Barack Obama's strategy is to get away from anything having to do with race as quickly as he can. His fear is that that might open a Pandora's Box.

It is time for blacks to begin the shift from a wartime to a peacetime identity, from fighting for opportunity to the seizing of it.

Opportunity follows struggle. It follows effort. It follows hard work. It doesn't come before.

Every single progressive education fad of the past thirty years has hurt poor black children.

A black conservative is a black who dissents from the victimization explanation of black fate.

The promised land guarantees nothing. It is only an opportunity, not a deliverance.

My experience in life tells me that the values that are now being labeled 'conservative' are the only way that blacks can get ahead.

Freedom always carries a burden of proof, always throws us back on ourselves.

Liberalism has become a moral vaccine that immunizes people against stigmatization.

My honest opinion is that blacks have to fight much harder for their individuality than whites do.

I would love to see us, as blacks, get to the place where we say, 'I'm not going to play race games with you. Here I am. This is who I am. Take it or leave it.'

The room fell quiet. And as I read down the list of over one hundred and fifty eight-grade boys, I realized that to me, there had only ever been one boy.

I do believe we're all connected. I do believe in positive energy. I do believe in the power of prayer. I do believe in putting good out into the world. And I believe in taking care of each other.

Set politics and party aside: If it's not right for Michigan's small businesses and middle class, it's never been right with me.

One American said that the most interesting thing about Holy Ireland was that its people hate each other in the name of Jesus Christ. And they do!

"Jem?" he said. "Is it you, James?" "Who else?" Jem's voice.

I'm not a racist. I made a terrible, terrible mistake.

It's very important for a writer to be unnoticed, as quiet and unnoticed as possible.

Come, Death, and snatch me from disgrace.

It's so tedious writing cookbooks or writing the recipes because I've never been much of a measurer. But to write a book, you have to measure everything.

Growing up in the entertainment industry, I've had a lot of people tell me I'm not good enough.