If we had any nerve at all, if we had any real balls as a

Hear now the voice of Jerry Garcia, whose music touched the restless souls of his age, but whose words strike even deeper than song: “If we had any nerve at all, if we had any real balls as a society, or whatever you need, whatever quality you need, real character, we would make an effort to really address the wrongs in this society, righteously.” These words are not gentle—they are a challenge, a call to courage. They remind us that the greatest failure of men and women is not ignorance of injustice, but the lack of will to face it.

For every society knows its wrongs. They are not hidden: poverty in the streets, corruption in high places, divisions of race, class, and creed. These wrongs are whispered about, debated endlessly, yet too often left unresolved. Why? Because to confront them requires nerve, character, and sacrifice. It is easier to look away, easier to entertain ourselves with distractions than to face the hard labor of truth. Garcia’s lament is that we already know what must be done, but we lack the courage to do it.

Consider the American civil rights movement. For centuries, Black men and women were denied freedom, dignity, and equality. The wrong was visible to all, yet how many had the character to confront it? It took the courage of Rosa Parks to refuse her seat, the voice of Martin Luther King Jr. to call for justice, the marches of countless ordinary people to face dogs, hoses, and prison. Their nerve exposed the cowardice of a nation content to look away. By their righteous defiance, they proved Garcia’s point: only when people summon courage do societies begin to heal their deepest wounds.

History gives us more examples. In South Africa, apartheid reigned as law, stripping millions of their humanity. For decades, many accepted it as the natural order, until voices like Nelson Mandela’s called forth the true character of the people. Years of prison did not break him; instead, his courage became a beacon that forced the world to reckon with this evil. Here again we see the truth of Garcia’s words: it is not the knowledge of wrongs that is lacking, but the nerve to confront them.

The wisdom in this quote is sharp: a society without courage is a shell, existing but not truly alive. To have wealth, armies, and knowledge means nothing if the character of the people is weak. True greatness lies not in comfort, but in the willingness to confront injustice, even at cost to oneself. To be righteous is not to be perfect, but to stand, trembling if need be, against what is wrong.

The lesson for us is this: we must not wait for others to show courage. Each of us is called to embody the nerve that Garcia spoke of. In our workplaces, in our communities, in our governments, we see wrongs every day—big and small. To remain silent is to become complicit. To speak, to act, to demand better, even when it costs us, is to live with character. A nation is not transformed by words alone, but by the daily courage of its people.

Therefore, O listener, let your actions be these: look honestly at the wrongs around you. Do not excuse them, do not hide from them. Summon nerve, even when fear tells you to remain quiet. Stand with the oppressed, speak truth to power, and choose righteousness over convenience. For only in this way can a society grow strong in spirit. And remember: history does not honor those who turned away from injustice; it honors those who faced it with trembling courage and unyielding hearts.