“The only kinds of fights worth fighting are those you are going to lose, because somebody has to fight them and lose and lose and lose until someday, somebody who believes as you do wins.
In order for somebody to win an important, major fight 100 years hence, a lot of other people have got to be willing — for the sheer fun and joy of it — to go right ahead and fight, knowing you’re going to lose. You mustn’t feel like a martyr. You’ve got to enjoy it.”
n I.F. Stone
One of my favorite (and only recently discovered) sayings. I don’t actually have much to add to it.
Except… there are so many amazing people here. I’ve not been able to participate as much the past few months, but every time I’ve stopped in I’ve thought – wow, how they’ve grown. In size, surely… sort of like a family kid that you remember as being just to your midsection, and the next time you see them they are towering over you.
But, not just in size… that’s mainly just a function of advertising and good content and so on. A natural progression, so to speak. No, what I noticed most was the growth in… power, I suppose would be the best term. Or rather, the realization of the power we all hold in our hands, in our words, in our voices. People who had to psych themselves out to make a comment in times past are now in full throated roar, prodding and encouraging and demanding that people take a stand, get active, do something.
Some who felt that all they had to offer was maybe addressing envelopes and answering phones (both worthy and needed things at crunch time, don’t get me wrong) have found new depths in themselves and now think nothing of hopping on planes and into cars to go march, hold vigils, tell others – and dare to believe that they … yes, they! can and will make a difference.
And you have. Even if this one vote was lost, much was gained. Experience, determination, cynicism, knowledge of who can be counted on to stand up for what is right, and who cannot. Bad as things seem right now, nothing need ever go to waste… we use what we’ve learned this time to build on the next time, is all.
