Accepting Quote by Mark Shields
“I believe devoutly that the national election is the closest thing we have to a civic sacrament of democracy. And I really do think that heed must be paid, and when people make a decision, those who are on the other side, including me, accept it, for that reason.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Public commentary, 2008
Democracy requires treating elections as sacred civic duties and respecting outcomes even when disagreeing.
In simple terms: Elections are a civic rite that must be respected.
Key Takeaway
Respect election results and uphold democratic norms.
Themes
civic duty
respect
democracy
Mood
serious
reflective
Type
political
inspirational
When to use this quote
- voting
- public discourse
- political debates
- election night
- policy making
Key Concepts
political legitimacy
civic responsibility
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we foster respect for opposing views?
- What responsibilities follow voting?
A Different Perspective
Respect does not guarantee agreement on policies.
![“The folks like myself that do this for a living, we were expecting a regular campaign had built the databases, done all the new social media, learned our lessons from [Barack] Obama whipping us twice on how to do voter contact, and then Donald Trump gets in it and turns it into a national election.” quote by Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0bb/melissa-harris-perry-10452_barack_the-folks-like-myself-that-do-this-for-a_2002718.jpg)
![“My church [Catholisism] is hurting from arrogance and from its indifference to the suffering of children that were abused and the inclination of the leadership to protect the institution, rather than the children.” quote by Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/14e/mark-shields-1572_arrogance_my-church-catholisism-is-hurting-from-ar_144776.jpg)
