Sweet is the voice of a sister in the season of sorrow.
Benjamin DisraeliRead
King Louis Philippe once said to me that he attributed the great success of the British nation in political life to their talking politics after dinner.
Interpretation
Discussing politics informally strengthens understanding and engagement in civic life.
Benjamin Disraeli reflects on a sentiment expressed by King Louis Philippe regarding the British approach to politics. He suggests that the informality of discussing political matters in a relaxed setting, like after dinner, contributes significantly to the political acumen and success of the British nation. This underscores the importance of conversation and dialogue in fostering a politically aware and engaged society.
In practice
In a discussion about civic engagement during a community meeting.
Sweet is the voice of a sister in the season of sorrow.
But what minutes! Count them by sensation, and not by calendars, and each moment is a day.
Grief is the agony of an instant. The indulgence of grief the blunder of a life.
Action may not always bring happiness; but there is no happiness without action.
Yes, I am a Jew and when the ancestors of the right honorable gentleman were brutal savages in an unknown island, mine were priests in the temple of Solomon.
The practice of politics in the East may be defined by one word: dissimulation.
The necessity of a senate is not less indicated by the propensity of all single and numerous assemblies, to yield to the impulse of sudden and violent passions, and to be seduced by factious leaders, into intemperate and pernicious resolutions.
As soon as politicians start climbing up the ladder, they suddenly become kings. I don't know how it works, but what I do know is that republics came to the world to make sure that no one is more than anyone else. The pomp of office is like something left over from a feudal past: "You need a palace, red carpet, a lot of people behind you saying, 'Yes, sir.' I think all of that is awful."
To be an enemy of America can be dangerous, but to be a friend is fatal
We do not need the empire to give us anything.
To resolve this issue will require Iran to come to the table and discuss in a clear and forthright way how to prove to the international community that the intentions of their nuclear program are peaceful. [...] The question is going to be whether in these discussions they show themselves moving clearly in that direction.
I am not running for mayor yet. But if it comes to be true that people cannot voice an opinion unless they have been elected, then we are no longer in a democracy.
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