Quotes by Patricia Ireland

I don't think you lead by pessimism and cynicism. I think you lead by optimism and enthusiasm and energy.

— Patricia Ireland

Wisdom

Jesus never said anything about homosexuality.

— Patricia Ireland

Wisdom

The Violence Against Women Act is so important. It provides money to train the cop on the beat, to train the judges that this is a new day, that we won't tolerate this violence and to know how to deal with it.

— Patricia Ireland

Wisdom

And of course we are familiar with the English common law rule of thumb that said a man could in fact use a stick no bigger than his thumb to discipline his wife and family.

— Patricia Ireland

Wisdom

When I hear traditional family values raised, I hear that effort once again to re-establish the man as head and master of his family. Who had the, not only the right, but the obligation to discipline his wife and children to keep them in line?

— Patricia Ireland

Success

Some of us may just, in one-on-one conversations with our family, with our friends, over the back fence with our neighbors, talk about the reality of our lives and realize that we're not alone, that we have a right to be physically safe and emotionally safe in our own homes.

— Patricia Ireland

Friendship

The opposition has moved from a blaming the victim to blaming the victim's advocate's statistics. Irrespective of what the numbers are, it's far too many.

— Patricia Ireland

Wisdom

I want to organize so that women see ourselves as people who are entitled to power, entitled to leadership.

— Patricia Ireland

Wisdom

In any grass-roots campaign, building an ongoing base of support is as important as winning the ultimate goal.

— Patricia Ireland

Success

Extremely strong, effective, tenacious, and powerful political networks can be built when you fight losing battles as well as when you win.

— Patricia Ireland

Success

I want to reach young women and to get them involved in the mission of the YWCA, economic empowerment of women and girls, and ending racism.

— Patricia Ireland

Wisdom

The way to be a man if you're a little boy is to be willing to throw your weight around.

— Patricia Ireland

Wisdom

I know that it isn't just violence against women, it's how do we support ourselves and our families, how do we deal with health care for ourselves and our families? It's a bigger picture.

— Patricia Ireland

Wisdom

When I started law school I was shocked to learn that our legal system traditionally had the man as the head and master of the family. As late as the '70s and '80s when we were fighting for the Equal Rights Amendment, states like Louisiana still had a head and master law.

— Patricia Ireland

Education

They plan to ride into the White House on the Sweet Talk Express. Well, think again. Bush and Cheney are not compassionate conservatives. They are ruthless reactionaries.

— Patricia Ireland

Wisdom

Some campaigns are not worth waging if you can't win; others have to be fought on grounds of principle regardless of the chances for success.

— Patricia Ireland

Success

Violence may be a good focus to organize around, but we have to look at women's lives in our entirety.

— Patricia Ireland

Wisdom

Advice and consent does not mean rubber stamp in the Senate.

— Patricia Ireland

Wisdom

I come from a Christian faith. I am not going to give you insight into my particular beliefs.

— Patricia Ireland

Wisdom

Most of us see Justice O'Connor as something of an icon, although we do not agree with all of her decisions.

— Patricia Ireland

Wisdom

Some of those men in power, we just have to change their faces because we're not going to change their minds.

— Patricia Ireland

Wisdom

Stewardesses are still paid so little that in many cases, new hires qualify for food stamps.

— Patricia Ireland

Wisdom

We always knew when we took on the issue of violence against women that somehow our opposition would come after us.

— Patricia Ireland

Wisdom

We may be in a tough time right now, but when we are in a tough time is when our movement gets really strong.

— Patricia Ireland

Wisdom