I am not an American; I am one of twenty-two million black people who are victims of Americanism.

The media's the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that's power. Because they control the minds of the masses.

A wise man can play the part of a clown, but a clown can't play the part of a wise man.

We need more light about each other. Light creates understanding, understanding creates love, love creates patience, and patience creates unity.

When 'I' replaced with 'We', even the illness becomes wellness.

I have more respect for a man who lets me know where he stands, even if he's wrong, than the one who comes up like an angel and is nothing but a devil.

Be peaceful, be courteous, obey the law, respect everyone; but if someone puts his hand on you, send him to the cemetery.

If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.

You're not supposed to be so blind with patriotism that you can't face reality. Wrong is wrong, no matter who says it.

The mother is the first teacher of the child. The message she gives that child, that child gives to the world.

Read absolutely everything you get your hands on because you'll never know where you'll get an idea from.

Write about a terrible experience until you find value in having gone through it. Then you will appreciate every dark hour.

I've been told over and over not to go on the Bill Maher show. Well, my best moments have happened on the Bill Maher show. It's been magic for me.

He that seeks popularity in art closes the door on his own genius: as he must needs paint for other minds, and not for his own.

I believe that the experience of love is the most human and humanizing act that it is given to man to enjoy and that it, like reason, makes no sense if conceived in a partial way.

Wood is universally beautiful to man. It is the most humanly intimate of all materials.

If you don't disturb yourself, like a broken gong does not vibrate, then you have achieved nirvana. Irritability no longer exists for you.

Whatever you cannot understand, you cannot possess.

Unexpectedly, a fierce sense of protectiveness comes over me. Except I fight it back because I can hardly look after myself these days.

Through my music, I've found a place in the world where I'm accepted, so I'm happy.

We say that Columbus discovered America and Newton discovered gravity, as though America and gravity weren't there until Columbus and Newton got wind of them.