The more our feelings diverge, the more deeply felt they are, the greater is our obligation to grant the sincerity and essential decency of our fellow citizens on the other side. . . .
In short, I hope for an America where neither "fundamentalist" nor "humanist" will be a dirty word, but a fair description of the different ways in which people of good will look at life and into their own souls.
I hope for an America where no president, no public official, no individual will ever be deemed a greater or lesser American because of religious doubt -- or religious belief.
I hope for an America where the power of faith will always burn brightly, but where no modern inquisition of any kind will ever light the fires of fear, coercion, or angry division.
I hope for an America where we can all contend freely and vigorously, but where we will treasure and guard those standards of civility which alone make this nation safe for both democracy and diversity.
-- Senator Ted Kennedy, Speech on "Truth and Tolerance in America," Oct. 3, 1983, Lynchburg, Va.
(reposted from LA Times' "Ted Kennedy Quotes" from August 26, 2009)
Wow, these are inspiring words. I wish every political pundit in the US would take this to heart. There would be a definite upgrade in our discourse on both the Left and the Right.
ReplyDeleteI'm not always willing to grant the essential decency/honesty of people on the other side, but at the same time I recognize that rhetoric is all about attempting to awaken the best in people. That may well involve granting everyone the benefit of the doubt.