"Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checked by failure...than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat." T. Roosevelt.
Once again this evening I have the honor of serving my community as we face an uncertain and bleak financial future. Still, I have every confidence that our Mayor has lead us to this place with expert precision and sound judgment and every confidence that our City Council is pure at heart if not yet adept at execution.
Our first session is opened with a lesson on citizenship from Roman times: The word "democracy" (Greek: δημοκρατια) combines the elements Fdemos (δημος, which means "people") and Ukratos (κρατος, which means "force" or "power"). We are reminded that a citizen is a member of a state or nation who owes allegiance to its government and is entitled to its protection. With citizenship comes responsibility - thus I am here today, thus I was here yesterday, and will be tomorrow.
I sometimes wonder what my father would say if he were alive today - his daughter remembers his pleads for to her to turn on the news, if for just 30 minutes to view the world. She laughs and thinks she is he incarnate.
