“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man [or woman] who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
One of the greatest observations ever made about leadership, activism, and public service wasn’t written by a politician seeking votes or a social media influencer seeking likes. It was spoken by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1910 during his famous “Man in the Arena” speech at the Sorbonne in Paris. More than a century later, his words may be more relevant than ever.
We live in an age where everyone has a platform. Social media has given ordinary people extraordinary power to communicate, organize, inform, and advocate. At its best, it has democratized information and amplified voices that were once ignored. At its worst, it has created an army of anonymous critics who spend their days tearing down the work of others from behind fake profiles, nameless accounts, and faceless pages.
They criticize elected officials but have never attended a public meeting! They attack activists but have never organized or even attended a rally! They condemn journalists but have never investigated a story! They ridicule community leaders but have never led anything beyond a comment section! They question the motives of those doing the work while risking absolutely nothing themselves! President Roosevelt had a message for these people. “It is not the critic who counts.” Those words cut through the noise today just as they did in 1910.
The people who deserve the credit are not the ones sitting comfortably behind keyboards offering endless criticism and making baseless accusations. The credit belongs to those willing to step into the arena. The people whose names, reputations, and livelihoods are attached to their actions. The people who show up when others stay home. The people who speak when silence would be easier. The people who take risks, knowing they will be criticized regardless of what they do.
The truth is that anyone can criticize. It’s not the same as holding those in power’s feet to the fire. It takes no courage to disagree just for the sake of being disagreeable. It takes no sacrifice. It requires no accountability. It doesn’t even require what you write, and post have any real truth to it. You can misrepresent the facts and it doesn’t require any real accountability. The anonymous social media page can post accusations, spread rumors, attack character, and disappear without consequence. They never have to answer questions. They never have to defend their claims. They never have to stand before the community and be accountable for what they say.
Those actually doing the work do. Community activists do. Journalists do. Many Clergy members do. Educators do. Public servants do. Nonprofit leaders do. Parents fighting for their children do. People speaking for those who cannot speak for themself do. People who fight for those who cannot fight for themselves do. Every person who chooses action over apathy understands that mistakes will happen. No meaningful work is done perfectly. No movement advances without setbacks. No leader succeeds without criticism. The people in the arena understand this. Yet they continue anyway.
As the co-founder with Damon K. Jones of Black Westchester, we have seen this reality firsthand. As Black Westchester approaches its 12th anniversary of giving you “The News With The Black Point Of View,” I find myself reflecting on the journey, the victories, the setbacks, and the countless voices that have emerged along the way—both supporters and critics. One thing I have learned over the past twelve years is that there will always be people willing to criticize those who are doing the work.
President Theodore Roosevelt captured this reality perfectly in his famous 1910 “Man in the Arena” speech when he said:
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.”
For more than a decade, as Editor-In-Chief, we have reported stories others would not touch. We have asked difficult questions. We have challenged systems of power. We have advocated for communities that often feel unheard. Have we made mistakes? Of course. Have we gotten everything right? No. But every article, every interview, every event, every community conversation was done openly and publicly. Our names are attached to our work. We stand behind what we write. We answer for it. That is what being in the arena looks like.
What has always fascinated me is how many of the loudest critics operate from the shadows. They hide behind anonymous social media accounts, fake profiles, and nameless pages. Their countless anonymous pages and nameless profiles appear whenever controversy emerges. They offer criticism but no solutions. Condemnation but no contribution. Cynicism but no commitment. They are experts on what everyone else should do. Yet they do nothing themselves. The challenge facing our communities today is not a lack of critics. We have more critics than ever before. The challenge is a shortage of people willing to do the work.
A shortage of people willing to run for office! A shortage of people willing to volunteer! A shortage of people willing to organize! A shortage of people willing to mentor! A shortage of people willing to build institutions that will outlive them! Real change has never been created by spectators. It has always been created by participants. By people willing to enter the arena despite the certainty of criticism.
So, to those who continue to fight for better schools, safer streets, affordable housing, criminal justice reform, economic opportunity, and stronger communities—keep going. To the journalists who continue to pursue truth. To the activists who continue to demand justice and speak truth to power. To the community leaders who continue to serve. To the elected officials who continue to make difficult decisions. Keep going.
Because history rarely remembers the anonymous critic hiding behind a screen name. History remembers the people who dared to enter the arena. The people who dared greatly. The people who had the audacity showed up, despite the odds. The people who fought. The people who tried. And whether they succeeded or failed, they earned something the critics never will: The right to say they were actually in the arena.
History Remembers The Doers, Not The Trolls! And That’s REAL TALK!!!
