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Mitchell Warren is Executive Director of AVAC.
You all undoubtedly have seen — and celebrated — the US Supreme Court rulings on health care yesterday and marriage equality today! In the midst of many other global and domestic struggles, including recent tragedy in Charleston, SC, we need to draw energy from victories. You will also have seen many press releases on both rulings from many organizations; that is not our style, but know that we are celebrating and applauding.
Those of us in the office watched President Obama speak from the Rose Garden, and he quoted one of my favorite speeches of all time — Bobby Kennedy speaking at the University of Cape Town in June 1966:
“Each time a man [editorial note: today I am sure he would have said “person”] stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.”
I highly recommend viewing the full speech by RFK—check out this opening:
“I came here because of my deep interest and affection for a land settled by the Dutch in the mid-seventeenth century, then taken over by the British, and at last independent; a land in which the native inhabitants were at first subdued, but relations with whom remain a problem to this day; a land which defined itself on a hostile frontier; a land which has tamed rich natural resources through the energetic application of modern technology; a land which once imported slaves, and now must struggle to wipe out the last traces of that former bondage. I refer, of course, to the United States of America.”
Now more than ever: Much accomplished; much to do!
Mitchell Warren
Executive Director, AVAC