We will be judged. There will be an accounting; there will be a reckoning sooner or later. It will either come from ourselves and our own conscience, or it will come from our kids when they ask that inconvenient question: 'What were you doing when they turned those kids back from the border?'
Interpretation
We are all accountable for our actions, and this accountability will manifest either through our own conscience or through future generations.
This quote from Beto O'Rourke speaks to the inevitability of accountability for our actions, particularly in a moral context. He suggests that we will be judged, not just by ourselves but also by our children, who will question our decisions and actions regarding significant social issues like immigration. The quote serves as a reminder to consider the long-term impacts of our actions and decisions on future generations, highlighting the importance of ethical responsibility.
In practice
In a speech about social justice, one might quote this to highlight the importance of moral responsibility.
We can either be governed by fear - fear of immigrants, fear of Muslims, call the press the enemy of the people, tear kids away from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border - or we can be governed by our ambitions and our aspirations and our desire to make the most out of all of us. And that's America at its best.
I can think of nothing more American than to peacefully stand up or take a knee for your rights - anytime, anywhere, anyplace.
The question of how things will settle down is the only important question.
Laboring through a world every day more stultified, which expected salvation in codes and governments, ever more willing to settle for suburban narratives and diminished payoffs--what were the chances of finding anyone else seeking to transcend that, and not even particularly aware of it?
All sentiment is right; because sentiment has a reference to nothing beyond itself, and is always real, wherever a man is conscious of it. But all determinations of the understanding are not right; because they have a reference to something beyond themselves, to wit, real matter of fact; and are not always conformable to that standard.
We know that the body needs bread, therefore we seek for bread for it: so must we seek for the food of the soul.
Almost anything that you pay close, direct attention to becomes interesting.
All men would be tyrants if they could.
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