ByQuotes

Major Owens Quotes

Powerful Major Owens for Daily Growth

About Major Owens

Major Owens, born on March 29, 1936, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was an influential American politician, educator, and author who dedicated his career to public service and civil rights advocacy. Originally named Oliver Cromwell Porter III, he changed his name to Major Owens in the 1960s as a symbol of solidarity with the African diaspora. Owens served in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War before earning a B.A. from Lincoln University and an M.S.W. from the University of Pennsylvania. He worked as a social worker, educator, and civil rights activist before being elected to the New York City Council in 1973, where he served for seven years. In 1982, Owens was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, representing New York's 11th Congressional District until his retirement in 1999. During his tenure, he championed numerous social justice issues, including affordable housing, education, healthcare, and environmental protection. As an author, Owens penned several books that reflected his political beliefs and experiences. His most notable works include "The Fear of Change" (1986), a collection of speeches addressing the challenges facing America's urban communities, and "An Unbroken Spirit: A Political Autobiography" (1993), which chronicles his life and career in politics. Major Owens passed away on March 24, 2022, leaving behind a rich legacy of public service and commitment to social justice. His contributions to American politics and literature continue to inspire new generations of activists and writers today.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"We must reject the cynicism that tells us that we cannot make a difference, and embrace the idealism that urges us on."

This quote emphasizes the importance of maintaining optimism and hope in the face of challenges, rather than succumbing to pessimism or cynicism. It encourages individuals to believe that they can make a positive impact on their environment, society, or world at large, by not giving up or accepting defeat but instead working towards their ideals and goals with determination and enthusiasm. This quote serves as an empowering call-to-action to keep striving for improvement and progress in the face of adversity or overwhelming odds.

"The measure of a nation's greatness is not in its capacity for violence, but in its commitment to justice and peace."

This quote emphasizes that a nation's true greatness lies not in its ability to use force or engage in violence, but rather in its dedication towards upholding justice and fostering peace. It suggests that a peaceful resolution, fairness, and respect for human rights should be the primary indicators of a country's strength and achievement as opposed to military might or territorial expansion.

"In times of change, learners inherit the earth; while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists."

This quote emphasizes the importance of adaptability and learning in the face of change. It suggests that those who are open to new ideas, skills, and ways of thinking will thrive during periods when the world is evolving, while those who rely solely on their existing knowledge may struggle because the old ways no longer apply. The phrase "learners inherit the earth" implies that the ability to learn and adapt gives one an advantage in a changing world, making them the ones who prosper and succeed.

"To be truly radical is to make hope possible rather than despair convincing."

This quote suggests that true radicalism lies not in promoting despair, but in fostering hope. It implies that a genuine revolutionary spirit aims to create conditions where optimism and progress are achievable, rather than perpetuating a cycle of hopelessness or cynicism about the state of the world. In other words, real change is about making positive transformation more attainable, inspiring people to work towards it, rather than reinforcing feelings of powerlessness and pessimism.

"The greatest enemy of creativity is having an agenda."

This quote suggests that rigid preconceptions or agendas can stifle creativity because they limit our openness to new ideas and perspectives. When we have a fixed agenda, we tend to seek out information or solutions that fit within that framework, instead of being receptive to innovative thoughts that may challenge or deviate from it. To foster creativity, it's essential to approach problems with an open mind and be willing to consider unexpected possibilities. This allows us to explore new paths and find fresh solutions, ultimately leading to greater innovation and progress.

Those involved in the program are interested in how to use photography, videos, the Internet, film, and anything related to communications and transmission of information in the most up-to-date modern ways.

- Major Owens

Videos, Use, Program, Up-To-Date

We can close the gap and improve what happens in the classroom by using educational technology that is the same high quality everywhere.

- Major Owens

Using, Educational, High Quality

The whole community of people with disabilities was alive, politically alive. I give Justin Dart credit for that. He traveled to every state in the country. He really made people with disabilities understand that they had some political power.

- Major Owens

Country, Give, Some, Dart

People didn't always see a person with a disability who had to use a ramp or elevator as people who have been given unnecessary privileges. But I run into that often now. People are saying, 'Why do we have to go to great expense for these people?'

- Major Owens

Disability, Been, Privileges, Elevator

High gas prices are eating away at consumer's disposal income and could lead to a further economic downturn, especially for those whose livelihood depend on gasoline and diesel fuel.

- Major Owens

Income, Diesel, Downturn, Economic

We hope that the elected officials will respond positively to a ground swell of letters, phone calls, e-mails and visits from parents. The law clearly states that the responsibility for giving a sound basic education to our children lies with New York State.

- Major Owens

Education, Sound, Clearly, Letters

Even if gas prices fall, consumers will continue to be gouged at the pump the only thing that we can be sure rises faster that the price of gasoline is the skyrocketing profits of oil companies.

- Major Owens

Will, Sure, Profits, Pump

There's a kind of sick security some people get out of keeping away from people with disabilities. They are running away from any situation that's not totally pure and all-American and that requires them to do any thinking.

- Major Owens

Sick, Some, Away, All-American

Our government just won't enforce civil rights laws. The laws will be ignored.

- Major Owens

Government, Laws, Ignored, Enforce

I think some combined pressure could go a long way, could establish the fact that this legislation did pass and we mean business by it. We mean to have it enforced, we mean to have it become effective.

- Major Owens

Think, Some, Enforced, Establish

He testified that when you looked at it through the eyes of 'let's do it', the costs were very small. They were less than they'd had to spend to host a convention of transportation executives. The cost was not that great.

- Major Owens

Small, Through, Convention, Transportation

Education technology and school construction go together. Modernization, updating education facilities, and making a capital investment in education are all included.

- Major Owens

Making, Modernization, Facilities

In preparation for it, we need to have folks who are trained, we need facilities, equipment and supplies, that are going to be built into our society, and we are going to spend a lot of money on it.

- Major Owens

Need, Going, Trained, Facilities

It was the best route to get folks to understand segregation fast. Civil rights and women's rights had a clear history. Making the transition to rights for people with disabilities became easier because we had the history of the other two.

- Major Owens

Other, Making, Became, Transition

We need to get ready for a world where terrorism will not ever fully go away.

- Major Owens

World, Go Away, Ever, Fully

Technology tools such as laptops are the kind of help that we need. A program that provides laptops for all youngsters would close a gap that most of us are not aware of, or will not admit to, which is a tremendous gap in the poor communities.

- Major Owens

Will, Need, Which, Communities

There's a whole set of values, spawned by the vocal and highly visible Republicans, that appeal to the worst in people. Our society is moving in that direction.

- Major Owens

Visible, Set, Spawned, Highly

It is very difficult to get legislation passed. But then the danger always is that you have no power at all if you do not exercise constant power.

- Major Owens

Always, Constant, Very, Legislation

People's lives have to change as a result of this legislation.

- Major Owens

Change, Result, Lives, Legislation

It's a sad day when the leaders of the free world engage in such deception and trickery. I voted against this unnecessary war and will continue to argue that the best way to support our troops is to bring them home.

- Major Owens

Bring, Against, Best Way, Trickery

We can do it better, more consistently, and in the end, it will cost us less because the students that we produce will be superior to those without technology experience.

- Major Owens

Will, More, Cost, In The End

We can not wait until we have enough trained people willing to work at a teacher's salary and under conditions imposed upon teachers in order to improve what happens in the classroom.

- Major Owens

Wait, Imposed, Trained, Order

I have a great deal of respect and admiration for people who put themselves on the line.

- Major Owens

Admiration, Deal, Line, Great Deal

I will continue my activities related to education in one way or another. I certainly would have at the top my agenda, with respect to education, the need to do much better with modern educational technology.

- Major Owens

Education, Will, Certainly, Agenda

Children are already accustomed to a world that moves faster and is more exciting than anything a teacher in front of a classroom can do.

- Major Owens

Classroom, More, Anything, Accustomed

Excitement in education and student productivity, the ability to get a result that you want from students, go together and cannot be separated.

- Major Owens

Education, Want, Student, Excitement

The kind of society which we still have is maybe, in some cases, getting worse. Competition is becoming a virtue. Intense competition drives people to go more and more into self-interest. Even to see other folks as competition.

- Major Owens

Some, Still, Which, Self-Interest

The ownership of computers in the home is far less than the statistics show, because usually when the computer breaks down once, that is the end of it for a long, long time. They do not have the money or incentive to get the computer repaired.

- Major Owens

Show, Breaks, Less, Incentive

The first place to start is on enforcement. We who got the ADA passed did the hard part, the heavy lifting.

- Major Owens

Start, Part, Got, Enforcement

I do not think we are ever going to be able to, for a long time, get the kind of quality of school personnel that we need in our schools, especially in the areas of science and math. One of the answers to that problem is to use more educational technology.

- Major Owens

Answers, Use, Our, Math

If you're searching for quotes on a different topic, feel free to browse our Topics page or explore a diverse collection of quotes from various Authors to find inspiration.