Kerry's speech in Martha's Vineyard, described as a rousing speech against isolationism

[karynnj]

https://vineyardgazette.com/news/2017/07/28/stirring-speech-john-kerry-decries-isolationism-calls-marthas-vineyard-home

2 excerpts:

“The great American novelist Thomas Wolfe wrote prophetically, ‘you can’t go home,’ and I’ve experienced a few moments and places where perhaps that’s proven true,” Mr. Kerry said. “But I want you to know that after four years on the road and 1.5 million miles as Secretary of State, I can tell you right here, Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, it is really good to be home.”

< snip>

Finally, Mr. Kerry issued a scathing denunciation of President Trump’s recent decision to abandon the Paris accords, a voluntary set of standards and goals to reduce the effect of climate change agreed to by nearly every nation in the world. His signature is on the document. He noted that though the United States is no longer part of the accord, 37 U.S. states have committed to continue meeting the environmental standards to reduce climate changing pollution.

“President Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris agreement is an unprecedented forfeiture of American leadership,” Mr. Kerry said. “It is not only not based on any fact or any science, it is based on a lie to the American people, that somehow Paris imposed a burden on America that was intolerable, when in fact it imposes no burden on anybody. We are already halfway to Paris. We will not only meet Paris, we will exceed the goals of Paris. Trump may pull out of Paris, but the American people will not.”

<snip>
He ended the evening with an impassioned plea for citizen activism, speaking directly and bluntly to the receptive crowd. He called “citizen” one of the most important words in our language.

“Nobody here has a right to sit on their rear end and not be engaged politically and actively as a citizen,” Mr. Kerry said.

https://vineyardgazette.com/news/2017/07/28/stirring-speech-john-kerry-decries-isolationism-calls-marthas-vineyard-home

Along with Obama's dignified comment praising those that were activists to save Obamacare, this is another eloquent voice speaking of the serious issues that face the country. What a contrast to the man occupying the WH who is green lighting the most disgusting public comments from anyone in any administration, suggesting that police should be abusive, and speaking inappropriately to a group of young boy scouts.

Going through my head (with apologies to McCartney) as I write this -

Yesterday all my troubles seemed so far away.
Now it looks as though they're here to stay.
Oh, I believe in yesterday.

Suddenly we're not half the country we used to be.
There's a shadow hanging over me.
Oh, yesterday came suddenly.

[YvonneCa]

1. The 'citizen' quote is a favorite...

...of mine. I framed it for my grandchildren a few years back.

[MBS]

2. My favorite bits:

“Many people are again drawn to the fool’s gold that tempts people with the promise that if we just retreat within our borders, loosen our ties to each other and to the rest of the world, we can actually somehow do better going it alone and focusing on our own societies,” Mr. Kerry told a sell-out crowd at the Old Whaling Church.“History tells us starkly, that, what I just described, is not how you make America great. That is how you make America cut off, alone, and vulnerable to threats that have no respect for borders. How sad it is and disturbing it is for me to see people who know better turning their backs on the realities of what’s happening day to day in our nation’s capital. Good people are not speaking out for what they know is not normal, is not right, is not appropriate. They seem to be more concerned about power and party than they are about nation and values.”He spoke as part of the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center Summer Institute series. The event was moved to the Old Whaling Church to accommodate the large attendance. Every seat in the church was filled. . .

. . .

“President Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris agreement is an unprecedented forfeiture of American leadership,” Mr. Kerry said. “It is not only not based on any fact or any science, it is based on a lie to the American people, that somehow Paris imposed a burden on America that was intolerable, when in fact it imposes no burden on anybody. We are already halfway to Paris. We will not only meet Paris, we will exceed the goals of Paris. Trump may pull out of Paris, but the American people will not.”. .

. . .
He interspersed his address with humorous anecdotes. The one which drew the most laughter was about a climate change fact finding mission to Antarctica, also at the expense of President Trump. “On the day of the election,” he said, “I was winging my way to Antarctica, and when the results came out the next day, I felt like staying there.” He ended the evening with an impassioned plea for citizen activism, speaking directly and bluntly to the receptive crowd. He called “citizen” one of the most important words in our language. “Nobody here has a right to sit on their rear end and not be engaged politically and actively as a citizen,” Mr. Kerry said.

Wow, what a quality team we had - Obama, Biden, and Kerry. Moniz at Energy, too.
Sigh.
I sure hope we can survive this nightmare.
Thanks for posting this, karynnj. Good to be reminded that the real, best America is still here And if we work (as Kerry said) and continue to push for what's right, we hopefully be that America to the world again.