The first step toward liberation of any group is to use the power in hand... And the power in hand is the vote. Helen Gahagan Douglas More Quotes by Helen Gahagan Douglas More Quotes From Helen Gahagan Douglas In trying to make something new, half the undertaking lies in discovering whether it can be done. Once it has been established that it can, duplication is inevitable. Helen Gahagan Douglas innovation trying lying Character isn't inherited. One builds it daily by the way one thinks and acts, thought by thought, action by action. If one lets fear or hate or anger take possession of the mind, they become self-forged chains. Helen Gahagan Douglas hate courage fear Democracy cannot long survive when the people permit their lives to be dominated - economically or politically - by a powerful few. Helen Gahagan Douglas powerful long people Character isn't inherited. One builds it daily by how one thinks and acts. Helen Gahagan Douglas character thinking To be free you must afford freedom to your neighbor, regardless of race, color, creed, or national origin, and that sometimes, for some, is very difficult. Helen Gahagan Douglas color race justice Politicians aren't any more wicked than other citizens but the situation in which they are placed warps their judgment. Helen Gahagan Douglas judgment wicked citizens I never felt I left the stage. Helen Gahagan Douglas left stage felt The discrepancy between American ideals and American practice - between our aims and what we actually do - creates a moral dry rot which eats away at the foundations of our democratic faith. Helen Gahagan Douglas discrepancies-between dry practice If you tell me that there are obstacles in the way of your ambition that make it impossible to pursue, then I know it's not a real ambition. There are always obstacles. The 'perversity of events,' as someone once called it, is always ready to lick us. Events are never right for achieving what we most want to achieve. If this were not so, there would be no real fun in being 17 -- or even in being alive. Helen Gahagan Douglas real ambition fun Such pip-squeaks as Nixon and McCarthy are trying to get us so frightened of Communism that we'll be afraid to turn out the lights at night. Helen Gahagan Douglas light trying night men never would share power with women willingly. If we wanted it, we would have to take it. Helen Gahagan Douglas power share men I realized that public affairs were also my affairs. I became active in politics because I saw the possibility, if we all sat back and did nothing, of a world in which there would no longer be any stages for actors to act on. Helen Gahagan Douglas political actors world There is no danger is letting people have their say. ... There is a danger when you try to stop them from saying it. Helen Gahagan Douglas free-speech trying people If the national security is involved, anything goes. There are no rules. There are people so lacking in roots about what is properand what is improper that they don't know there's anything wrong in breaking into the headquarters of the opposition party. Helen Gahagan Douglas party roots people We cannot legislate equality but we can legislate ... equal opportunity for all. Helen Gahagan Douglas equal equality opportunity Nothing can be controlled by one country today; nothing. Helen Gahagan Douglas imperialism today country if we pursue the arms race no other problem will be solved. Helen Gahagan Douglas arms race war Freedom is not won on the battlefields. The chance for freedom is won there. The final battle is won or lost in our hearts and minds. Helen Gahagan Douglas freedom mind heart The ... irrational fear of communism is being deliberately used in many quarters to blind us to our real problems. Helen Gahagan Douglas irrational-fear problem real You cannot barter security for freedom, or freedom for security. Helen Gahagan Douglas security
