To the Women in the Arena: Thank You for Your Service

[lapucelle]

Adapted from an excerpt of the speech "Citizenship in a Republic", given by Theodore Roosevelt at the Sorbonne in Paris, France, 23 April 1910.

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong woman stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.

The credit belongs to the woman who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds;

who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends herself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if she fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that her place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

[sheshe2]

1. Thank you for this.

The credit belongs to the woman who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds;

Most recently? That would be Hill. Nancy. Elizabeth. Amy and Kamala. So many more.

Lapucelle, please post a link. I would like to read more.

Beautiful and inspiring.

[lapucelle]

3. Here's some background on that short excerpt from a long speech.

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/63389/roosevelts-man-arena

[George II]

2. +10,000!!!!

[lapucelle]

4. I'm glad I didn't miss it. I wanted something unifying for 10,000.

[Kath2]

5. Right on!

I think that would apply well to Hillary Clinton. One of the most qualified and intelligent candidates ever and also a popular vote winner by over 3 million votes. Very inspiring. Thank you!

[lapucelle]

12. This puts all the sneering naysayers in perspective for me.

[Kath2]

13. Same here.

And congratulations on # 10,000!

[StevieM]

14. She would have won the electoral college--handily--had it not been for James Comey. (eom)

[lapucelle]

19. I've posted this before on HRC's birthday.

Now seeing how EWarren, Kamala, and Amy were all at some point targeted by the toxic twitter swarm and the doofus in the WH, I think it's important to stand with our sisters and our allies.

[Me.]

6. Congrats On 10,000

[lapucelle]

8. ...

[Cha]

7. Mahalo for this, lapucelle!

We used to say this about President Obama, too.

[lapucelle]

9. Mahalo, my friend.

[Cha]

10. Congratulations on your

10,000 posts milestone!

[lapucelle]

11. I hope you're looking over your shoulder, Cha!

I'm catching up!

[StevieM]

15. Let me also congratulate you on 10,000 posts. (eom)

[lapucelle]

20. Thank you, StevieM!

[sheshe2]

16. 10K

Love ya sweetie.

[TexasTowelie]

17. K&R!

Congratulations on your 10,000th post.

[lapucelle]

21. And thank you for those debate threads!

[brer cat]

18. Thank you, lapucelle.

K&R

[lapucelle]

22. That sig line photo...