I don’t measure America by its achievement but by its potential.
Meaning of the quote
This quote means that Shirley Chisholm did not judge how great America is by looking at what it has already done, but by thinking about all the amazing things it could still do in the future. She believed that America's true greatness lies in its ability to keep growing and improving, not just in its past accomplishments.
More quotes from Shirley Chisholm
The liberals in the House strongly resemble liberals I have known through the last two decades in the civil rights conflict. When it comes time to show on which side they will be counted, they excuse themselves.
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When morality comes up against profit, it is seldom that profit loses.
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I don’t measure America by its achievement but by its potential.
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Of my two handicaps, being female put many more obstacles in my path than being black.
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There is little place in the political scheme of things for an independent, creative personality, for a fighter. Anyone who takes that role must pay a price.
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Tremendous amounts of talent are lost to our society just because that talent wears a skirt.
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The emotional, sexual, and psychological stereotyping of females begins when the doctor says: It’s a girl.
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At present, our country needs women’s idealism and determination, perhaps more in politics than anywhere else.
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Congress seems drugged and inert most of the time… its idea of meeting a problem is to hold hearings or, in extreme cases, to appoint a commission.
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Service is the rent that you pay for room on this earth.
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You don’t make progress by standing on the sidelines, whimpering and complaining. You make progress by implementing ideas.
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