I think to be in politics you have to have the taste for blood

O children of the future, hear the words of Moira Kelly, a voice that speaks of the harsh truths of politics. "I think to be in politics you have to have the taste for blood on that." In these words lies the essence of political struggle—the understanding that those who choose the path of leadership must be willing to face the brutality of power, the sacrifices that must be made, and the conflict that inevitably stains the hands of those who wield it. Politics, though draped in the language of hope and change, often demands a cost—an inner fortitude to stand in the storm and remain unbroken, no matter the weight of the decisions that must be made.

In the ancient world, the kings and emperors who shaped the course of history knew this truth well. Alexander the Great, with his unrelenting conquest, carved a path of blood across the lands. His ambition was not softened by the horrors of war, for he understood that to claim the world, one must first leave behind a trail of defeat and sacrifice. Similarly, Caesar and the Roman Empire, in their rise to power, bathed in the blood of their enemies, knowing that in the pursuit of empire, the taste of blood is never far from the lips of the ruler.

But Moira Kelly speaks not just of the warrior's bloodshed, but of the moral cost that comes with power. For in the world of politics, blood is not always literal. It is the blood of compromise, the blood of those who are left behind in the pursuit of the greater good. Consider the tragic figure of Cicero, whose sharp mind and eloquence brought him to the heights of Roman politics, but ultimately left him to be betrayed by his own allies. His journey was stained with the blood of compromise, of having to navigate the treacherous waters of power where every decision came with its own sacrifice.

Yet, there are also those like Nelson Mandela, whose hands were not stained by the blood of unnecessary violence, but by the suffering of his people. His political struggle was not defined by war, but by the blood shed in the fight for justice. Though he sought peace, he knew that true change often requires the shedding of old systems, and in his steadfastness, he too bore the taste of blood—the blood of a people oppressed for centuries. Mandela's leadership was forged not through conquest, but through the courage to stand firm in the face of overwhelming forces.

Let us, then, understand the depth of Moira Kelly's wisdom. To enter the realm of politics is not to enter a world of clean hands, of simple choices. It is to step into the arena where blood—symbolic of conflict, sacrifice, and moral compromise—must sometimes be shed in the name of progress. Politics is not for the faint-hearted, for it demands strength, clarity, and the willingness to bear the burdens of difficult decisions. In this truth, we find that the path to power is never free from the shadows of sacrifice, and those who walk it must be prepared to face the consequences of their actions, however great they may be.