I worried about the soldiers who pulled me out of my helicopter that Friday afternoon. Would they make it back okay? And what about all the other soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen who were also putting their lives on the line every day?
You do not stop losing power by refusing to recognize your fear, by anesthetizing yourself to what you feel. The road to authentic power is always through what you feel through your heart.
As soon as we left the ground, I knew I had to fly.
One of the most striking features of karate is that it may be engaged in by anybody, young or old, strong or weak, male or female.
The real enemy of my people is here. I will not disgrace my religion, my people or myself by becoming a tool to enslave those who are fighting for their own justice, freedom and equality.… If I thought the war was going to bring freedom and equality to 22 million of my people they wouldn’t have to draft me, I’d join tomorrow. I have nothing to lose by standing up for my beliefs. So I’ll go to jail, so what? We’ve been in jail for 400 years.
I got no quarrel with them Vietcong.
In 1989, a lone and still-anonymous Chinese student stood unarmed in front of a Chinese tank and gave the world an enduring image of the determination of China's young to change their nation. He didn't text message the tank or share a video on YouTube.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.