Van Jones' msg to liberals: Don't give in to despair!

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Tue Nov-23-10 09:14 AM
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Van Jones' msg to liberals: Don't give in to despair!

It�s your victories that give you your confidence but it�s your setbacks that give you your character.

Van Jones' msg to liberals: Don't give in to despair! (w/PHOTOS)

by Eclectablog

Last week in Ann Arbor, Van Jones spoke at the Ecology Center's 40th anniversary. Held on the campus of the University of Michigan, the event was a fundraiser but also an opportunity for Van Jones to share his thoughts on Michigan's role in the environmental movement, the success of places like the Ecology Center and why now is not the time for progressive liberals to give in to despair. In fact, NOW, he said, is the time when we're most needed.

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He started out talking about the role Michigan has played in the environmental movement as well as progressives' self esteem issues.

Michigan is the place that is both the wellspring for our industrial prowess as a nation but it�s also the wellspring for our environmental consciousness. Same special place. People talk about the rust belt aspect but they overlook the blue belt aspect. We�ve got more fresh water here and better-protected than any place else in the world. So there�s a reason that the work of the Ecology Center is so important and the work than many of do here as allies of the Ecology Center is so important. Because the future of our country, and really for our planet, hinges right here in Michigan. This is the "Flex Point" and part of the challenge I think we have as a movement is that we�ve got low self-esteem. And I say that because when the other side takes a hit, they get MAD. When WE take a hit, we get sad.

It�s your victories that give you your confidence but it�s your setbacks that give you your character. I have a son. He's six years old. He is an EXTRAORDINARY soccer player. I know you think YOUR son is an extraordinary soccer player � I'm sure you do � but MY son is an AMAZING soccer player! And I'm expecting to retire early as soon as he finishes grade school and goes professional. But we never worry about him when he wins. We worry about him when he loses. That's when the parenting matters the most. It's when he misses a shot and wants to stomp off the field and go home. That's when we've got to say, "Hold on a sec. You're not going to win every game. You're not going to make every shot. But you've got to have the character to take a loss, learn the lesson and then get back out there."

And that's what we've got to do as a movement, folks. We've got to be able to take these moments and use them to build ourselves up. That's where we are. And you already have created here a politics that, if we are going to save the earth, the politics you've have created here will be a key, not just in this country but in countries around the world. And not just in this state but in states across America.

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He went on to talk about one of these victories in particular:

What am I talking about? I'm talking about the incredible miracle you get no credit for. But you created a miracle for this country in 2009 when you were able to build enough of a consensus around John Dingell to help him move from being one of the biggest obstructionist forces for sane climate policy -- because he was concerned about workers, not because he hated the environment, but because he was concerned about workers � that he'd sit there, he had the key in his hand to move things forward in the House or keep things where they were. And because of people in this room and because of your commitment and your understanding that this could be good for workers. And it could be good for kids with asthma inhalers in their pocket. That it could be good for public health. You were able to build a way of thinking and talking that let him do the right thing. As a result of your commitment and your understanding about balancing all of these issues, because your holistic, ecological approach, you were able to open the doorway to the US House of Representatives passing, for the first time ever, a comprehensive climate bill.

Now, just because things got stuck on stupid in the Senate, you don't stomp off the court. That was an extraordinary victory. And it creates a blueprint � or "greenprint" � for every other state and city and elected leader to find their way to a good place. So just because we didn't get it all done in the past 18 months doesn't mean that you haven't been successful. And that is, I think, an important thing for us to take away from this past two years.