I’m reminded increasingly these days of this quote by Howard Zinn, historian, activist, professor who died last year. It comes from his article, “The Optimism of Uncertainty”. If you do a search on this article, you’ll find it referenced in a number of places, for example:  The Nation on September 2, 2004 and CommonDream.org November 8, 2004.

“We don’t have to engage in grand, heroic actions to participate in the process of change. Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world. Even when we don’t “win,” there is fun and fulfillment in the fact that we have been involved, with other good people, in something worthwhile. We need hope. An optimist isn’t necessarily a blithe, slightly sappy whistler in the dark of our time.To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness. What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. [click to continue…]

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