2013, Commencement Address at Ohio State University (May 2013)
Context: I don’t pretend to have all the answers. And I’m not going to offer some grand theory – not when it’s a beautiful day and you’ve got some celebrating to do. I’m not going to get partisan, either, because that’s not what citizenship is about. In fact, I am asking the same thing of you that President Bush did when he spoke at this commencement in 2002: “America needs more than taxpayers, spectators, and occasional voters,” he said. “America needs full-time citizens.”
And as graduates from a university whose motto is “Education for Citizenship,” that’s what your country expects of you. So briefly, I will ask you for two things: to participate, and to persevere.
After all, your democracy does not function without your active participation. At a bare minimum, that means voting, eagerly and often. It means knowing who’s been elected to make decisions on your behalf, what they believe in, and whether or not they deliver. If they don’t represent you the way you want, or conduct themselves the way you expect – if they put special interests above your own – you’ve got to let them know that’s not okay. And if they let you down, there’s a built-in day in November where you can really let them know that’s not okay.
Burt Reynolds (1936–2018) American actor, director and producer.
"Burt Reynolds Has Made Mistakes. But He Regrets Nothing." in The New York Times (23 March 2018) https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/23/movies/burt-reynolds-the-last-movie-star.html. Chosen as the Quote of the Day for 6 September 2018.
“I advise you all very strongly - go for a run, get some exercise, and have a beautiful day.”
Boris Johnson (1964) British politician, historian and journalist
Valentine Low, "Shiver me timbers Boris", Evening Standard, 15 November 2004, p. 3.
Cornered by reporters asking about his affair after a morning run.
2000s, 2004
“Some day I’m going to climb Everest.”
Edmund Hillary (1919–2008) New Zealand mountaineer
Statement to a friend just before World War II.
Sir Edmund Hillary : King Of The World
Morrissey (1959) English singer
from an interview for El Mundo (2014), regarding the announcement of Morrissey's cancer diagnosis
In interviews etc., About life and death
Gracie Allen (1902–1964) American actress and comedienne
Source: How to Become President (1940), Ch. 3 : Why a woman president? Well, why?
Context: Now, I don’t pretend to know all the answers. I’m just a plain, ordinary, everyday genius who loves her fellow-man whenever possible. But let me tell you that women are getting very tired of running a poor second to the Forgotten Man, and with all the practice we’ve had around the house the time is ripe for a woman to sweep the country. I’ll make a prediction with my eyes open: that a woman can and will be elected if she is qualified and gets enough votes.
James Blunt (1974) English singer-songwriter
"Cold", written by James Blunt, Cleo Tighe, Steve Robson
Song lyrics, Once Upon a Mind (2019)
Orson Scott Card (1951) American science fiction novelist
Source: The Tales of Alvin Maker, The Crystal City (2003), Chapter 4 “La Tia” (p. 74).
Benito Mussolini (1883–1945) Duce and President of the Council of Ministers of Italy. Leader of the National Fascist Party and subsequen…
to Edwin L. James of the New York Times (1928)
1920s
Barack Obama (1961) 44th President of the United States of America
2018, Speech at the University of Illinoise Speech (2018)
