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Barbara Jordan

Barbara Jordan Quotes

American Politician

Barbara Jordan was a prominent American politician known for her influential career as a lawyer and a member of the United States House of Representatives. Born on February 21, 1936, she served as a member of the Texas House of Representatives and later as a U.S. Representative from Texas. Jordan was the first African American woman to serve in the Texas Senate and the first African American woman elected to Congress from the South. She was known for her eloquence and her advocacy for civil rights and social justice.

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All People Ifs Immigration America Political Want Belief Common Government Party Believe Community Should African American Country Democratic Party National Community Nations Promise Way

Famous Barbara Jordan Quotes

“If you're going to play the game [politics] properly, you'd better know every rule.”

Ifs Knows Play Games

Author:Barbara Jordan

“Things which matter cost money, and we've got to spend the money if we do not want to have generations of parasites rather than generations of productive citizens.”

Ifs Want Matter Generations Citizens Cost Productive Parasites

Author:Barbara Jordan

“If you are dissatisfied with they way things are, then you have got to resolve to change them.”

Ifs Way Resolve Dissatisfied

Author:Barbara Jordan

“Think what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about three o'clock every afternoon and then lay down on our blankets for a nap.”

“If we promise as public officials, we must deliver. If we as public officials propose, we must produce.”

Ifs Politics Produce Promise Officials Propose Public Officials

Author:Barbara Jordan

“Let each person do his or her part. If one citizen is unwilling to participate, all of us are going to suffer. For the American idea, though it is shared by all of us, is realized in each one of us.”

Ifs Persons Ideas Suffering Citizens Unwilling

Author:Barbara Jordan

“Let there be no illusions about the difficulty of forming this kind of a national community. It's tough, difficult, not easy. But a spirit of harmony will survive in America only if each of us remembers that we share a common destiny.”

Ifs Kind America Remember Spirit Easy Difficult Community Common Destiny Share Illusion Tough Difficulty Harmony National Community

Author:Barbara Jordan

“Let us heed the voice of the people and recognize their common sense. If we do not, we not only blaspheme our political heritage, we ignore the common ties that bind all Americans.”

People Ifs Political Voice Common Common Sense Ties Heritage Heed Ties That Bind

Author:Barbara Jordan

“There is no executive order; there is no law that can require the American people to form a national community. This we must do as individuals and if we do it as individuals, there is no President of the United States who can veto that decision.”

People Ifs States Form Law Order Individual President Community Decision United United States Executives Veto Executive Orders National Community

Author:Barbara Jordan

“We must not become the new puritans and reject our society. We must address and master the future together. It can be done if we restore the belief that we share a sense of national community, that we share a common national endeavor. It can be done.”

Ifs Done Together Belief Community Common Share Masters Addresses Our Society Rejects Endeavor Puritan National Community Futures Together

Author:Barbara Jordan

“A spirit of harmony can only survive if each of us remembers, when bitterness and self-interest seem to prevail, that we share a common destiny.”

Ifs Self Seems Remember Spirit Peace Interest Common Destiny Share Harmony Equality Bitterness Remember When Self Interest Ubuntu

Book:Barbara C. Jordan--selected Speeches

Source: Barbara C. Jordan--selected Speeches

“If the society today allows wrongs to go unchallenged, the impression is created that those wrongs have the approval of the majority.”

Ifs Today Peace Majority Activism Impression Approval Philanthropy Ubuntu Society Today

Book:Barbara Jordan: Speaking the Truth With Eloquent Thunder

Source: Barbara Jordan: Speaking the Truth With Eloquent Thunder

“I spent my entire career trying to protect the Constitution, the civil rights and the civil liberties of American citizens and people who are here lawfully. I, as chair of this commission, would not be a party to any system that I felt was an unpardonable intrusion into the private lives of people. If I felt that what we are recommending would be such an intrusion I can assure you that recommendation would never have seen the light of day, not even as a pilot program.”

“We can certainly defuse the intensity of the anti-immigrant feeling if we can bring some reality to the discussion by showing that they are not using that many resources.”

Ifs Feelings Reality Resources Immigration Discussion Immigrants Intensity

Author:Barbara Jordan

“All my growth and development led me to believe that if you really do the right thing, and if you play by the rules, and if you?ve got good enough, solid judgment and common sense, that you?re going to be able to do whatever you want to do with your life.”

Ifs Want Believe Enough Play Able Growth Common Inspirational Life Development Judgment Common Sense Right Thing Good Enough Do Whatever You Want

Author:Barbara Jordan

“If youre going to play the game properly, youd better know every rule.”

Ifs Knows Play Political Games Politics Words Of Wisdom African American

Author:Barbara Jordan

“If you had to work in the environment of Washington, D.C., as I do, and watch those men who are so imprisoned and so confined by their eighteenth-century thought patterns, you would know that if anybody is going to be liberated, it's men who must be liberated in this country.”

Ifs Knows Men Country Work Watches Environment Century Patterns Confined Liberated

Book:Barbara Jordan, a self-portrait

Source: Barbara Jordan, a self-portrait

About the Author

Born: February 21, 1936
Died: January 17, 1996
Known for: American Politician
Quotes: 85

Related Topics

People Ifs Immigration America Political Want Belief Common Government Party Believe Community Should African American Country Democratic Party National Community Nations Promise Way

Popular Topics

People Ifs Thinking Knows Men World Way Want Love Life Inspirational Needs Giving Feels Should Writing Trying Years Mind Firsts

Books & Sources

Barbara Jordan, a self-portraitRelated source material

Barbara Jordan: Speaking the Truth With Eloquent ThunderRelated source material

Barbara C. Jordan--selected SpeechesRelated source material

Great Speeches Collection 1 - AUDIO EDITIONRelated source material

The Great Society: A Twenty Year CritiqueRelated source material

We Rise: Speeches by Inspirational Black WomenRelated source material

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