"... the Athenian lawmaker Solon decreed it..." - Quote by John F Kennedy
... the Athenian lawmaker Solon decreed it a crime for any citizen to shrink from controversy.
More by John F Kennedy
“We are not afraid to entrust the American people with unpleasant facts, foreign ideas, alien philosophies, and competitive values.”
“The physical fitness of our citizens is a vital prerequisite to America's realization of its full potential as a nation, and to the opportunity of each individual citizen to make full and fruitful use of his capacities.”
“We must use time as a tool, not as a couch.”
More on Civic Duty
“The role of citizen in our democracy does not end with your vote.”
“The vote is precious. It's almost sacred, so go out and vote like you never voted before.”
“Our whole system of government is based on "We the people," but if we the people don't pay attention to what's going on, we have no right to bellyache or squawk when things go wrong.”
More on Democracy
“The People's democratic dictatorship is based on the alliance of the working class, the peasantry and the urban petty bourgeoisie, and mainly on the alliance of the workers and the peasants, because these two classes comprise 80 to go per cent of China's population. These two classes are the main force in overthrowing imperialism and the Kuomintang reactionaries. The transition from New Democracy to socialism also depends mainly upon their alliance.”
“The ballot is stronger than the bullet.”
“What we would be committed to would be a representative government where all the Iraqi people decide who should lead their nation, and lead it in a way that keeps it together as a single nation and where all parts of the nation - Shia, Sunni and Kurds - are able to live free and in peace and believe that their interests are represented by the government.”