"It's a tough thing, to know what to do about a war that deep in your gut you feel is wrong and yet watch your peers going off to fight in that war."

Action

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Insight & Reflection

This reflection on action by George McGovern resonates across generations. It highlights a fundamental truth about human nature: our continuous search for meaning in action is what ultimately defines our character and our path forward.

About George McGovern

George Stanley McGovern was an American politician, diplomat, and historian from South Dakota who served in both chambers of the United States Congress, first as a member of the United States House of Representatives representing South Dakota's 1st congressional district from 1957 to 1961, and then as a United States Senator from 1963 to 1981. McGovern also served as the director of Food for Peace in 1961 and 1962 under President John F. Kennedy. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the party's presidential nominee in the 1972 presidential election.

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Editorial Note: This quote is curated and fact-checked by the Quotes Archive Editorial Team. Verified Literature Specialist.

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"The highest patriotism is not a blind acceptance of official policy, but a love of one's country deep enough to call her to a higher plain."

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"I think it was my study of history that convinced me that the Democratic Party was more on the side of the average American."

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More about Action

"It is a essential truth that rise early, act with intent, and let your accomplishments speak with silent authority — an essential principle for the reflective life."

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"When you're around me and really see that all I do is live and breathe for my work, it's not strange, it's just Gaga."

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"You can't take money from the taxpayers out of the treasury to give it to pay off your political donors. That's corruption to do that."

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