“The era of a necessary common existence has arrived. We must review our commitments from that new perspective and realization.”
Our Quote of the Week asks us to deal with a reality that becomes more and more vital to acknowledge: we are all connected. To behave as though we can survive in isolation ignores this reality and puts us on a dangerous path. We may have individual wants and needs that are not always in sync with those of others, but when all is said and done, we cannot progress as a society and we cannot achieve and maintain peace and stability if we do not respect the reality that we must co-exist on this planet together.
While Sargent Shriver was preparing to run for President in 1975, he attended the Young Democrats National Convention, where he spoke these words. From his experiences leading the Peace Corps and the War on Poverty, and serving as US Ambassador to France, he knew that what unites us as human beings is greater than what separates us. He believed that this message of unity had been lacking in politics for too long, and was therefore motivated to step out onto the national stage to deliver it. Although his presidential run was ultimately not successful, he continued to convey his message through his behind-the-scenes diplomatic work in the 1970s and 1980s, including his efforts to bring about nuclear disarmament.
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