It’s always going to be a fight for anyone who isn’t an older white man. I want to fight for anyone who doesn’t have a fight.

There is no question that liberals do an impressive job of expressing concern for blacks. But do the intentions expressed in their words match the actual consequences of their deeds?

I think if we go back and check our record, the Negro has proven beyond a doubt that we have been more than patient in seeking our rights as American citizens.

Black people in America, people from the struggle, immigrants, it’s no generational wealth that we are attached to, so we are tasked to create – in one generation – closing the gap. That’s why we so Doomsday about getting to the check: ‚cause it’s life or death for real.

If your culture doesn’t like geeks, you are in real trouble.

Boys will be boys. And even that wouldn’t matter if only we could prevent girls from being girls.

There is not a liberal America and a conservative America – there is the United States of America. There is not a black America and a white America and latino America and asian America – there’s the United States of America.

For way too long the politicians and people in power have got away with not doing anything at all to fight the climate crisis and ecological crisis.

I think what you’re seeing is a profound recognition on the part of the American people that gays and lesbians and transgender persons are our brothers, our sisters, our children, our cousins, our friends, our co-workers, and that they’ve got to be treated like every other American. And I think that principle will win out.

I don’t think any country is perfect. It’s our responsibility to do the best we can do to change the things we don’t like. I think that’s part of social responsibility, and everybody is going to do that in their own way.

Before God we are all equally wise – and equally foolish.

We’ve never advocated violence; violence is inflicted upon us. But we do believe in self-defense for ourselves and for black people.

Men feel that cruelty to the poor is a kind of cruelty to animals. They never feel that it is an injustice to equals; nay it is treachery to comrades.

Stop this attitude that older people ain’t any good anymore! We’re as good as we ever were – if we ever were any good.

I feel that there are a few things in the world without cultural barriers.

I hope that people will finally come to realize that there is only one ‚race‘ – the human race – and that we are all members of it.

Whether our forebears were strangers who crossed the Atlantic or the Pacific or the Rio Grande, we are here only because this country welcomed them in and taught them that to be an American is about something more than what we look like, or what our last names are, or how we worship.

Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth.

No race can prosper till it learns that there is as much dignity in tilling a field as in writing a poem.

Marriage is good enough for the lower classes: they have facilities for desertion that are denied to us.

Like so many American families, our families weren’t asking for much. They didn’t begrudge anyone else’s success or care that others had much more than they did… in fact, they admired it.

I want people to follow their dreams, yes… but I’m not interested in telling young black kids how to be rappers… I want to show them that there’s so many other paths you can take, besides a rapper or basketball player.

If you want to make computers that really work, create a design team composed only of healthy, active women with lots else to do in their lives, and give them carte blanche.

I know I got it made while the masses of black people are catchin‘ hell, but as long as they ain’t free, I ain’t free.

Even after Independence, we have had to face the poison of casteism and communalism. How long these evils will continue? Whom does it benefit?

There isn’t anybody that looks like me without clothes on.

Gentleness, self-sacrifice and generosity are the exclusive possession of no one race or religion.

Oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever. The yearning for freedom eventually manifests itself.

If you care about other people, you might try to organize to undermine power and authority. That’s not going to happen if you care only about yourself.

I believe there is complete equality between men and women. And I believe those passages in the New Testament, not by Jesus, but by Paul, that say women should not adorn themselves, they should always wear hats or color their hair in church – things like that – I think they are signs of the times and should not apply to modern-day life.

All of us are so mixed. My great-grandfather was white.

There are millions of Americans outside Washington who are tired of stale political arguments and are moving this country forward. They believe, and I believe, that here in America, our success should depend not on accident of birth, but the strength of our work ethic and the scope of our dreams.

When you hear people making hateful comments, stand up to them. Point out what a waste it is to hate, and you could open their eyes.

I am a beneficiary of the American people’s generosity, and I hope we can have comprehensive immigration legislation that allows this country to continue to be enriched by those who were not born here.

Yeah, I did see where the people dissing me were coming from. But, it’s like, anything that happened in the past between black and white, I can’t really speak on it, because I wasn’t there. I don’t feel like me being born the color I am makes me any less of a person.

Let us build bridges, my friends, build bridges to human dignity across that gulf that separates black America from white America.

I refuse to allow any man-made differences to separate me from any other human beings.

Generally speaking, men are held in great esteem in all parts of the world, so why shouldn’t women have their share? Soldiers and war heroes are honored and commemorated, explorers are granted immortal fame, martyrs are revered, but how many people look upon women too as soldiers?

No intelligent black man or black woman in his or her right black mind wants white boys and white girls coming to their homes to marry their black sons and daughters.

During the 60’s, I was, in fact, very concerned about the civil rights movement.

Be nice to the whites, they need you to rediscover their humanity.

I think that there’s no doubt that as I see friends, families, children of gay couples who are thriving, you know, that has an impact on how I think about these issues.

A right delayed is a right denied.

The former colonies, in Latin America in particular, have a better chance than ever before to overcome centuries of subjugation, violence and foreign intervention, which they have so far survived as dependencies with islands of luxury in a sea of misery.

If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.

I’m not looking to exclude people, I’m looking to include them.

When will our consciences grow so tender that we will act to prevent human misery rather than avenge it?

SEALs are human beings. We may all have the same haircuts, but we aren’t robots. Some SEALs are great people. Some are not great people. Some have done unspeakably terrible things. You’re dealing with different people, different dreams, different desires.

To terrify children with the image of hell… to consider women an inferior creation. Is that good for the world?

I’ve been very lucky, and therefore I owe it to try and reduce the inequity in the world. And that’s kind of a religious belief. I mean, it’s at least a moral belief.

The Nation of Islam’s main focus was teaching black pride and self-awareness. Why should we keep trying to force ourselves into white restaurants and schools when white people didn’t want us? Why not clean up our own neighborhoods and schools instead of trying to move out of them and into white people’s neighborhoods?

Every once in a while, I get mad. ‚The Lorax‘ came out of my being angry. The ecology books I’d read were dull… In ‚The Lorax,‘ I was out to attack what I think are evil things and let the chips fall where they might.

Being beautiful is not so fun when you’re in a business with all men.

Me only have one ambition, y’know. I only have one thing I really like to see happen. I like to see mankind live together – black, white, Chinese, everyone – that’s all.

People with great gifts are easy to find, but symmetrical and balanced ones never.

A soldier will fight long and hard for a bit of colored ribbon.

I’ve been fighting with Acorn, alongside Acorn, on issues you care about, my entire career.

If you lose a big fight, it will worry you all of your life. It will plague you – until you get your revenge.

You can’t have it all, all at once. Who – man or woman – has it all, all at once? Over my lifespan, I think I have had it all. But in different periods of time, things were rough. And if you have a caring life partner, you help the other person when that person needs it.

How can a woman be expected to be happy with a man who insists on treating her as if she were a perfectly normal human being.

In a democracy the poor will have more power than the rich, because there are more of them, and the will of the majority is supreme.