“I believe that, as long as there is plenty, poverty is evil.”

Each time a man stands up for an ideal or acts to improve the lot of others or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope.

Progress is a nice word. But change is its motivator. And change has its enemies.

Fear not the path of Truth for the lack of People walking on it.

The intolerant man will not rely on persuasion, or on the worth of the idea. He would deny to others the very freedom of opinion or of dissent which he so stridently demands for himself. He cannot trust democracy.

I dream of things that are not and ask why not.

Tragedy is a tool for the living to gain wisdom, not a guide by which to live.

This much is clear: violence breeds violence, repression brings retaliation, and only a cleansing of our whole society can remove this sickness from our soul.

It is the essence of responsibility to put the public good ahead of personal gain.

Always forgive your enemies, but never forget their names.

I believe that, as long as there is plenty, poverty is evil. Government belongs wherever evil needs an adversary and there are people in distress.

Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.

Just because we cannot see clearly the end of the road, that is no reason for not setting out on the essential journey. On the contrary, great change dominates the world, and unless we move with change we will become its victims.

People say I am ruthless. I am not ruthless. And if I find the man who is calling me ruthless, I shall destroy him.

Victims of the violence are black and white, rich and poor, young and old, famous and unknown. They are most important of all, human beings whom other human beings loved and needed.

The natural state of a human being is dignity.

Religion is a salve for confusion and misdirection.

And I really do believe that the most important thing is the way you live your life on earth. But I think it’s enormously comforting to believe that you’re going to see your loved ones.

I have a great pack of female friends, but I also have a lot of guy friends. I believe that platonic relationship is entirely possible.

I do not believe in taking the right decision, I take a decision and make it right.

If you believe that the world is going to come to an end – and perhaps any day now – does it not drain one’s motivation to improve life on earth while we’re here?

I appeal to everyone who believes in Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream to make room at the table of brother- and sisterhood for lesbian and gay people.

You cannot believe in peace at home and not believe in international peace. A war with Iraq will increase anti-American sentiment, create more terrorists, and drain as much as 200 billion taxpayer dollars, which should be invested in human development here in America.

I’d be more willing to accept religion, even if I didn’t believe it, if I thought it made people nicer to each other but I don’t think it does.

I believe in reincarnation, and I believe I’ve lived quite a few lives.