One of the things that I've come to understand is that as I talk a lot about Picard, what I find is that I'm talking about myself.
Patrick StewartRead
As a child, I heard in my home doctors and ambulance men say, 'Mrs. Stewart, you must've done something to provoke him.' 'Mrs. Stewart, it takes two to make an argument.' Wrong. Wrong! My mother did nothing to provoke that - and even if she had, violence is never ever a choice that a man should make. Ever.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes that violence is unjustifiable in any circumstance, regardless of provocation.
Patrick Stewart reflects on a troubling narrative surrounding domestic violence, rejecting the idea that provocation justifies an abusive response. He asserts that regardless of a person's actions, violence is an unacceptable choice that cannot be condoned.
In practice
In a speech against domestic violence, this quote would serve to highlight the unacceptability of justifying abusive behavior.
One of the things that I've come to understand is that as I talk a lot about Picard, what I find is that I'm talking about myself.
I became a better listener than I ever had been as a result of playing Jean Luc Picard because it was one of the things that he does terrifically well.
Violence against women is learned. Each of us must examine - and change - the way in which our own behavior might contribute to, enable, ignore or excuse all such forms of violence. I promise to do so, and to invite other me and allies to do the same.
But as I grew up as a child, falling in love with the theater and Shakespeare, my heroes were Sir Laurence Olivier and Sir John Gielgud.
I would like to see us get this place right first before we have the arrogance to put significantly flawed civilizations out onto other planets, even though they may be utterly uninhabited.
The knights of the theater represented to me not only the pinnacle of the profession but the esteem in which the profession was held. To find myself, to my astonishment, in that company is the grandest thing that has professionally happened to me.
How true, how true" said the Sour Kangaroo, "And from now on, you know what I'm gonna do? I'm going to protect them with you!" And the Young Kangaroo in her pouch said "Me too!
The Master said of Gong Yechang, “He is marriageable. Although he was once imprisoned and branded as a criminal, he was in fact innocent of any crime.” The Master gave him his daughter in marriage. (Analects 5.1)
Half of what I say is meaningless, but I say it just to reach you.
In general-like not just in fiction but in life-it doesn't work out well when someone imagines someone else as a manic pixie dream girl or an Edward Cullen or anything other than a full, complex human being. That said, while I've tried to reflect that in my books, I don't think I've always succeeded, because I am always running up against my own insufficiencies and biases etc.
Bless you, my darling, and remember you are always in the heart - oh tucked so close there is no chance of escape - of your sister.
It's kind of crazy to think that I've now been divorced longer than I was married, but I appreciate the journey, because it brought my ex and I back to a friendship that helped us become great co-parents.
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