South african author quotes Quotes

“When we decided to take up arms, it was because the only other choice was to surrender and to submit to slavery.”

“My mentality is that of a samurai. I would rather commit seppuku than fail.”

“I have made the mistaken assumption - and I will attempt to be better at this - of thinking that because somebody is on Twitter and is attacking me that it is open season. And that is my mistake.”

“The death sentence is a barbaric act.”

“I don't have any hesitation saying I've traveled more miles than any human being who ever lived. I've been doing it for 60 years.”

“I started SpaceX with the expectation of failure.”

“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”

“Even if producing CO2 was good for the environment, given that we're going to run out of hydrocarbons, we need to find some sustainable means of operating.”

“Freedom would be meaningless without security in the home and in the streets.”

“We must work together to ensure the equitable distribution of wealth, opportunity and power in our society.”

“Men come and men go, I have come and I will go when my time comes”

“Whose life testifies to the truth that there is no shame in being oppressed: Those who should be ashamed are they who oppress others.”

“The United States has made serious mistakes in the conduct of its foreign affairs, which have had unfortunate repercussions long after the decisions were taken.”

“But the hard facts were that fifty years of non-violence had brought the African people nothing but more and more repressive legislation, and fewer and fewer rights.”

“Negotiation and discussion are the greatest weapons we have for promoting peace and development.”

“I will not leave South Africa, nor will I surrender. Only through hardship, sacrifice and militant action can freedom be won. The struggle is my life. I will continue fighting for freedom until the end of my days.”

“A leader. . .is like a shepherd. He stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead, whereupon the others follow, not realizing that all along they are being directed from behind.”

“Our hope is that the elementary reading of comics will lead to the joy of reading good books.”

“Optimism, pessimism, f**k that; we're going to make it happen. As God is my bloody witness, I'm hell-bent on making it work.”

“There is nobody more dangerous than one who has been humiliated, even when you humiliate him rightly.”

“It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur. You take the front line when there is danger. Then people will appreciate your leadership.”

“If you look at those matters, you will come to the conclusion that the attitude of the United States of America is a threat to world peace.”

“There are many people who enjoy animal based foods and who have no interest in changing the way they eat. And as you correctly pointed out, animal products are an integral part of some ethnic groups and societies and it would be nearly impossible for them to change thousands of years of traditional eating habits.”

“No matter what the past has dealt you, don't let it destroy your future.”

“Even behind prison walls I can see the heavy clouds and the blue sky over the horizon”

“For my part, I will never give up, and I mean never.”

“Wind is part of the British Open. It is an examination and it took me a long time to pass the examination. Eighty per cent of the fellows out there have not passed the test.”

“Government isn't that good at rapid advancement of technology. It tends to be better at funding basic research. To have things take off, you've got to have commercial companies do it.”

“It's a marriage. If I had to choose between my wife and my putter, well, I'd miss her.”

“Man has the power to act as his own destroyer - and that is the way he has acted through most of his history.”

“Where people of goodwill get together and transcend their differences for the common good, peaceful and just solutions can be found even for those problems which seem most intractable.”

“My respect for human beings is based not on the colour of a man’s skin nor authority he may wield, but purely on merit.”

“The question of education has nothing to do with the question of the vote. On numerous occasions it has been proved in history that people can enjoy the vote even if they have no education.”

“I've never had a single moment of depression, because I know my cause will triumph.”

“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.”

“I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”

“I read books and talked to people. I mean that's kind of how one learns anything. There's lots of great books out there & lots of smart people.”

“But golf being an international game and everybody loving the game the way they do, if you want to spread the game of golf, it's good that you have great competition.”

“During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”

“It is a mistake to hire huge numbers of people to get a complicated job done. Numbers will never compensate for talent in getting the right answer (two people who don't know something are no better than one), will tend to slow down progress, and will make the task incredibly expensive.”

“Good men and women can be mobilized to ensure that South Africa is united and that the spirit of reconciliation is strengthened and that progress in this country takes place as fast as it can.”

“Our economic approach to food and its distribution reflects our basic moral values.”

“I think that if people would be willing to grow some of their own food or eat locally grown organic foods on a regular basis we could significantly decrease the amount of harmful chemicals we pump into our soil every day.”

“The victory of democracy in South Africa is the common achievement of all humanity.”

“But the human body has an enormous capacity for adjusting to trying circumstances. I have found that one can bear the unbearable if one can keep one's spirits strong even when one's body is being tested. Strong convictions are the secret of surviving deprivation; your spirit can be full even when your stomach is empty.”

“Our march to freedom is irreversible. We must not allow fear to stand in our way.”

“We create success or failure on the course primarily by our thoughts.”

“Those South Africans who berate me for being loyal to our friends, literally they can go and throw themselves into a pool. I am not going to betray the trust of those who helped us.”

“I've been to Disneyland, like, 10 times. I'm getting really tired of Disneyland.”

“When you are behind bars with no hope of release, you need to find strength wherever you can. Personally, I found strength in Michael Jackson.”