Frederick Douglass Quote

"The whole history of the progress of human liberty shows that all concessions yet made to her august claims have been born of earnest struggle. If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet deprecate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground, they want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters."

by:	Frederick Douglass [Frederick Baily] (1818-1895), escaped slave, Abolitionist, author, editor of the North Star and later the New National Era
Source:	Frederick Douglass, in an address on West India Emancipation (4 August 1857)
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Categories:	Emancipation, History, Liberty, Progress, Responsibility, Vigilance, Wisdom
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That I could rate this multiple times. The current earnest struggle is once again spoken of in terms from slavery.  -- Mike, Norwalk      3
-- allen, DC
The awful roar of its many waters ... increases by the day.  -- Ron, Snellville      2
-- Jill Cohen, Middlebury
-- jim k, Austin,Tx
-- Justin, Elkland
He wrote this 4 years before the Civil War. The war was undertaken by the Feds against those in various states who would never give in to freedom for all. We still need to be orgainized and vigilant against those who would deny us clean air, energy etcetera. Some however want as in the South of yore want the freedom to enslave, dirty the environment and do what ever they wish in total disregard of the earth or their fellow man. These are the ones we must struggle against.  -- Waffler, Smith      4
Wow Waffler, you had better be careful, you are starting to sound like a libertarian that desires to abide the law of nature and of Nature's God. That statist theology that denies clean air, killing nuclear generating stations and, energy to its patrons while ensuring their enslavement, not allowing safe and clean drilling of oil from the largest deposits on earth (Utah, Wyoming, S. & N. Dakota, etc.) is the most blatant example of your diatribe. Those South of yore, that want to enslave, such as Mr. Obamunist Goodwrench the assign, claim complete authority to kill people around the globe but limited authority to protect our shores from biblical scale environmental disasters (-; quick, find a life jacket ;-). Total disregard for their fellow man brings to mind individuals that won't allow a home owner to do with their own property that which they feel would enhance value. Waffler, you are right, "These are the ones we must struggle against."  -- Mike, Norwalk      3
-- RBESRQ
Wow!  -- Elisabeth, Astoria, NY
The real enemy, of course, are those that aim to live off of the labors of the industrious. The politically ambitious know that public apathy is their cash cow.  -- E Archer, NYC      2
Mikr I think Mr. O is doing just the right thing. First his enemies attacked for not doing anything about the oil brouhaha. Then he secured a guarantee of $20 billion and his enemies attacked him and the government for doing something or for doing to much. Don't you really think there is really something wrong with these enemies of the Prez. I mean really, truly. who are the bums? And what does Carol mean when she says "Remember in November". What I will remember is "Drill Baby Drill" and "there is no such thing as global warming or cliamte change" I'll remember people like Michell Backman, and Sarah Palin, and Rush Limbaugh. and Ron and Rand, ad nauseum. These are the bums whose politcal demise I see and will work for and will struggle against. And I will work to destoy those who are against cruising.  -- Waffler, Smith      3
Waffler, the $20 billion is an off topic diversion. BP needs pay for the damages done, that is absolutely clear and the law but, how does that stop the oil from flowing, enhance the immediate clean up / damage control or fix the problem at hand in any way? It doesn't ! ! ! It only diverts focus. And, Mr. Obamunist Goodwrench the assassin is severely derelict in his office's duties. He is not a leader, he is an assassin and bully. If you will remember "Drill Baby Drill", why is it that the assassin and bully won't allow drilling in Utah, Wyoming, S. & N. Dakota, etc., the largest known oil reserves in the world. It would be safe and non-threatening compared to offshore deep water drilling. There is so much oil within the continental U.S. that the statist theocracy that infests this land could even pay off all international debt while eliminating all theft of the noble laborer's fruit. Really and truly, the bums are the vast majority of Democrats, Republicans and otherwise patrons of the statist theocracy that infest this land that are in office currently. I'm sure what Carol means by "Remember in November", is throw the bums out, ALL THE BUMS!  -- Mike, Norwalk      3
The globe now has its biggest struggle, against American imperialism... and while apathy reigns supreme, it will continue, unabated....  -- Robert, St. Emilion, France      1
Robert, my observation also. Editor, thank you for your years of diligence in excellence. Thank you for all the work connected to this great site. - THANK YOU ! ! !  -- Mike, Norwalk      2
-- Ronw13, Yachats Or
Smart and eloquent man.  -- Howard Romano, Bangkok      2
But Waffler should remember, that the North was the aggressor in the war of Northern aggression.  Which by the way, is a violation of natural law.  I don't believe that Douglas was advocating war against the South.  One must remember, a slave is a slave by choice.  -- Howard Romano, Bangkok      2
-- Ronw13, OR
Duly noted, progress with the accompanying challenges, quite unconventional for the conventional, with their mental illness reject both. We need an unconventional mentally healthy attitude towards progress and accept the challenges.  -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown

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