( S-R photo by J. Bart Rayniak )

Sally Jackson, longtime Spokane Valley civic activist, shared her wisdom in our Civic Elder feature today.

Here are some excerpts:

•Good candidates are like good athletes. They understand the game. They understand their goals. They have a clear vision. Bad politicians are like bad athletes: Self-serving, greedy, unprincipled.

•Waking up in the morning and getting out of bed at my age is a challenge. I do one exercise every day. I lie on my back and do a pushup. If there’s no coffin lid, I’m up and running.

•I’ve been very outspoken against Spokane Valley incorporation. It’s gained me some enemies. Anytime you walk out your front door and have opinions, you get enemies. But it’s also gained me a lot of friends.

•If the conditions were the same in this country right now as in 1776, I don’t think we’d fight the Revolutionary War. I think people are so happy with their TV, with their computers, that they wouldn’t get out and do what needs to be done. We’d still belong to England. Isn’t that pathetic?

Do you agree with Jackson that Americans today would be too distracted/lazy/apathetic to fight for independence from England?