If I still had my legs, I would be in line for a battalion command, and instead, I'm flying a desk.
Tammy DuckworthRead
The women putting their lives at risk for our country deserve better than to be treated as second-class citizens.
Interpretation
Women in the military deserve equal respect and recognition for their sacrifices.
This quote by Tammy Duckworth emphasizes the need for equality and respect for women who serve in the armed forces. It highlights the irony and injustice of treating these brave individuals as second-class citizens despite their willingness to risk their lives for the nation, calling for a reevaluation of how society views and treats female soldiers.
In practice
Use this quote in a speech advocating for women's rights in the military.
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 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?
My experience in Iraq made me realize, and during the recovery, that I could have died. And I just had to do more with my life.
Each man is good in the sight of the Great Spirit. It is not necessary for eagles to be crows. Now we are poor but we are free. No white man controls our footsteps. If we must die, we die defending our rights.
I don't fight fascists because I'll win. I fight fascists because they are fascists.
While the United States has often taken the wrong path, it has rarely failed to demonstrate - at least in the long run - the courage to reverse its steps.
I have a brain and a uterus, and I use both.
Courage, it would seem, is nothing less than the power to overcome danger, misfortune, fear, injustice, while continuing to affirm inwardly that life with all its sorrows is good; that everything is meaningful even if in a sense beyond our understanding; and that there is always tomorrow.
There is no city or country in the world where women and girls live free of the fear of violence. No leader can claim: this is not happening in my backyard.
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