By today's standards, Teddy Roosevelt would be considered one of the most progressive politicians in America. One of my favorite presidents, in this quote from a 1910 speech entitled 'Citizenship in a Republic' he talks about people who are actually "in the arena" -- the people who shrug off criticism because they are actually doing what it takes to move forward. Here’s what he said:
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
When I read this now as a candidate for the Florida State Senate, I think of Janet Manchon who's moving us forward every day, and of the many volunteers and supporters who are looking ahead to November and giving it their all right now so together we can make this a more perfect union. Prior to November 2016, millions of Democrats claimed they would move to Canada if the election went south. Well, it did go south and I’d wager that just a handful of those Democrats carried through with their threat. Why did they stay? Because they know that this is their country, and they know it’s worth fighting for.
And so they stayed. And once again they are back in the arena, striving valiantly and spending themselves in a worthy cause. It’s good to be among these people, daring greatly and looking forward to victory in November.
(I won’t win this race without an abundance of moral and/or monetary support. Whichever you can share on social media or via a secure ActBlue donation would be appreciated.)