The difference between a child's aspiration and that family's situation, is the exact measurement of that family's frustrations.
Benjamin Todd JealousRead
With all the other -isms that we deal with, that sort of nameless -ism that we have in too many of our hearts against the poor in this country is what wounds us most broadly.
Interpretation
This quote addresses the underlying prejudices against the poor that affect society as a whole.
Benjamin Todd Jealous highlights the pervasive, often unacknowledged biases or 'isms' that individuals hold against those who are impoverished. He suggests that these negative attitudes create wounds in our society, causing harm not only to the individuals who suffer from poverty but also reflecting poorly on our collective humanity. This statement serves as a call to recognize and address these injustices within our hearts and communities.
In practice
In a community meeting discussing social welfare programs.
The difference between a child's aspiration and that family's situation, is the exact measurement of that family's frustrations.
Civil marriage, like all civil rights provided by the government, must be provided equally to all Americans.
Racial profiling punishes innocent individuals for the past actions of those who look and sound like them. It misdirects crucial resources and undercuts the trust needed between law enforcement and the communities they serve. It has no place in our national discourse, and no place in our nation's police departments.
The refusal to take sides on great moral issues is itself a decision. It is a silent acquiescence to evil. The Tragedy of our time is that those who still believe in honesty lack fire and conviction, while those who believe in dishonesty are full of passionate conviction.
In the meantime, I would drink, rest, and ponder the meaning of this mob.
Make women rational creatures, and free citizens, and they will quickly become good wives; - that is, if men do not neglect the duties of husbands and fathers.
In retrospect, all these exercises in self-gratification seem pure fantasy, what Pascal called, licking the earth.
Laws without morals are in vain.
The next day, when I was sober, I thought again about the three of us, and about time's many paradoxes. For instance: that when we are young and sensitive, we are also at our most hurtful; whereas when the blood begins to slow, when we feel less sharply, when we are more armoured and have learnt how to bear hurt, we tread more carefully.
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