Loyalty means nothing unless it has at its heart the absolute principle of self-sacrifice.
Woodrow WilsonRead
...We are intensely proud of their noble record and are glad to have had the whole world see how irresistible they are in their might when a cause which America holds dear is at stake. The whole nation has reason to be proud of them.
Interpretation
The quote expresses pride in the strength and valor of a group that responds admirably when a significant cause is at risk.
Woodrow Wilson’s quote reflects a deep sense of pride in the capabilities and achievements of those who stand up for values that America cherishes. It underscores the idea that in times of need, individuals or groups can demonstrate remarkable strength and resilience, inspiring national pride and unity. This sentiment emphasizes the honor in defending noble causes and the collective responsibility to support and recognize those who do so.
In practice
During a graduation speech to inspire students about service and sacrifice.
Loyalty means nothing unless it has at its heart the absolute principle of self-sacrifice.
Since trade ignores national boundaries and the manufacturer insists on having the world as a market, the flag of his nation must follow him, and the doors of the nations which are closed against him must be battered down. Concessions obtained by financiers must be safeguarded by ministers of state, even if the sovereignty of unwilling nations be outraged in the process. Colonies must be obtained or planted, in order that no useful corner of the world may be overlooked or left unused.
The history of liberty is the history of limitations on the power of government, not the increase of it. When we resist, therefore, the concentration of power, we are resisting the processes of death, because concentration of power is what always precedes the destruction of human liberties.
We grow great by dreams. All big men are dreamers.
The way to stop financial joyriding is to arrest the chauffeur, not the automobile.
Once lead this people into war, and they'll forget there ever was such a thing as tolerance. To fight, you must be brutal and ruthless, and the spirit of ruthless brutality will enter into the very fiber of our national life, infecting Congress, the courts, the policeman on the beat, the man in the street.
Deeds will not be less valiant because they are unpraised.
There's nothing that's more unfair or unjust than people using their power to try to make other people feel small, to tell them who they are or what they are capable of, to say their identity doesn't belong.
If you are choosing silence, you're choosing the side of the oppressor.
It's not the violence of the few that scares me, it's the silence of the many
There are two ways of avoiding fear: one is by persuading ourselves that we are immune from disaster, and the other is by the practice of sheer courage. The latter is difficult, and to everybody becomes impossible at a certain point. The former has therefore always been more popular. Primitive magic has the purpose of securing safety, either by injuring enemies, or by protecting oneself by talismans, spells, or incantations.
My family has equally suffered abductions, attacks and life threats, but I have continued my struggle for justice.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.