“I believe we are entering a new period in our history. The age of American globalism has gone... But we can perfect our way of life at home — and that is perhaps the surest way to protect. our place as a moral leader abroad, so that once again we may be known not for our power to drop bombs, but for our determination to pursue justice. Then, too, we will be able to ask: What has happened to the idea of America, and answer: It is coming true in our own lives.”
Our Quote of the Week may be from 1973, but it expresses a sentiment that we share as we enter 2021: that the new year may usher in a new era of justice, democracy, and strong leadership.
Speaking at an event for the Democratic Party of Oklahoma, Sargent Shriver began his remarks by noting the federal infrastructure projects that were underway at the time. But from there he shifted to talk about something larger:
Our job will never be finished. It will not be easy. But just as men dreamed of building a canal - or a road - or a hospital - we must dare to dream and we must be ready to work - for an America where justice is not a stranger and where compassion is our constant companion.
As the new year dawns, we still have large-scale, practical infrastructure projects that need addressing. And in addition, we have the monumental challenge of the health and economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic to deal with. To truly tackle all the challenges we face, we must have the same sense of justice and compassion that Sargent Shriver spoke about. As we turn the metaphoric and literal page on the calendar this year, let us commit to ensuring that this is indeed “a new period in our history,” in which all of our people are cared for and protected.
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