"My friends, we've come to Philadelphia – the birthplace of our nation – because what happened in this city 240 years ago still has something to teach us today. We all know the story. But we usually focus on how it turned out - and not enough on how close that story came to never being written at all. When representatives from 13 unruly colonies met just down the road from here, some wanted to stick with the King. Some wanted to stick it to the king, and go their own way. The revolution hung in the balance. Then somehow they began listening to each other … compromising … finding common purpose. And by the time they left Philadelphia, they had begun to see themselves as one nation. That's what made it possible to stand up to a King. That took courage. They had courage. Our Founders embraced the enduring truth that we are stronger together. America is once again at a moment of reckoning. Powerful forces are threatening to pull us apart. Bonds of trust and respect are fraying. And just as with our founders, there are no guarantees. It truly is up to us. We have to decide whether we all will work together so we all can rise together."
More by Hillary Clinton
See allResonant Thoughts
"Manifestly, in any organization men should move from the bottom up to the top. That develops loyalty, ambition and talent, because there is a chance for promotion. Never inject a man into the top if i…"
Explore Further
Related Quotes
"My father worked from ten to fourteen hours a day and sometimes during the night, for which he never receiv…"
— Angelo Herndon"...the power has never disarmed, is today in certain respects stronger than ever, possesses a much better d…"
— Houston Stewart Chamberlain"The most important person is the one you are with in this moment."
— Leo Tolstoy"It's important to be open to new experiences. I recently went to Disneyland for the first time in 20 years.…"
— Lulu (singer)"That was the dominance of network television at that time. There was no competition. was the only game in t…"
— Jerry Seinfeld"It is far more likely that by the time nationalization has become the rule, and private enterprise the exce…"
— George Bernard Shaw